Realism

Magical Realism:

Blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Magical realism portrays the world truthfully plus adds magical elements that are not found in our reality but are still considered normal in the world the story takes place.

Social Realism:

focuses on the lives and living conditions of the working class and the poor.

Kitchen Sink Realism:

focuses on the lives of young working-class British men who spend their free time drinking in pubs.

The term "kitchen sink realism" comes from an article by critic David Sylvester, who described the work of a group of realist artists as "taking us back from the studio to the kitchen"

Socialist Realism:

Created by Joseph Stalin and adopted by Communists, Socialist realism glorifies the struggles of the proletariat

Naturalist Realism:

founded by Émile Zola, it explores the belief that science can explain all social and environmental phenomena. This ia an extreme form of realism influenced by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution,

Psychological Realism

focuses on what motivates characters to make certain decisions. Psychological realism sometimes uses characters to express commentary on social or political issues.

Proletariat = working class people

Naturalistic characters are often seen as products of heredity and environment, with little will or responsibility for their fates

French Realism

The roots of literary Realism lie in France, where realist writers published works of realism in novels and in serial form in newspapers. In the late 19th century, we see the rise of Realism as a shift away from idealizing life. The earliest Realist writers include Honoré de Balzac, who infused his writing with complex characters and detailed observations about society, and Gustave Flaubert, who established Realist narration as we know it today.

Mark Twain (1835-1910)

One of the most notable American realists was Samuel Clemens (pen name Mark Twain), who was the first well-known author to come from middle America. When he published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1884, it was the first time a novel captured the distinctive life and voice of that part of the country.

Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, etc are notable novels. He was also known as a great satirist.

Worked on the Mississippi river as a riverboat pilot

John Steinbeck (1902-1968)

California native John Steinbeck lived in rural Salinas and used his surroundings to inspire much of his writing. His works are notable for their sympathetic and revealing descriptions of migrant life. There’s a museum dedicated to his life and literature in Salinas, near his childhood home.

He writes about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl

Upton Sinclair (1878-1968)

Sinclair was politically active and not afraid to make enemies with his exposés. He is best remembered for The Jungle, a novel that incidentally described the meat-packing industry in such disgusting detail that it spurred changes in sanitary regulations for food processing plants.

The government literally said ew we can’t have that, but mostly ignored the message that socialism would save people from the evils of capitalism

1934 Democratic Party nominee for governor of California.

The Jungle is about Lithuanian immigrants who come to work in the Chicago Stockyards

Kate Chopin (1850-1904)

Raised in a home with a multitude of female role models, Chopin is considered an early feminist writer. Her focus on female protagonists struggling with the oppressive nature of their societies was not always popular and some people considered her work somewhat scandalous for her frank take on women’s relationships and sexuality.

She wrote the Awakening

She was criticized for depicting interracial relationships

Other Proponents

Other well-known Realist American authors include Stephen Crane, Jack London, Edith Wharton, Ernest Hemingway, and Henry James.

Realism in Literature

Focus on observable facts

Seeks to portray life accurately (including harsh realities) and without imposing a moral judgement

Focus on contemporary settings and ordinary people’s experiences

Addresses contemporary social issues and concerns

Emphasis on character development; characters are portrayed as complex instead of being cast as heroes and villains

Use of common language that reflects how people actually talk