The entire book "Spoon River Anthology" is actually a collection of over two hundred poetic monologues told by the inhabitants of a small town. The setting of the town is the main emphasis that holds the pieces together, and therefore the work is classified into the subgenre Regionalism, which comes out of the larger genre, Realism.
Regionalism is defined as a subgenre of Realism and is all about the location of the story or work of literature that falls into it (Anderson). Regional works take a certain location and build the entire story around it. Sometimes the story is all about the particular location itself, and sometimes the location simply serves as a backdrop and inspiration for the events and stories that happen within it (Anderson).
"Spoon River Anthology" is a clearly Regionalist collection because of the setting all takes place in one town, and it details the many stories of dead people living in the graves of the local cemetery (Masters). This location was inspired by two very similar towns that the author, Edgar Lee Masters, grew up in (Cone). These towns were Lewistown, Illinois, and Petersburg, Illinois. By using these towns as inspiration, Masters was able to create a very realistic fictional town (Cone).
One aspect of Realism, the larger genre that this story falls into, is that it talks about things that are real (Werlock). All Realist works were about something that was commonplace in that period of time. Also, the heroes were ordinary, everyday citizens who were just trying to make sense of their worlds (Werlock). In "Spoon River Anthology" the citizens and narrators of the various monologues are just exactly those types of everyday people, because they are simply the inhabitants of a town in the midwest (Masters). The following is a quote by Temple Cone about the various real and applicable instances detailed in "Spoon River Anthology":
"His characters speak of guilt and loneliness, of the disappointments and thwarted ambitions caused by parenthood, insufficient talent, and bad luck, of the grief of loss and the pain of betrayal, and of the misery inflicted by small-mindedness, bigotry, and misunderstanding. More than anything, though, Masters' characters seek to tell the truth about their lives."
These concepts, specifically the last sentence, are all very real and important. Because in the end, all anybody really wants to do is tell the truth about what happened to them and feel as though they left some sort of impact on the world. In this way, Masters created monologues that were able to touch people because they struck so close to home with many common issues of the time that we still share today.
Regionalist works also tend to use dialects and vernacular particular to the region they are set in (Anderson). For this reason, Masters' use of a simple dialect with not a lot of complicated words was a reflection of the region that he was telling about (Masters). The midwest was commonly thought to have spoken plain English in those days. This concept also reflected Regionalism by using the language of the area.
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Cone, Temple. "Spoon River Anthology." In Kimmelman, Burt, and Temple Cone, eds. The Facts On File Companion to American Poetry, vol. 2. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CTAP0520&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 16, 2011).
Masters, Edgar Lee. "Spoon Rivers Anthology." Bartleby: Great Books Online. 2011. Online. http://www.bartleby.com/84/index.html. February 16, 2011.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Feb 13, 2011.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Regionalism and Realism in "Two Ways of Seeing a River"
"Two Ways of Seeing a River" by Mark Twain could be classified as both Realism and partially one of its subgenres, Regionalism. Realism is a genre in which facts and emotional descriptions and phrases are used in order to extract an emotional response from the reader (Werlock). By using a mixture of details that play on one's emotions and facts that appeal to the more logical and reasoning side of one's brain, the most effective response can be produced. Realism is all about appealing to people by discussing something that is important and applicable to their own daily lives. This makes people more likely to listen to the argument put before them because they feel as though they can relate (Werlock). Mark Twain applies this concept by talking about a particular river but at the same time referencing all rivers and the way that the concept applies to them all (Twain 504-505). In his short narrative he talks about how rivers can lose their majesty and the sense of wonder they evoke because one simply becomes desensitized to them due to prolonged exposure (Twain 504-505). The following quote illustrates the way Twain uses details to appeal to the reader's senses:
"A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood; in the middle distance the red hue brightened into gold, through which a solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous; in one place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon the water; in another the surface was broken by boiling, tumbling rings, that were as many-tinted as an opal; where the ruddy flush was faintest, was a smooth spot that was covered with graceful circles and radiating lines, ever so delicately traced; the shore on our left was densely wooded, and the sombre shadow that fell from this forest was broken in one place by a long, ruffled trail that shone like silver; and high above the forest wall a clean-stemmed dead tree waved a single leafy bough that glowed like a flame in the unobstructed splendor that was flowing from the sun" (Twain 504).
Through this excerpt, Twain captivates the reader with the majesty and wonder of the river as well as using facts and descriptions of the river in order to make it seem real (Twain 504-505). This is a great example of the balance of facts and emotional details in Realism.
This story also shows aspects of Regionalism. Regionalism is a genre in which all of the focus of the literary work is focused upon one particular location (Anderson). It can range anywhere from a whole region to a county to a natural landmark, such as the river referenced in this work. The backdrop of this location used in the work provides the foundation for every part of the literary work. In some cases the author also provides dialect and vernacular that is particular to the region. In this way he brings out the life of the region in an even more effective way (Anderson). Twain employs these principles of Regionalism in his work "Two Ways of Seeing a River." He does this by focusing his entire work on one particular location, the river. All of the piece is built on the core foundation of this one river (Twain 504-505).
While this work revolves solely around the river, not all Regionalist works are the same way. Some of them simply use the location to build the story rather than making the story about the region itself. Still, all Regional works have to build their core around a particular region.
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Twain, Mark. "Two Views of the River." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 504-505.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Feb 13, 2011.
"A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood; in the middle distance the red hue brightened into gold, through which a solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous; in one place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon the water; in another the surface was broken by boiling, tumbling rings, that were as many-tinted as an opal; where the ruddy flush was faintest, was a smooth spot that was covered with graceful circles and radiating lines, ever so delicately traced; the shore on our left was densely wooded, and the sombre shadow that fell from this forest was broken in one place by a long, ruffled trail that shone like silver; and high above the forest wall a clean-stemmed dead tree waved a single leafy bough that glowed like a flame in the unobstructed splendor that was flowing from the sun" (Twain 504).
Through this excerpt, Twain captivates the reader with the majesty and wonder of the river as well as using facts and descriptions of the river in order to make it seem real (Twain 504-505). This is a great example of the balance of facts and emotional details in Realism.
This story also shows aspects of Regionalism. Regionalism is a genre in which all of the focus of the literary work is focused upon one particular location (Anderson). It can range anywhere from a whole region to a county to a natural landmark, such as the river referenced in this work. The backdrop of this location used in the work provides the foundation for every part of the literary work. In some cases the author also provides dialect and vernacular that is particular to the region. In this way he brings out the life of the region in an even more effective way (Anderson). Twain employs these principles of Regionalism in his work "Two Ways of Seeing a River." He does this by focusing his entire work on one particular location, the river. All of the piece is built on the core foundation of this one river (Twain 504-505).
While this work revolves solely around the river, not all Regionalist works are the same way. Some of them simply use the location to build the story rather than making the story about the region itself. Still, all Regional works have to build their core around a particular region.
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Twain, Mark. "Two Views of the River." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 504-505.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Feb 13, 2011.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Regionalism in "The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County"
Regionalism is the subgenre of Realism that deals with the setting of the story and how that affects the general theme of the story (Anderson). "The Celebrated Frogs of Calaveras County" was one such story that fit into this genre.
"The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" is a story about a man who taught a frog how to jump very high and long (Twain). Truthfully it was a very pointless story, although I have to admit I kind of liked it. It reflected regionalism in the dialect and vernacular that was used (Anderson). One of the men in the story, the man who is telling the story of the man with the jumping frog to the narrator, has a very uneducated and endearing way of talking (Anderson). For example, the following excerpt:
"He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'klated to edercate him; and so he never done nothing for three months but set in his back yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he did learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut see him turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and come down flat-footed and all right, like a cat. (Twain)"
This selection shows you exactly how the man in this story speaks in a language that can be at times hard to understand. In the sentence where he references the frog turning a "summerset," I believe he was trying to say somersault. By using this vernacular, Twain appealed to the people because he used a character who spoke much like they did (Twain).
Another characteristic of Regionalism is using a character that is not the typical kind of character one would find in a Romantic novel for instance (Anderson). Rather than being a daring hero who flies away to exotic locales, the hero of a Realism work of literature was supposed to be a commonplace person who was much like the readers of the stories (Anderson). This concept is obviously displayed in the way that the main character of the story is uneducated yet sincere and endearing (Twain). One gets the sense that though the character is rambling on about things that have nothing to do with the story the narrator requested, the narrator still finds him to be an endearing and sweet man (Twain).
"The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" is a story that shows the love of story-telling in certain regions of the country (Twain). Somebody always seems to have some kind of words of wisdom that they wish to impart. In this story the person imparting the wisdom is an old man who is reminiscing about the days of old in which a crazy many went around betting everybody on just about anything (Twain). In a twisted sense, although it is unintended, the narrator ends up teaching a lesson about the general lack of merit involved in excessive gambling (Twain). The subject of the story told by the main character ends up getting beat at his own game in the end (Twain).
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Twain, Mark. "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus; McGraw-Hill, 2010. 498-502. Print.
"The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" is a story about a man who taught a frog how to jump very high and long (Twain). Truthfully it was a very pointless story, although I have to admit I kind of liked it. It reflected regionalism in the dialect and vernacular that was used (Anderson). One of the men in the story, the man who is telling the story of the man with the jumping frog to the narrator, has a very uneducated and endearing way of talking (Anderson). For example, the following excerpt:
"He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'klated to edercate him; and so he never done nothing for three months but set in his back yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he did learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut see him turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and come down flat-footed and all right, like a cat. (Twain)"
This selection shows you exactly how the man in this story speaks in a language that can be at times hard to understand. In the sentence where he references the frog turning a "summerset," I believe he was trying to say somersault. By using this vernacular, Twain appealed to the people because he used a character who spoke much like they did (Twain).
Another characteristic of Regionalism is using a character that is not the typical kind of character one would find in a Romantic novel for instance (Anderson). Rather than being a daring hero who flies away to exotic locales, the hero of a Realism work of literature was supposed to be a commonplace person who was much like the readers of the stories (Anderson). This concept is obviously displayed in the way that the main character of the story is uneducated yet sincere and endearing (Twain). One gets the sense that though the character is rambling on about things that have nothing to do with the story the narrator requested, the narrator still finds him to be an endearing and sweet man (Twain).
"The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" is a story that shows the love of story-telling in certain regions of the country (Twain). Somebody always seems to have some kind of words of wisdom that they wish to impart. In this story the person imparting the wisdom is an old man who is reminiscing about the days of old in which a crazy many went around betting everybody on just about anything (Twain). In a twisted sense, although it is unintended, the narrator ends up teaching a lesson about the general lack of merit involved in excessive gambling (Twain). The subject of the story told by the main character ends up getting beat at his own game in the end (Twain).
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Twain, Mark. "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus; McGraw-Hill, 2010. 498-502. Print.
Naturalism in "The Red Badge of Courage"
Naturalism is yet another subgenre of Realism. This genre entails more of a clinical study of the human experience and what humans are truly like on the inside (Sommers). Naturalists typically believed that humans were only high order animals and therefore did not truly have any free will at all and were not capable of affecting any true change in their worlds at all. This meant that although they could act upon their "animal instincts" which included fear, anger, and lust, no matter what they did it would never change their destiny (Sommers).
Another important part of Naturalism is the study of how humans react when put into high pressure situations that display a person's true character (Sommers). Usually they were placed in a hostile and foreign environment, and then the story progresses as a kind of record of how they made their way through. in this way the true character of the human under study is revealed. "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane was one such story and therefore the first Naturalist work I have come across in this project.
Unfortunately, most Naturalist works were sad and grim because they show the darker sides of life (Sommers). Obviously when one is placed in a foreign and hostile environment, the experience is not going to be enjoyable. However, the belief of Naturalist writers was in displaying life as it really was and not sugar-coating it (Sommers). Because of this belief, no details are typically spared in these stories and they can get quite gruesome and uncomfortable at times (Sommers).
This story is no exception to that gruesome picture of human life. The story details the journey of soldiers in the Civil War, and therefore it is a very unpleasant story (Crane). The story shows how a person reacts when forced to kill others over and over again (Crane). Unfortunately, the truth that is revealed is that when forced to do these things repeatedly, it almost becomes second nature. The truth revealed about humanity in this work is that we can adapt to virtually anything, even things that we might not think we are capable of.
While all parts of Realism believe in using facts and details in order to get their point across, Naturalism is special in its effort to record every precise detail (Sommers). The main goal of Naturalism is to take an almost scientific approach to these things and record the exact physical and emotional experiences undergone by the subject. In this way the most accurate depiction can be given of the events, and therefore the emotional response can be independent to the reader and not supplied by the writer. The reader may take from it what they will (Sommers).
Stephen Crane did an excellent job of portraying the life of these soldiers although, surprisingly, he did not actually participate in the fighting during the Civil War. Still, in a literary world full of war stories, Crane shines as one of the best. For this reason he is one of the best Naturalist writers that ever lived.
Crane, Stephen. "The Red Badge of Courage." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 493.
Sommers, Joseph Michael. "naturalism." In Maunder, Andrew. Facts On File Companion to the British Short Story. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CBSS450&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
Another important part of Naturalism is the study of how humans react when put into high pressure situations that display a person's true character (Sommers). Usually they were placed in a hostile and foreign environment, and then the story progresses as a kind of record of how they made their way through. in this way the true character of the human under study is revealed. "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane was one such story and therefore the first Naturalist work I have come across in this project.
Unfortunately, most Naturalist works were sad and grim because they show the darker sides of life (Sommers). Obviously when one is placed in a foreign and hostile environment, the experience is not going to be enjoyable. However, the belief of Naturalist writers was in displaying life as it really was and not sugar-coating it (Sommers). Because of this belief, no details are typically spared in these stories and they can get quite gruesome and uncomfortable at times (Sommers).
This story is no exception to that gruesome picture of human life. The story details the journey of soldiers in the Civil War, and therefore it is a very unpleasant story (Crane). The story shows how a person reacts when forced to kill others over and over again (Crane). Unfortunately, the truth that is revealed is that when forced to do these things repeatedly, it almost becomes second nature. The truth revealed about humanity in this work is that we can adapt to virtually anything, even things that we might not think we are capable of.
While all parts of Realism believe in using facts and details in order to get their point across, Naturalism is special in its effort to record every precise detail (Sommers). The main goal of Naturalism is to take an almost scientific approach to these things and record the exact physical and emotional experiences undergone by the subject. In this way the most accurate depiction can be given of the events, and therefore the emotional response can be independent to the reader and not supplied by the writer. The reader may take from it what they will (Sommers).
Stephen Crane did an excellent job of portraying the life of these soldiers although, surprisingly, he did not actually participate in the fighting during the Civil War. Still, in a literary world full of war stories, Crane shines as one of the best. For this reason he is one of the best Naturalist writers that ever lived.
Crane, Stephen. "The Red Badge of Courage." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 493.
Sommers, Joseph Michael. "naturalism." In Maunder, Andrew. Facts On File Companion to the British Short Story. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CBSS450&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
Realism in "Letter to His Son"
In Robert E. Lee's "Letter to His Son" he discusses the way that he knows the country is heading in the midst of the fighting that is going on between the North and the South (Lee). He knows that the Civil War will soon be approaching his son, and he shares his ideas about that with him. It is a very informative letter, detailing exactly what Lee feels about the fighting and whether or not the idea of secession from the nation would have been allowed by the forefathers of our country. For the record, he thinks it would not have been and ways to prohibit it were specifically written in the laws of our nations (Lee).
Through his discussion of the imminent problems for our nation, Lee displays strong Realism qualities. Realism is all about writing about the current news and what is happening in the world around the writer (Werlock). In this way the author can appeal to the people and show his opinion on what should happen. Although this letter was not addressed to the general public to be shared with them, it was addressed to his son whom he loved and wanted to share his innermost feelings and opinions about the situation with (Lee).
Lee's prediction of the upcoming state of our nation also ends up displaying Realism qualities. It does this because Lee uses facts to make an educated guess about what will happen rather than just taking a shot in the dark and saying that he thinks it is going to happen (Lee). Lee was obviously a famous commander and general in many wars and therefore he had a lot of experience with wars and battle. Because of this experience, he was able to accurately predict the upcoming turmoil. Still, it was not a guess dependent on simple guesswork, it was one dependent upon his personal experience and most likely his communication with other people who were in the know and could give him valuable information about the state of the nation.
Just the fact that Lee's letter was written to his son also displays characteristics of Realism, although these characteristics were obviously unintentional because the letter was never intended to evoke an emotional response from others. Still, it does evoke an emotional response because when it is read by an outside viewer it is touching to see the correspondence from a loving father trying to impart some knowledge and forewarning to his son.
One thing that I have to say it does not reflect about Realism though is the general status of the hero in the story. Although it is a letter and does not technically therefore have a hero, for all intents and purposes I believe the hero of this story to be Robert E. Lee (Lee). And in that case, the hero of the story is not exactly a common, everyday guy, which is supposed to be the characterization of the hero of a Realist literary work (Werlock). He is, in fact, a very prestigious military commander. However, that is the only thing I can think of that goes against the ideas of Realism in this work.
Lee, Robert E. "Letter to His Son." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus; McGraw-Hill, 2010. 385. Print.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Feb 13, 2011.
Through his discussion of the imminent problems for our nation, Lee displays strong Realism qualities. Realism is all about writing about the current news and what is happening in the world around the writer (Werlock). In this way the author can appeal to the people and show his opinion on what should happen. Although this letter was not addressed to the general public to be shared with them, it was addressed to his son whom he loved and wanted to share his innermost feelings and opinions about the situation with (Lee).
Lee's prediction of the upcoming state of our nation also ends up displaying Realism qualities. It does this because Lee uses facts to make an educated guess about what will happen rather than just taking a shot in the dark and saying that he thinks it is going to happen (Lee). Lee was obviously a famous commander and general in many wars and therefore he had a lot of experience with wars and battle. Because of this experience, he was able to accurately predict the upcoming turmoil. Still, it was not a guess dependent on simple guesswork, it was one dependent upon his personal experience and most likely his communication with other people who were in the know and could give him valuable information about the state of the nation.
Just the fact that Lee's letter was written to his son also displays characteristics of Realism, although these characteristics were obviously unintentional because the letter was never intended to evoke an emotional response from others. Still, it does evoke an emotional response because when it is read by an outside viewer it is touching to see the correspondence from a loving father trying to impart some knowledge and forewarning to his son.
One thing that I have to say it does not reflect about Realism though is the general status of the hero in the story. Although it is a letter and does not technically therefore have a hero, for all intents and purposes I believe the hero of this story to be Robert E. Lee (Lee). And in that case, the hero of the story is not exactly a common, everyday guy, which is supposed to be the characterization of the hero of a Realist literary work (Werlock). He is, in fact, a very prestigious military commander. However, that is the only thing I can think of that goes against the ideas of Realism in this work.
Lee, Robert E. "Letter to His Son." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus; McGraw-Hill, 2010. 385. Print.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Feb 13, 2011.
