Unit 4: Lesson One: Introduction to Realism

On January 18 and 19, we began Unit 4 over Realism. We read "The Rise of Realism" on page 448. Realist writes rejected the ideals of Romanticism. Basically, Realist are the complete opposites of the Romantics. We reviewed those Romantic ideals to understand what exactly the Realists won't be writing like or about during Unit 4.

The most important thing to gain from this selection is a basic understanding of the elements of Realism and Naturalism. 

Elements of Realism

• Rejection of the idealized, larger-than-life hero of Romantic literature
• Detailed depiction of ordinary characters and realistic events
• Emphasis on characters from cities and lower classes
• Avoidance of the exotic, sensational, and overly dramatic
• Use of everyday speech patterns to reveal class distinctions
• Focus on the ethical struggles and social issues of real-life situations

Elements of Naturalism

• Attempt to analyze human behavior objectively, as a scientist would
• Belief that human behavior is determined by heredity and environment
• Sense than human beings cannot control their own destinies
• Sense of a life as a losing battle against an uncaring universe

Homework: Answer questions 1-3 on page 448.