Monday, December 23, 2019

The Influence of Realism and Naturalism on 20th Century...

The Influence of Realism and Naturalism on 20th Century American Fiction After World War I, American people and the authors among them were left disillusioned by the effects that war had on their society. America needed a literature that would explain what had happened and what was happening to their society. American writers turned to what is now known as modernism. The influence of 19th Century realism and naturalism and their truthful representation of American life and people was evident in post World War I modernism. This paper will try to prove this by presenting the basic ideas and of these literary genres, literary examples of each, and then make connections between the two literary movements. Realism Modernism not only depicted†¦show more content†¦Literary naturalism invited writers to examine human beings objectively, as a scientist studies nature (Am. Lit. Comptons). In portraying ugliness and cruelty, the authors refrained from preaching about them; rather they left readers to draw their own conclusions about the life they presented. Generally, these authors took a pessimistic view to portray a life that centered on the negative part of mans existence. When dealing with society directly, naturalists generally detailed the destruction of people without any sentiment. To do this, they wrote more open about societys problems in a more open manner usually using nature as a symbol for society. Naturalistic literature, like! realistic, served as a catalyst for change but, in contrast, was a little more like propaganda. Even though only twenty years may have separated them, the transformation from realism/naturalism to modernism was a long one in terms of how much society had changed. The aforementioned rapid change in American society and Americas relation with the rest of the world left America in disarray. After the first World War, American society was divided and left without definition. This called for a new age of literary expression to co ntrol and document the isolationist fears, corruption, and disenchantment (Bradley 1339-1340) caused by the war. Authors looked to explain their generation and to respond to theShow MoreRelatedRealism in 19th Century American Fiction1014 Words   |  5 PagesREALISM IN 19th CENTURY AMERICAN FICTION The 19th century is considered to mark the origin of realism as a literary movement in the United States. American writers following the era of change in American life, moved steadily from Romanticism towards Realism, which was to lead the next step of Naturalism. The process was gradual, reflecting the periodic fluctuations in the history of American society. In this process, the Civil War provided a dramatic point of cleavage. In 1865 at the end of theRead MoreModernism in the Old Man the Sea3759 Words   |  16 PagesSea† Introduction: 1. The definition of Modernism 2. The definition of Realism 3. The definition of terms 4. The significance of the study Chapter one: 1. The theory of Modernism 2.1. Stream of consciousness 2.2. Internal monologue 2. Realism as a literary technique 3.3. Internal realism Chapter two: 1. the implication of American modernism through the main characters â€Å"Santiago† †¦ 2. The implication of stream of consciousnessRead MoreNaturalism Literary Period2601 Words   |  11 Pagesmany in bustling developing cities suffered from poverty and its poorly prevented consequences. The American naturalist movement was important due to the introduction of themes involving popular apprehension during this time period including; man vs. nature, man vs. society, sex trade, wasted potential due to uncontrollable forces, and man’s animalistic features such as basic instincts. Naturalism is a literary movement that developed into a literary style consisting of determinism, objectivity,Read MoreNaturalism : The Great. Who Has Read American Literature1368 Words   |  6 PagesNaturalism the Great Anyone who has read American literature will know of the significance of naturalism as a literary genre in American literature. Merriam Webster’s definition of Naturalism is as follows: A theory that art or literature should conform exactly to nature or depict every appearance of the subject that comes to the artist’s attention, specifically a theory in literature emphasizing the role of heredity and environment upon human life and character development. Naturalism went fromRead MoreNaturalism As A Literary Genre1367 Words   |  6 PagesAnyone who has read American literature will know of the significance of naturalism as a literary genre in American literature. Merriam Webster’s definition of Naturalism is as follows: A theory that art or literature should conform exactly to nature or depict every appearance of the subject that comes to the artist’s attention, specifically a theory in literature emphasizing the role of heredity and environment upon hum an life and character development. Naturalism went from being a movement in theRead MoreHistory of the Development of the Short Story.3660 Words   |  15 PagesElements of The Short Story. 1.1.History of The Development of The Short Story. 1.1.1.Early Forms.Origins. The short story refers to a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, usually in narrative format. This format or medium tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas (in the 20th and 21st century sense) and novels or books. Short story definitions based upon length differ somewhat even among professional writers, due somewhat in part to the fragmentationRead MoreJack London Essay1251 Words   |  6 PagesJack London, an American author known for his thrilling adventure stories, showed the world that even an exciting story that takes place in exotic settings can include all the intricacies of great literature. This is seen in many of his stories with the implementation of symbolism, many times a recurring theme in his work. Also, London used many ideas of the day such as Darwinism and Spencerism in his writings in order to better portray his views. However, perhaps one of the most telling signs thatRead MoreAgency Of Punishment And Hedda Gable r1914 Words   |  8 Pagesto be executed. In Henrik Ibsen’s play Hedda Gabler, the protagonist, an aristocratic woman from prosperous 19th century Norway, asserts her freedom from societal oppression by killing herself. Considering the socio-economic and cultural differences of these female characters, how could their ends be so similar? In this essay, we’ll discuss why these late 19th century, early 20th century authors chose to make suicide, or the desire for death (or other drastic behavior), agency for their female charactersRead More American Literature: Kate Chopin, and Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman1506 Words   |  6 PagesOver the years American Literature has become an important part of the American history. In the other hand, it is really important for people to study the significant of the American literature, because in particular is associated with influence of the American culture. People should know more about their culture, because it is the place where they are living in. Literature was brought to the United States from the European culture. The American literature started to develop during the antebellumRead MoreA Brief Introduction to American Literature3396 Words   |  14 PagesIntroduction American literature, to my eyes, like American history, although short, however, still full of glories and shining masterpieces and writers. Those American writers, while conquering this wild America, also had conquered the great field of American literature. From its first imitative activities to innovative attempts nowadays, American literature gradually gains its unique style, theme and form, and I ¡Ã‚ ¯m always excited to see their works are more and more America in its true sense.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.