Realism in "The Awakening"
I have always believed that in order to write something well, you have to write with passion and fire. The topic you are discussing has to be something that you feel very strongly about and wish to share with others around you. While one can simply write about things that they know based solely upon facts, those works are not going to be the kind to penetrate into someone's emotions and change the way they see things or look at things in the world. In order to truly write well you must evoke an emotional response from the reader.
The idea of evoking an emotional response from the reader is a core principle of Realism (Werlock). Realism is the use of emotional pictures and verbage and techniques, mixed with facts and understood ideas, in order to evoke an emotional response from the reader. This use of both facts and emotions then makes the conviction that takes place even stronger than if only one of the two were used (Werlock).
In her novel and the excerpt that we read from it, Kate Chopin used Realism brilliantly. First off, she appealed directly to the heart of a common housewife by portraying her character in this excerpt as just that (Chopin 491). The character is simply a married woman who is sitting alone in her house crying to herself. It is not the cry of a woman who has just lost something dear to her heart or been given bad news, but it is simply the cry of a woman who feels as though there is something more to life that she has just not achieved yet (Chopin 491).
It is amazing to realize just exactly how many women go through this every single day. Specifically towards middle age, many women find themselves wondering if there is more to life than just being what she is to her family. Through her novel, Kate Chopin gives them an answer: yes, yes there is (Chopin 491).
The purpose of her writing this novel was to inform women just like this all over the country that there is in fact more to being a wife and a mother. Her purpose was to empower women to believing that they can do more than be a housewife like society has always told them. In this way, Kate Chopin almost began to start a revolution. Through this novel and others that surfaced around that time period, the motion for women's rights and feminism began to slowly rise up.
By discussing an important issue of the time period, Kate Chopin did a wonderful job of depicting Realism. Realism is all about what is real and what is happening at the time that it is written (Werlock). It is about appealing to the readers in order to hopefully affect change. Also, Realism is about creating an everyday hero (Werlock). Where before the heroes had all been uppity, well educated white men, the hero had now become an average, ordinary, everyday woman (Chopin 491). This was an important step for women that Kate Chopin was leading. And Realism did that for people. It opened all kinds of doors for new voices to be heard throughout the country.
Chopin, Kate. "The Awakening." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 491.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0575&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
The idea of evoking an emotional response from the reader is a core principle of Realism (Werlock). Realism is the use of emotional pictures and verbage and techniques, mixed with facts and understood ideas, in order to evoke an emotional response from the reader. This use of both facts and emotions then makes the conviction that takes place even stronger than if only one of the two were used (Werlock).
In her novel and the excerpt that we read from it, Kate Chopin used Realism brilliantly. First off, she appealed directly to the heart of a common housewife by portraying her character in this excerpt as just that (Chopin 491). The character is simply a married woman who is sitting alone in her house crying to herself. It is not the cry of a woman who has just lost something dear to her heart or been given bad news, but it is simply the cry of a woman who feels as though there is something more to life that she has just not achieved yet (Chopin 491).
It is amazing to realize just exactly how many women go through this every single day. Specifically towards middle age, many women find themselves wondering if there is more to life than just being what she is to her family. Through her novel, Kate Chopin gives them an answer: yes, yes there is (Chopin 491).
The purpose of her writing this novel was to inform women just like this all over the country that there is in fact more to being a wife and a mother. Her purpose was to empower women to believing that they can do more than be a housewife like society has always told them. In this way, Kate Chopin almost began to start a revolution. Through this novel and others that surfaced around that time period, the motion for women's rights and feminism began to slowly rise up.
By discussing an important issue of the time period, Kate Chopin did a wonderful job of depicting Realism. Realism is all about what is real and what is happening at the time that it is written (Werlock). It is about appealing to the readers in order to hopefully affect change. Also, Realism is about creating an everyday hero (Werlock). Where before the heroes had all been uppity, well educated white men, the hero had now become an average, ordinary, everyday woman (Chopin 491). This was an important step for women that Kate Chopin was leading. And Realism did that for people. It opened all kinds of doors for new voices to be heard throughout the country.
