Realism And Naturalism In 20th

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

created this picture of America by combining a wide variety of “details derived from observation and documentation” to “approach the norm of experience” (Elliot 503). Along with this technique, realists compared the “objective or absolute existence” in America to that of the “universal truths, or observed facts of life” (Harvey 12). In other words, realists objectively looked at American society and pointed out the aspects that it had in common with the general truths of existence. This realistic movement evolved as a result of many changes and transitions in American culture. In the late 1800’s, the United States was experiencing “swift growth and change” (Bradley114) as a result of a changing economy, society, and culture because of an influx in the number of immigrants into America. Realists such as Henry James and William Dean Howells, two of the most prolific writers of the Nineteenth century, used typical realistic methods to create an accurate depiction of changing American ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

America’s view of America, he presented to the people the differing motivational factors that stimulated the different social classes (Bradley 1143). Overall, these writers managed to very formally portray America as it was while adding their own criticisms about it in an attempt to stimulate change.
The naturalist movement slowly developed with most of the same ideals as those of the realists in that it attempted to find life’s truths. In contrast, Naturalists, extreme realists, saw the corrupt side of life and how environment “deprived individuals of responsibility” (Elliott 514). Literary naturalism invited writers to examine human beings objectively, as a “scientist studies ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: