American Realism 1860-1915 A.D.
by: Ryan Kinder
Overview
American Realism was a movement of ideas and style that effected art, music, and literature. The movement focused on what was real by depicting the normality and social tendencies of everyday life.
History
Before the mid 19th century America still seemed to reflect the ways of England. They focused on being highly creative and elegant so that they could show that they were as good as the English. This idea started to change however with the American Realism movement. New and up coming writers, artists, and musicians wanted something different, they wanted to show what was real and not some random thing they conjured in their mind. Thus the American Realism movement was born; where reality is depicted and the highly elegant and grandiose were tossed out.
George Bellows (1882-1925)
George Bellows was a realist painter that was widely known for his bold depictions of New York's urban life
Stephen Crane (1871-1900)
Stephen Crane was a realist journalist known for his writings about life on the battlefield and in the slums.
James A. Bland (1854-1911)
James A. Bland was a realist musician who was well known for his ballads of everyday living.
Literature
Literature before the Realism movement tended to be flowery and utilized words that people didn't use in normal speech. The American Realism movement brought with it normal words and the ideas displaying life as an American. This meant the writing during this period tended to be more relatable, and you didn't have to decipher the text to know what the heck the writer was trying to say.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
Samuel Clemens better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, is a well known realist writer and humorist who is best known for his works; The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
William Dean Howells (1837-1920)
William Howells was a realist author and literacy critic, who was dubbed "The Dean of American Letters". He is well known for his works, Christmas Everyday and A Traveler from Altruria.
Heratio Alger Jr. (1832-1899)
Heratio Alger Jr. was a realist author who is known for his many "rags to riches" stories. His novels depicted juveniles who made it to the secure middle class through hard work.
Get Real: An Introduction to Realism in American Literature
Citations
"Realism." - Literature Periods & Movements. Web. 16 Dec. 2014. <http://www.online-literature.com/periods/realism.php>.
"Realism in American Literature." Realism in American Literature. Web. 16 Dec. 2014. <http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/realism.htm>.
"American Realism: 1865-1910." American Realism: 1865-1910. Web. 16 Dec. 2014. <http://www.westga.edu/~mmcfar/worksheet on American Realism.htm>.
Get Real: An Introduction to Realism in American Literature. Perf. Marc Schuster. 2013. YouTube. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTCjHZWmgG0>