Chopin, Kate. "The Awakening." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 491.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0575&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Realism and Regionalism in "O Pioneers!"
"O Pioneers" by Willa Cather is yet another literary representation of the idea of Regionalism. Set in the midwest, Cather created a novel that included many details that were particular to the Midwest. Now most people say that there really is not a particular vernacular that goes along with the Midwest because they speak plain English and do not have a lot of their own words unlike other regions of the country. However, this absence of particular words and phrases and the use of plain and simple English in and of itself displays a type of Regionalism (Anderson). Simply by noting the absence of specific words or phrases, the reader can deduce exactly which region of the country the novel is, even without knowing where its set, which of course the reader does actually know (Anderson).
Another way this story reflects Regionalism is the focus put on farming and farmland in the midwest. Farming was an important part of their lifestyle and therefore incorporating and setting the story on farmland was the perfect way to represent the region in which it was set. By talking about the specific crops, namely corn, Cather was able to put a stamp on the region (Cather 489). She was able to do this because the area is known for its corn production and farming.
Although it is a work of Regionalism, the story also obviously falls under the category of Realism (Werlock). Realism is the use of facts and emotions in order to gain an emotional sort of response from the audience that is also grounded in facts (Werlock). This story is a great example of that. The place that this novel is set in was home to many struggles and hardships during the time period that this story takes place. Most of the livelihood of the are was dependent upon farmers and the economy that goes along with farming (Cather 489). When these times of struggles were upon them, they came together and made it through anyway (Cather 489).
This story reflects great ideas about Realism. Realism is reflected in the way that Willa Cather uses the emotional conditions of these people and their plights in order to gain sympathy and understanding from the reader. But it is also reflected in the way that she uses a real place with real issues that are grounded solely in facts about the way that things were (Cather 489). This was not something that Willa Cather made up all on her own; this was the way things were.
It has been said that if you want to write you should write about what you know. I have no proof as to where this came from, but I could bet you that it probably came from someone who had an idea about writing that went along the lines of Regionalism. In Regionalism an author uses a place that he or she is familiar with in order to bring the story to life (Anderson). Willa Cather lived in Nebraska during her lifetime, and there comes inspiration for the setting of the story.
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Cather, Willa. "O Pioneers!" Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 489.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0575&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Another way this story reflects Regionalism is the focus put on farming and farmland in the midwest. Farming was an important part of their lifestyle and therefore incorporating and setting the story on farmland was the perfect way to represent the region in which it was set. By talking about the specific crops, namely corn, Cather was able to put a stamp on the region (Cather 489). She was able to do this because the area is known for its corn production and farming.
Although it is a work of Regionalism, the story also obviously falls under the category of Realism (Werlock). Realism is the use of facts and emotions in order to gain an emotional sort of response from the audience that is also grounded in facts (Werlock). This story is a great example of that. The place that this novel is set in was home to many struggles and hardships during the time period that this story takes place. Most of the livelihood of the are was dependent upon farmers and the economy that goes along with farming (Cather 489). When these times of struggles were upon them, they came together and made it through anyway (Cather 489).
This story reflects great ideas about Realism. Realism is reflected in the way that Willa Cather uses the emotional conditions of these people and their plights in order to gain sympathy and understanding from the reader. But it is also reflected in the way that she uses a real place with real issues that are grounded solely in facts about the way that things were (Cather 489). This was not something that Willa Cather made up all on her own; this was the way things were.
It has been said that if you want to write you should write about what you know. I have no proof as to where this came from, but I could bet you that it probably came from someone who had an idea about writing that went along the lines of Regionalism. In Regionalism an author uses a place that he or she is familiar with in order to bring the story to life (Anderson). Willa Cather lived in Nebraska during her lifetime, and there comes inspiration for the setting of the story.
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
Cather, Willa. "O Pioneers!" Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 489.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0575&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).
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