The Relationship Between Divorce And Love In American...

The Relationship Between Divorce And Love In American...
Today, divorce has become a common cultural and historical concern and "an American way of life"
(Whitehead). This essay studies the relationship between divorce and love as presented in numerous
realist literary works from the turn of the century, including A Modern Instance by William Dean
Howells, Marry Me: A Romance by John Updike, and The Custom of the Country by Edith
Wharton. Closely reviewing these novels, I examine love as well as divorce, which saw a
remarkable increase between the years 1880 and 1920. Moving the topic of divorce to the forefront
illuminates love in real life and helps us understand the ways in which these realists were actively
participating in and engaging with the issues of society during their era, rather than exposing life as
they saw it. In each of these novels, this old–fashioned subject of love or romance is presented with
a sort of sympathetic disdain, creating a tension in these texts rendered thematically by the
disruptive subject of divorce and informed by contradictory beautiful and social priorities that shape
an analysis of the present and the past on which it depends. A closer glimpse at divorce in American
literature is captivating because love has played a central role in the history of literature as a whole.
It has been demonstrated that love has served as a complex conceptual formal function in the
development of literature through each era. Love and marriage have been pivotal to the plot and
shape of literary works, serving as
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Henry James Research Papers
Henry James, (born April 15, 1843, New York, New York, U.S.– kicked the pail February 28, 1916,
London, England), American creator and, as a naturalized English local from 1915, a mind blowing
figure in the transoceanic culture. His fundamental point was the virtue and abundance of the New
World in a contention with the corruption and learning of the Old, as appeared in such fills in as
Daisy Miller (1879), The Portrait of a Lady (1881), The Bostonians (1886), and The Ambassadors
(1903). Henry James was named for his father, an unmistakable social researcher, speaker, and was
the more young kin of the genuine individual scholar, William James. The young Henry was a shy,
book–ward kid who acknowledged the piece of quiet passerby alongside his dynamic senior kin. ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When he was 19 years of age, he enrolled at the Harvard Law School, yet he conferred his study
time in examining Charles Augustin Sainte–Beuve, Honoré de Balzac, and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
His first story showed up covertly two years afterward in the New York Continental Monthly and
his first book overviews in the North American Review. Exactly when William Dean Howells got
the opportunity to be the article administrator of The Atlantic Monthly, James found in him a buddy
and coach who disseminated him routinely. Between them, James and Howells presented the time of
American "credibility." By his mid–20s, James was seen as a champion amongst the most delegated
researchers of short stories in America. Faultfinders, nevertheless, deplored his slant to make out of
the life of the mind, instead of movement. The stories of these early years show the soothing vicinity
of the well–to–do at Newport and Saratoga. James' apprenticeship was comprehensive. He made
stories, reviews, and articles for practically 10 years before he attempted a full–length

Character Manipulation in The Rise of Silas Lapham Essay
Character Manipulation in Howells' The Rise of Silas Lapham
Of all the characters who undergo change in The Rise of Silas Lapham, Lapham's change is the only
one looked upon in a positive light by the narrator. William Dean Howells uses the corruption of
other characters to promote Lapham's newfound morality and reinforce his ultimate triumph. Before
Lapham's financial ruin, he is the only character with fault. Yet as his world crumbles, so does the
credibility and innocence of his wife, two daughters, and former partner, Mr. Rogers. At the same
time, the very catalyst of Lapham's ruin exonerates him. This allows Howells to reinforce Lapham's
ultimate rise in the novel, despite his financial and social failures. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Mrs. Lapham is the stout morality behind her husband's affairs, Penelope and Irene are both good
and innocent girls, and Mr. Rogers is the victimized partner. With his lending money to Rogers,
Lapham's "one speck"(123) is removed, and his rise to moral perfection and humility begins. To
underline this, Howells at the same time destroys Mrs. Lapham's so diligently established perfect
character.
Howells cleverly uses Mrs. Lapham's morality to bring about her demise. It is Mrs. Lapham's
pushing her husband to come clean with Rogers that eventually leads to his economic ruin. Perhaps
this is why she fails him when Rogers comes to the house to beg for their cooperation:
Lapham glanced again at his wife; her head had fallen; he could see that she was so rooted in her old
remorse for that questionable act of his, amply and more than fully atoned for since, that she was
helpless, now, in the crucial moment, when he had the utmost need of her insight. He had counted
upon her; he perceived now that when he had thought it was for him alone to decide, he had counted
upon her just spirit to stay his own in its struggle to be just.(305)
Mrs. Lapham, "rooted in her old remorse," cannot see beyond her husband's original failure.
Lapham doesn't know yet that Mr. Rogers has persuaded her to sell the worthless property to him,
instead of the ignorant English men. When Rogers puts this to Lapham, "he [sees] his wife's face
light up with eager question." We must

Characteristics Of Regionalism
Essay 1
American Literature 2328
Fall 2017
Professor Roy Ruane
Tham Paija October 2, 2017
Realism is the portrayal of the reality of everyday life and period of literature between 1850–1900.
Realist fictions speculate myths, assumptions, social norms, sentimentality, collective wisdom, and
prejudices. Realism stories are usually about the middle–class people, and it aims to show a truthful
portrayal of truth. Regionalism is a class of realist literature distinguished by closeness to the habits,
language, dialects, manners, history, traditions, beliefs of a particular geographical region.
Regionalism manifests the characters of both realism and romanticism. Romanticism is cultural the
period from 1830–1860 in America. Humankind is naturally good. The characteristics of
romanticism are passion and emotion, nature over the man, spiritual, intuition, and insight. "A White
Heron," by Sarah Orne Jewett, is an example of local color because of its realism. Jewett uses
characteristics of regionalism like dialogue to show the contrast between the locals and outsiders,
habits, their daily activities, the dress, features of a place. "Editha" by William is the story of realism
which has many characteristics of realism like details about war; he uses dialect to hold out the
trend of the story, using middle–class peoples character. Dean Howell uses a part of romantic style
but all together its categorized as one of the

Realism And Mark Twain : Realism And Mark Twain
Realism and Mark Twain: "Juvenalian Satire"
Realism is the art of exposing the hardcore truth in a form of literature while keeping it creative in
its fashion. Realism, in itself is a type of literature I am the fondest of because although the truth
hurts sometimes, it will always be better than a sweet lie. Most of the literary realism I have
experienced has worked hand in hand with romantics as it exposes the truth behind marriages in the
18th and 19th centuries. The two stories I have read that stood out the most to me on the grounds of
literary realism are: Editha by William Dean Howells and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte
Perkins Gilman.
Editha by William Dean Howells, will go down as one of many strong points of evidence when it
comes down to literary realism. This comes into play when life for a real man is depicted as being in
the war. Life in the war during the 19th century was very big because most men wanted to show that
they were brave and were patriotic for their country. This is shown to be a gender rule for most men
and women were enforcing it. In the story, Editha makes it a point to George that she cannot love
him unless he was in the war and didn't really care to hear his point of not wanting to join the war.
The main point of realism the author, William Dean Howells, showed was the effect that war had on
society during the 19th century during which many would call the love and marriage era.
The Yellow Wallpaper is another piece of evidence that I have found to depict "Realism." The is
done by the author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who wrote a story that is composed in diary form that
tells what she had to go through when she was diagnosed with depression. Being diagnosed with a
mental illness, itself is a depiction of real life because it tells what a person goes through and how
bad it can get if not probably cared for and, that a "rest cure" does not help at all. Another part of the
story that showed realism was when it was as if she could see someone behind the wall. The author
reflected back on herself because she felt trapped by the yellow wallpaper since her activity was
limited. The woman in the story who is referred to as "The narrator" seemed to have become so
fixated with the

Editha, by William Dean Howells Essay
William Dean Howells was an advocate of realism in writing; he believed that literary art should
reflect the reality of the common man and demonstrate the truth of everyday current issues. He
believed in truthful writing and he accepted very little at face value. He practiced this belief in his
own writing, and his story called "Editha" is a good example of this. In this ironic tragedy, W.D.
Howells shows the truth and nature of war. He uses a combination of metaphoric characters, irony,
and the pathos appeal to create an almost grotesque parody of the reality of war. In final analysis,
Howells is successful in highlighting the consequences of war and inspiring the audience to question
the wisdom of those who advocate armed conflict. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In contrast, the author uses George as a metaphor for those who would fight, kill, and die in the war;
this element is an important part of the author's persuasive strategy. W.D. Howells wants to appeal
to the values and the emotional sensibility of his audience, for this reason, Howells portrays George
as passive and unsure of himself. George is fearful of the war and he sees no glory in it. He believes
that God is peaceful and the idea that God would advocate for war runs counter to George's belief in
peace. In short, the author uses George's story to illustrate the consequences of war for the reader.
This strategy works to persuade a resistant audience to relate to George, hence, lowering their
resistance to the anti–war message of this piece.
W.D. Howells uses irony to illuminate the difference of perspective and conflict of interest between
Editha and George. Editha is so busy trying to fix what she believes is wrong with George; she does
not recognize the flaws in her own thinking. She secretly sees George as less than he is because of
his peaceful nature, and she does not imagine that George is aware of her low regard of him. Editha
uses three reasons to support her advocacy for the war, first, that to fight in the war will be glorious.
Second, that the war is ordained by God, and third, that to fight for the country is to show devotion
or loyalty. Similarly, war advocates have used these same reasons to rally the citizens to battle in
past wartimes.

The Rise Of Silas Lapham Essay
William Dean Howells wrote many important things in a realistic style during the late nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries. His work, "The Rise of Silas Lapham," exemplified realism and
impacted Americans as one of the first novels to study American businessmen. The Realism
movement served American literature as an attempt of truthfully portraying life in all literary works.
The Realism movement consumed almost all of the continental United States beginning in the mid–
nineteenth century, coming to a stop only a decade into the twentieth century. The Realistic era
appeared as many things, including a reply to Romanticism, a demonstration of exhausted morals,
and an example of the country's civilization (White 1). Realism captured the attention ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
"The novel recounts the moral dilemma of Colonel Silas Lapham, a newly wealthy, self–made
businessman who has climbed over his former partner on the ladder to success" (The Rise 1).
Howells presented realism heavily throughout his entire novel, and a prime example of it was
"Silas's business; he reached high social standing due to money, but he did not assume social
manners associated with his status" (2). He used fluently a theme of reality throughout the novel
with characters Silas and Penelope because both of them learned the difference between right and
wrong by first doing all the wrong things. Realism flourished throughout Howells's novel through
his secondary plot of a love triangle between Irene, Penelope, and Corey; it supplied a strong
opportunity to defeat romantic ideas (Keating 1) . He advocated for realism in every sense of the
movement by providing good and bad aspects for each character, and seeking to fill each character
with objectivity. The Rise of Silas Lapham furthered the career of William Dean Howells by setting
an example for realistic novels and novelists to come.
The Realistic Era flourished in America in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century
thanks to many writers. One of these realistic novelists was William Dean Howells, the "father of
American Realism." His novel, The Rise of Silas Lapham, along with many other works of this era
tackled important, realistic subject matter and objectified characters in good and bad

Essay on Editha by William Dean Howells
Editha by William Dean Howells
The story "Editha" by William Dean Howells and the poem "Reconciliation" by Walt Whitman are
part of a true "national literature." They are both told in a way that only we as Americans could ever
understand. They speak of war in all of its glory, and they speak of all of the pain left behind.
"Editha" is a story about a woman who loves her country so much that she would be willing to give
up anyone who does not feel as she does. Her fiancé George was not enthusiastic about the war. To
George the war was about senseless bloodshed, but to Editha it was about taking pride in a country
that she loved. She told George, "I call it a sacred war. A war for liberty and humanity, if ever there
was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Editha was a symbol of what America stood for and what America meant to so many people who
could only dream of having the opportunity to live here. George was a symbol of all the young men
who fought for this country to make it what it is today. They fought for a country they believed in.
They fought for us, and for our freedom. This story shows the greatness on which this country was
founded. Nobody except Americans could understand the dedication to a country that today, stands
strong because of the love that the people felt for the land they lived on. Howells tried to show the
depth of that love through Editha and George, which makes this a part of true "national literature."
"Reconciliation" is a poem that was meant to open the eyes of the reader to the effects the war had
after it was over. It is written through the eyes of a dead soldier who has seen what the war has
done. This soldier has the blood of many men on his hands and will always remember the death.
Where "Editha" showed the significance of war in relation to a person's love of their country,
"Reconciliation" tells in a few strong lines, the somber mood of a country that has lost many lives.
Whitman writes, "For my enemy is dead, a man divine as myself is dead"(Whitman 129). It is not
said what side this "divine" man fought for but it shows that no matter what side the men fought on
they were fighting for what

Editha Criticism
Howells Use of Criticism and Fiction Within Editha To summarize Criticism and Fiction and Editha
by William Dean Howells. His work Criticism and Fiction comprises some insight on how the
author perceived past and current authors of his era. Howells observation identified that
conventional novelist conform their thoughts and constructed their views from other novelist works;
they do not show their own opinions. Editha is a typical illustration of heroic romance with the main
characters Editha and her husband George struggles with different opinions of the War. Editha
glamorizes it, whereas George recognizes the actualities such as death and destruction. George wins
Editha's affection by entering the War, but George becomes unhappy with all ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
He articulates "Our novelists, therefore, concern themselves with the more smiling aspects of life,
which are the more American, and seek the universal in the individual rather than the social
interests" (368). Contrary to the character Editha, who unfailingly contributes to the social ideals of
the period and is not apprehensive with the egotistical notions of her husband's prosperity but rather
by the expansive depiction of society. She believes the War is moral and it is her husband obligation
to serve in the fight. "God meant it to be war" (374). Also, the heartbreaking death of Editha's
husband George, left Editha in a muddled state of mind, full of misery and depression. Howells
explanation of the American writing style largely referred to dejected situations occurring due to the
landscape of life and not to the actions of individuals. He writes "...but this is tragedy that comes in
the very nature of things, and is not peculiarly American, as the large, cheerful average of health and
success and happy life is" (368). George joining the War may appear on the surface to be an
individual decision, but it ultimately was the consequence of Editha character believing in the social
norms of the era. Her perception leads her to burden

What Does Realism In What Life Mean To Me Naturalism
Realism can be difined in various ways, but William Dean Howell defines realism in the most
simplistic, but very accurate, way. William Howell says realism is based off of one's life situations
and these life situations will determine what one will find as true. One critical text chosen from the
'Realism and Naturalism Contextual Cluster' would be Jack London's "What Life Means to Me".
Jack London, who lived from 1876 to 1916, had a series of writings on this topic in the early 1900's.
With this writing being created during a socialist time period, it adds emphases on realism and how
to relate real life developments with certain situations that have took place. For the literary text
option, "Editha" was the chosen, which was written by William Dean Howell. Howell, who lived
from 1837 to 1920, was a realist novelist who published many famous stories and novels. From the
stories of "What Life Means to Me" and "Editha", they are two different stories, but they both
describe realism from their own perspectives (which is what Howell defines as 'realism').
According to Howell, the truth can won't always be in one's favor and could case stress to an
individual, but this does not change the fact that it is still the truth and must be acceptable as such.
In 'What Life Means to Me', London is describing his personal life and his outlooks on life. ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Adding twist and real emotions to a story will thicken the plot. In this story, Editha had a a lot of
romaticisim being expressed, but in a surpressed way. Even though she had certain beliefs (what
was real to her) does not mean that her beliefs were reality for others. Editha made her partner's
reality merely a dream because he had to live out the reality that she wanted for him. She was a bit
selfish in this story and that it a good example for truth because sometimes the truth can be ugly in

Analysis Of Annabel Lee 's A Kingdom By The Sea
The turn of the nineteenth century for the newly formed United States was a time of nervous
apprehension running alongside a giddy sense of adventure. The colonist had shirked the cloak of
Britain and was a fledgling country of their own, similar to a young adult trying to figure out their
way after leaving home. Nothing spoke of this like the Romantic writings in the early nineteenth
century. The works tended to have a lot of good vs. evil and oppressor vs. oppressed. They tended to
be optimistic, very democratic in their views, anti–slavery, some even dipped into the early women
's rights movement. The romantics were rebels with a cause, nonconforming individuals that think
and stay true to how they see themselves. Along with the lofty language, the authors tended to write
their prose they also managed to keep the details of their writings very generic. Such as Edgar Allen
Poe, with his location description in Annabel Lee: " In a kingdom by the sea."(Poe) The Romantic
author also liked being a master of his or her fate.
The Realist was different from the Romantic in as many areas. The Realist ' time was after the Civil
War, many of them lived through the carnage, and it affected their views of life and the world.
Realist ' writings usually consisted of a distinct time and place, unlike the Romantics
generalizations. Samuel Clemens using the pen name Mark Twain had his novels set clearly in the
Mississippi River delta during a particular time in history, his childhood.

Silas Lapham Research Paper
The relevant outgrowth of American realism, another relatable writing tendency derived in 1880s.
Similar as the purport of realism, Naturalism detailed theto suggest that social heredity and the
environment had an inevitable effect in shaping human characteristic (Elliot 497). It opposed to
literacy movements in the early period, such as Romanticism or Surrealism, in which subjects
receive highly symbolic, idealistic disposition. However, naturalism contained relatively passive and
obscure view of the world. Unlike the realism, it focuses more on literary technique, which
insinuated a philosophical position: the human beings are considered as "human beasts" (Elliot 502).
By utilizing a version of the scientific method to illustrate the surrounding, naturalism writers
construct the laws behind the forces that govern human lives, which could be studied and
understood by the audience. From the naturalism literature, nature was sculptured as an indifferent
force acting in the lives of human beings (Elliot 507). The universe, typically, has been described as
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In his writing, he strongly discouraged the artificial sentimentality and romanticism elements in
American fiction. The rise of Silas Lapham (1885) has been briefly considered Howells' finest work
which displayed the economic depression but moral salvation of an honorable businessman in a
Boston society controlled by clans that inherited positions of power (Jones 128). Distinctly, a hazard
of new fortune, published in 1890, portrays corrupt urban problems of New York City caused by
industrialization, immigration, and conflicts between socialism and capitalism. It reveals the most
intolerable but accurate reality behind the surface the society to the majority (Jones

Analysis Of Editha By William Dean Howells And The Yellow...
Realism is the art of exposing the hardcore truth in a form of literature while keeping it creative in
its fashion. Realism, in itself is a type of literature I am the fondest of because although the truth
hurts sometimes, it will always be better than a sweet lie. Most of the literary realism I have
experienced has worked hand in hand with romantics as it exposes the truth behind marriages in the
18th and 19th centuries. Two stories I have read that stood out the most to me on the grounds of
literary realism are: Editha by William Dean Howells and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte
Perkins Gilman.
Editha by William Dean Howells, will go down as one of many strong points of evidence when it
comes down to literary realism. This comes into ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marriage was a major key as well because it showed how marriage was set up and how women were
domesticated and voices were silent. That was a real eye opener because woman didn't have any
rights and was basically to stay silent and do what they are told by their spouse.
In essence, literary realism is put in place to give its readers a real place of how life was or how
something occurs in the pass. The two stories that gave me a good depiction of what realism is are:
Editha by William Dean Howells, and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The two
stories put things in perspective when it comes to life in the nineteenth century and the problems
that came along with it. Which are so unfortunate in some cases but it gives us the readers the raw
truth.
There is a thing that occurs in stories that give you a since of humor while still giving you an
ultimate message. Mark Twain has become the connoisseur of this term and uses it in a very unique
way to show his readers that there can always be humor in your writing even when you think it's
impossible. The term is "satire" which in my own words mean putting humor and information in
way that makes you think. I have found this prominent in two of Mark Twain's books: The Good
Little Boy, and The Bad Little Boy. These stories give its readers satire

Psychological Idealism In Editha
William Dean Howells' "Editha" tells the story of a young girl and her plan of manipulating her
fiancé to go off to war. Howells uses psychological realism during the readers initial encounter with
Editha, her interactions with George, and ultimately how she reacts to his death to express how
romantic idealism can lead to unethical ideals. Editha's romantic views of war leads to a tragic
outcome and readers are taught the importance of always loving someone for they are.
Psychological realism is evident almost immediately in the story. "She had already decided that she
could not let him stay..." (Howells 43), Editha begins making decisions in her mind without
consultation from those that it affects. As the story continues, readers learn that due to George's
upbringing, he is anti–war. However, Editha believes that war is glorious and that George enlisting
would be a symbol of his love to her, "...if he could do something worthy to have won her– be a
hero, her hero..." (Howells 44). The character contest comes into play when readers discover that
George is willing to do whatever it takes to please Editha, and she knows this too. It isn't a matter of
who loves who more but, a matter of which individual is willing to sacrifice their own ethical beliefs
to save the relationship. As Editha has many encounters with George, it is most clear to the reader
that George is the realist in the relationship, and Editha is indeed the romanticist. George is always
seeing the bigger picture and

The Legacy Of Abraham Cahan
Jews have been lashed out on, time and time again throughout history, but one man who saw this
hatred for Jews first hand and tried turning the tables, was a man by the name of Abraham Cahan.
He is known as being the first prominent writer to emerge from the biggest wave of Jewish
immigration from Russia, but he was much more than just a writer. He was an editor and critic of
several New York newspapers, a sociologists reformer, and a teacher of English to many Jewish
immigrants following in his footsteps. Cahan valued his Jewish religion, but not only that, he valued
language and in particular English and Yiddish which he wrote in. He believed in telling the story of
immigration through fiction which he did in his literature, by taking ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
This is just one battle in a continuous war against maintaining his religion, but he had a changing
world around him tearing him apart from it. In this constant war, he ends up having to flee Europe in
particular Russia, because he gets tangled in a mess involving an assassination attempt of the Czar.
This journey leads him to America, where he is first greeted by the Statue of Liberty at Ellis Island.
When Cahan came to America many things changed for him, he was forced to leave behind his old
life and try his hardest to assimilate himself into American culture. He left behind many aspects of
his culture, but was still able to continue on with many of them. One piece of his life that was
hardest to maintain was his language. Although he held onto Yiddish, Russian, and Hebrew, he
immediately had to learn English which soon became a large part of his career and what made him
so astounding. America is said to be the home of the free, and this is what so many immigrants
desired when coming to America, and Cahan was no exception. He was a tremendous aid to those
immigrants by devoting the first years of his life in America to teaching English. While doing this,
he also lectured and wrote articles on Jewish life in the city for countless New York magazines.
Within these articles he answers many questions on tough arguments, mostly circled around
religion. An example of one

The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells Essay
The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells
In the novel, The Rise of Silas Lapham, William Dean Howells makes a particular point about the
morals of an individual in the business world. His point is that an individual, such as Silas, must
check their morals at the door if they have any plans to make it in the business world. The novel has
always been popular, partly because it presents Lapham's financial and social failure as "consciously
and deliberately chosen" when he has to decide whether he shall cheat and stay on top in business or
tell the truth and fail irrecoverably (Gibson 283). The Rise of Silas Lapham is a novel that deals
with the potential moral corruption of a man by money. The outward signs of Silas Lapham's ...
Obviously the pressures of big business would be much tougher to deal with in a big city, like
Boston, than in a small rural farm town, because the competition to be the best is much greater in
the urban areas. The time period in which the story is set, the late 1800's, is also a crucial part of the
puzzle. All throughout the early 1800's up until the present, big business has been on the rise. When
large companies started setting up in cities, people moved to where the jobs were, and soon small
towns became gigantic urban metropolises. The big business is what ultimately causes Silas' moral
rise and financial fall, and that is a crucial part of the plot. If the story where set in a different time
period it would not have as big an impact. Also during the late 1800's, social standing was very
important. In those days a person was measured by their social standing, so it meant everything. The
reason this is important is because, interwoven in the main plot is a secondary plot. This secondary
plot has to do with the love triangle between Penelope Lapham, Irene Lapham, and Tom Corey.
Everyone seems to think that Tom and Irene are in love with each other, while in actuality it is Tom
and Penelope that are in love. This secondary plot only adds to Silas and Mrs. Corey's inner
struggles. If the story where not set in this time period, the social impact on the plot would also not
be as great. Another aspect of the setting is the house that they currently

Artistic Authenticity And Its Impact On The Middle Of...
Artistic authenticity is a pattern starting with mid nineteenth century French Literature. It stretched
out to late nineteenth and early twentieth century creators. It is the delineation of contemporary life
and the general public as it seems to be. Realist creators selected delineation of ordinary and
hackneyed exercises and encounters, rather than a romanticized or comparatively adapted
presentation. In authenticity the character is a result of social components and environment is the
vital component in the emotional entanglements. It looks for a balanced relationship in the middle of
representation and the subject. This structure is otherwise called mimesis. Realists are concerned
with the impact of their work on the peruser and the peruser 's life, a down to earth view. Sober
mindedness obliges the perusing of the work to have some irrefutable result for the perusers that
will prompt have a finer life for the peruser. Authenticity plans to decipher the facts of any part of
life, free from subjective partiality, optimism, or sentimental shade. It is contrary to concerns of the
abnormal, the premise of Romanticism. Stresses the genuine over the awesome. Tries to treat the
typical truthfully and utilized characters from regular life. This accentuation was brought on by
societal changes, for example, the repercussions of the Civil War in the United States and the rise of
Darwin 's Theory of Evolution and its impact upon bible based understanding. Authenticity emerged
as a

Plentifu Mark Twain's The War-Prayer
Realism and naturalism are both "basic" yet cynical views of life and humanity that arose during the
trials and turmoil of the 19th century. Both views stripped away the layers of romanticism to present
a "natural" or "real" viewpoint of the work. These forms of writing refuse to idealize or praise the
subject while also avoiding artificial, fantasy, or mystical elements. In American literature, the term
"realism" refers to writings that depict the realistic, everyday life of an average, middle–class
individual. It portrays concrete reality closely and more emphasis is placed on the character and his
purpose rather than the plot and action. Word choice and diction used by realists are common
vernacular and the events that take place are plausible. The characters and plots are often based
around factual events and people, and it aims to show a truthful representation of reality. Realism
began around the start of the Civil War and lasted until the turn of the century– a time of exponential
growth for the United States. With this growth came increasing rates of literacy which provided a ...
Twain impeccably employs realism in a way that powerfully and effectively expresses his objective
message. He opens this story in the setting of a Sunday morning church congregation celebrating the
war and praying for safety, strength, courage, and well–being of the soldiers as they go into battle.
The preacher prays blessings over the arms and that "in the spirit of love" God grant the victory.
Throughout this story, Twain illustrates realism not only through the language and dialect he
portrays, but also the representations of the characters. The reader can easily visualize being in the
congregation due to the realistic pride being portrayed by the American people and the common
speech used during the prayer– dialect that any individual would hear while in a church

I Too By Langston Hughes
g named as a judge in the Atlanta Department of Education. At the Atlanta Exposition, he stated
that, "As we have proved our loyalty to you in the past, in nursing your children, watching by the
sick–bed of your mothers and fathers, and often following them with tear–dimmed eyes to their
graves, so in the future, in our humble way, we shall stand by you with a devotion that no foreigner
can approach, ready to lay down our lives, if need be, in defense of yours, interlacing our industrial,
commercial, civil, and religious life with yours in a way that shall make the interests of both our
races one" (Washington 450). Washington expressed that for so long African Americans have served
underneath whites, and now all they wanted was an opportunity ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Through literature, readers can learn about the roles and experiences of women in specific historical
time periods. Authors throughout history have represented women in different ways, and have
created an understanding about the challenges women faced and overcame. Through Editha, by
William Dean Howells, The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, A New England Nun,
by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, and Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, women are are depicted through their
emotions and the world around them. In Editha, William Dean Howells demonstrates how women
were expected to keep their family on the right path and help lead their spiritual life. Editha provides
different viewpoints on the Spanish American War, and Howells uses the character Editha to
represent the popular favoritism of war in this time period. Howells shows that Edithas morals have
been corrupted by thoughts of the ideals of war. In turn, her persistent views led her boyfriend to
stray from his morals. Through this, Howell shows that he does not agree with society's views and
uses two strong female characters to prove

