History
Directly after Romanticism, Americans began to shift into its next form of popular literature: Realism. Combating the Civil War, Realism revolved around politics, strikes, and working people. Rather than the outdated belief in imagination, Realistic writers began documenting the harsh realities of the period. In the North, commerce took over as the king. Education, banking, science and nine million new immigrants led to continued expansion and bustling living. The South, on the other hand, was still slow-paced, depending on its plantations and farms. Little technology was integrated into the South at the time due to the belief that slavery was its livelihood. At the time, cotton production was the most important commercial crop of the lower country. While both the North and South were very different, America was still rapidly changing nationwide due to the continuation of the Industrial Revolution. The Transcontinental Railroad was built, electricity was introduced, and northern abolitionist movements were at their highest yet. All of these and more sparked an incredibly high increase in nationwide poverty, which allowed Realistic Literature to become the epitome of societal entertainment. Some of the most popular Realistic writers were Bret Harte, Willa Cather, and Mark Twain.
Characteristics
Realism is defined as "the attempt to be a true and faithful representation of reality." In Realistic Literature, most works are told in the third person omniscient point-of-view and include casual diction. In addition to facts, statistics, and ordinary settings, most Realistic Literature includes a stagnant plot that includes little exploration. While earlier writers often used philosophies, all Realistic works use solely writing techniques as to not convey a sense of falsehood. Realistic writers emphasize morality, truth, ethics, and class. Furthermore, determinism, the belief that free-will is enslaved, is a common practice throughout works of the time. Most themes revolved around the thought of human beings control their own destinies. The most common forms of writing were journals, diaries, letters, and speeches. Some of the most popular Realist works of the time were Twain's Tom Sawyer, James's Poor Richard, and Howell's Criticism and Fiction.
Naturalism
A sub-genre of Realism, Naturalism is the belief that forces larger than individuals (nature, fate, and heredity) shape destinies. Many describe Naturalism as an addition to Realism with a more pessimistic look on determinism. In Naturalistic Literature, raw, unpleasant experiences are delved into, characters are usually middle-to-lower class, and the struggle to maintain life and dignity becomes heroic. Some popular themes in Naturalism revolve around life being a trap, the belief that man is fundamentally an animal without free will, and the exposure of social conditions and evils. Popular Naturalistic works include London's War of the Classes and Master's Spoon River Anthology.
Regionalism
Another sub-genre of Realism, Regionalism is a form of writing in which a location is trying to be captured in its dialect, descriptions, traditions, and heritage. Often non-fiction, Regionalists typically believe in the same ideals and values of Realists and/or Naturalists, however, they are much more in touch with different kinds of settings rather than continually using similar ones. In Regionalistic writing, the narrator is typically an educated third-party viewer visiting a setting with an emphasis on nature and its limits. Because majority of the focus is on the location, characters in Regionalism works tend to be stock or stereotypical. Themes often revolve around antipathy toward change, nostalgia for a past "Golden Age," celebration of community, and acceptance in the face of adversity. The most popular Regionalistic piece of all time is arguable Twain's Huckleberry Finn, the story of a young boy and his experiences around the Mississippi River.