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Realism

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English

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Realism

The term realism in the American Literature is set during the civil war towards the end of

the 19th century. The realism literature was characterized by exploration of various societies in

America in various contexts as well as accurate representation of situations as they were. The

beginning of the realism period was necessitated by the aftermath of a civil war, industrialization

growth and urbanization, increasing literacy and democracy rates, rise in the affluence of the

middle class, and increased immigration leading to a population explosion. The literary work

saw a shift from emphasizing the plot and action to emphasizing the character; class became

essential in a work of art and the emphasis on objectivity during the presentation of a work of art.

Mark Twain was Artemus Ward's student since Mark Twain worked under Artemus at Pfaffian.

Their works were humorous. Artemus and Twain used pen names in their literary works; Mark

Twain's real name was Samuel Clement while Artemus Ward's real name was Charles Browne

(Cain, McDemott, Newman, and Wyss, 2014).

Sarah Orne and Henry James lived and wrote at the same literary period; realism. While

Sarah's writings reflected her surroundings and the environment she interacted with, Henry was

ever on the move and opted to settle in Europe. Sarah developed her passion for literary writing

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based on the villages and empty harbors that she saw while having routine walks with her father.

Henry moved from one city to another to find comfort, and he finally settled in Paris, Rome and

finally London. Henry was also an editor and contributed to local newspapers regularly.

Henry's first novel, the Ambassadors, is based on an American who goes to Paris in

search of a young man who has lingered abroad for quite long. The middle aged man instead opts

to also settle in Paris. The novel reflects his preference of the European civilization and moral

standards as compared to Massachusetts. Jewett, on the other hand, wrote The Country of the

Pointed Firs that painted a picture of loneliness and isolation of a declining seaport. The

sympathetic portrayal of his hometown in the literary sense made her a respected writer of local-

color (Cain, McDemott, Newman, and Wyss, 2014).

Jewett and Henry's writing differ in the setting and style as well in comparison to Mark

Twain and Artemus Ward. Mark and Artemus worked closely and in the same environment

which probably contributed to the similarity in their literary works. An artist's work reflects the

environment in which he/she lives and the adventures he/she encounters. Henry's traveling and

interaction with different cultures are reflected in his writings while Jewett is consistent with her

writings since her environment is constant throughout her writing career.

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Surname 1 Name Prof Course Date Realism The term realism in the American Literature is set during the civil war towards the end of the 19th century. The realism literature was characterized by exploration of various societies in America in various contexts as well as accurate representation of situations as they were. The beginning of the realism period was necessitated by the aftermath of a civil war, industrialization growth and urbanization, increasing literacy and democracy rates, rise in the affluence of the middle class, and increased immigration leading to a population explosion. The literary work saw a shift from emphasizing the plot and action to emphasizing the character; class became essential in a work of art and the emphasis on objectivity during the presentation of a work of art. Mark Twain was Artemus Ward's student since Mark Twain worked under Artemus at Pfaffian. ...
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