The Struggle for Power in "The Yellow Wallpaper, " "Daddy,...
American Literature
9 March 2013
The Struggle for Power in "The Yellow Wallpaper," "Daddy," and "Editha" Charlotte Perkins
Gilman's piece, "The Yellow Wallpaper" (written in 1890, published in 1892), is a semi–
autobiographical piece that, although believed to be a result of her severe postpartum depression,
illustrates the difficulties faced by women during the Women's Movement. These difficulties are
further illustrated by the similarly semi–autobiographical poem, based on Plath's father and
husband, "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath (written in 1962, published in 1965). These gender roles are then
reversed in "Editha," (written in 1898, published in 1905) which has been said to be William Dean
Howells's response to the Spanish–American War. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The initial description of this woman is of her "stooping down and creeping about." The woman in
the wallpaper is a direct reflection of the narrator's confidence and feelings of inferiority, and the
change they undergo. Initially, the woman in the wall symbolizes the narrator's fear of presenting
herself and her opinions, and being her husband's equal. She begins to display a building confidence
in herself, and an almost amused view of John's orders. When John tells her that she seems to be
doing well, in spite of the wallpaper, she has to stop herself from openly laughing. It is at this point,
where she is building confidence in herself, that she begins to see the woman in the wallpaper more
clearly. She states, "I think that woman gets out in the daytime! And I'll tell you why – privately –
I've seen her!" symbolizing her confidence beginning to emerge. Finally, she allows herself to be
fully confident; she allows her mind to fully explore the wallpaper. The lines, "then I peeled off all
the paper I could reach standing on the floor. It sticks horribly and the pattern just enjoys it,"
symbolizes the destruction of that which limits her. One may argue that she has had a psychotic
break, but the intention of these lines is to show the narrator gaining confidence. As Gilman says
herself in an article submitted to the October 1913 issue of The Forerunner regarding her treatment:
"then, using the remnants of intelligence that remained [...] I cast the noted

Essay on Dialects in American Literature
Dialects in American Literature
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries dialect was not common in American Literature. Writers
who attempted to accurately capture American dialect and slang often failed to make it believable.
In my essay, "Dialects in American Literature," I will compare and contrast three writers who used
dialect in their writings and explain the difference between effective and ineffective use of dialect.
The writers I will be discussing are Mark Twain, Bret Harte, and William Dean Howells.
The use of dialect in American literature comes from using a combination of realism and
regionalism. According to dictionary.com "realism is an inclination toward literal ... Show more
In "The Outcasts of Poker Flat," a group of inappropriate people are thrown out of a small western
town. What I mean by "inappropriate," is that they were not liked by the local citizens. They were
considered outcasts. The outcast characters were, "Duchess," also known as "Mother
Shipton," and "Uncle Billy," a suspected sluice–robber and confirmed drunkard.
The other character in the story is Mr. John Oakhurst, a gambler. Bret Harte establishes regionalism
through description of his characters and also the dialogue that he gives his characters. For example,
Uncle Billy says "Is this yer a d–––d picnic?" 'With inward scorn, as he surveyed the
sylvan group, the glancing firelight, and the tethered animals in the foreground hurst returns to the
group he speaks in a particular dialect.'
This dialogue Hate uses is a great example of capturing dialect that is local to time and place. The
dialect portrays the way people actually talked. The story takes original characters and places them
in a typical western situation. Harte uses regionalism through dialect to successfully portray his
characters the way they actually are. I enjoyed reading "The Outcasts of Poker Flat," and truly
believe that the use of dialect successfully portrayed the people of the time. According to Edward
O'Brien in an essay written in 1923 about the advance of the

True Art Speaks Plainly, By Theodore Dreiser
The literary movement of realism addresses material in an accurate way that is true to life,
regardless of the moral boundaries which may be broken. Several authors have undertaken efforts to
define this movement in the most accurate and concise way possible. Theodore Dreiser, in "True Art
Speaks Plainly", strives to identify those components which are necessary to literature that is
classified under the realism movement. William Dean Howells's "Editha" is a literary work that
reflects this definition of realism. Dreiser's arguments regarding the presence of immorality in
literature as a precondition for artistic honesty find an example in the actions of the protagonist of
Howells's story. Theodore Dreiser's "True Art Speaks Plainly" defines realism as literature that
speaks the truth regardless of its moral substance, and this definition is observable in Howells's
"Editha" through the corrupt motivations of the protagonist, the critical portrayal of nation states at
war, and the ugly manipulation utilized by the protagonist.
Editha, the story's protagonist, uses weak moral arguments regarding virtue and honor to support her
selfish desire for recognition through another's sacrifice. Throughout the story, the author reveals
that she wants George to join the war effort in a selfish desire for her own personal glory. Howells
writes, "But now, it flashed upon her, if he could do something worthy to have won her– be a hero,
her hero– it would be even better than if he had done

Editha Character Analysis
Sometimes the consequences of war are overlooked because of the circumstances. In this story,
William Dean Howells uses his characters to convey his own views on war. One can easily tell that
he was in no way a supporter. He does an outstanding job demonstrating the many reasons war is
harmful. Through the main character of his story "Editha", William Dean Howells reveals that war
is not glorious, but is instead destructive.
Editha's character conveys the ignorance of the common people by highlighting the impractical
ideas she has about the war. Her beliefs gave a false hope and an unrealistic expectation as to what
the ramifications of war actually are. From evidence in the story, one would infer that the story was
set during the Spanish–American ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Not only does war impact American families, but also America's "enemies" families. War is
heartbreaking, so it is unsettling that Editha chose to ignore the consequences of war just because
George is fighting under the American flag. When the two were discussing the war, Editha states
that "there are no two sides anymore" and "there is nothing now but our country" (Howells). As long
as America is first, she has no regards for anyone else in the world. She is justifying the murder of
people in the name of American patriotism. This almost makes the lives taken during war seem less
valuable, which is unacceptable. Through a letter that Editha wrote to George, she affirms her
unawareness regarding war. In the letter, she states that if George does not enlist, she will break off
the engagement because "the man she would marry must be devoted to his country first" (Free).
Editha lives in Northern New York, where it is difficult to see the repercussions of war. Because of
this, Editha does not seem to care that war affects every country involved, not just America. At the
end of the story when Editha visits the Gearson family, Mrs. Gearson remarks "you thought it would
be all right for my George, your George, to kill the sons of those miserable mothers and the
husbands of those girls that you would never see the faces of" (Howells). Her sarcasm emphasizes
her strong

Analysis Of Paul Laurence Dunbar 's Sympathy Essay
Paul Laurence Dunbar was an African American writer who lived during the late 1800s. This
tumultuous time period was filled with racism that limited the freedom and the voice of African
Americans everywhere. This racism existed not only in the day–to–day lives of African Americans,
but also in the sphere of literature and, thus, severely impacted Dunbar's life. "Sympathy", published
in 1899, is a poem that addresses the difference in treatment of white Americans and African
Americans as well as African Americans' desire for freedom from both a personal standpoint as a
writer and also as a public figure speaking on behalf of the African American community.
"Sympathy" is a reflection of Dunbar's own struggle as an African American poet during the late
19th century. During this time, African Americans were judged as socially and economically inferior
and "lacking the tools of upward class mobility: 'proper' English speech, literacy, and a Western
education" (Roman 33). This view of African Americans was translated into the literary field by "the
leading elite literary figure" William Dean Howells, who believed that dialect poetry was the only
form of "authentic and proper African–America speech" (Roman 33). Howells beliefs led to editors
choosing to only publish dialect poetry which forced Dunbar to discontinue writing in his preferred
literary style of Standard English. In this way, the editors became the cage that held the bird. Dunbar
contrasts the idea of the caged bird

Who Is A Traveler From Altruria By William Dean Howells
A Traveler From Altruria Many people believe America to be the land of the free and the home of
the brave; a place where we all have the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The
novel, A Traveler from Altruria¸ written by author William Dean Howells, presents many of the
ideals present in the culture of the late nineteenth century. The author uses the characters such as the
lawyer, the minister, the professor, the banker and the novelist in the story to illustrate what is wrong
the American society. The traveler from Altruria, Mr. Homos, comes to America to experience the
everyday life in a country that promotes and prides itself on democracy and equality and has the
foundation that all men are created equal. He is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Unfortunately this supports the idea that Americans truly only look out for themselves because those
who do give back are few and far between. The professor has a major role in helping the Altrurian
understand how American society functions. During this time period, education and business are
kept separate, but the professor believes that one day they will eventually unite. The professor views
businessmen as egotistical, self–centered individuals who abandon their morals in order to do what
is necessary to benefit themselves. Education is seen as the opposite, a place for gentlemen. As a
result, if someone wanted to be a good businessman he should not get an education because
education would make him more moral and therefore less of a businessman. The banker believes
education to be completely unnecessary because of the class system. The lower classes believe
education to be unimportant because parents would prefer for their children to be at home working
instead of going to school. The upper classes view education as unnecessary because they are likely
to become businessmen and any education would simply give them a handicap. The professor
himself agrees that his position is unnecessary. Without education there is no way to teach others.
There is no way to better our knowledge and understanding of the world around us.

The Rise Of Silas Lapham
Realism is the theory of writing in which the ordinary, familiar, or dull traits of life are portrayed in
a straight forward manner that reflects life as it actually is. Multiple works of literature show some
type of Realism. Realism started its rise in the United States in 1865 and ended in the early 1900's.
Realistic writers would set their stories in specific American regions trying to capture the local
traditions before they would be forgotten. They wrote about the grim realities of everyday life.
These grim realities are shown in Mark Twain's The War Prayer. Twain exhibits the truth about
warfare and all the chaos that happens while fighting. Mark Twain was not blind when it came to the
realities of war in the United States. Mark Twain was not the only great Realist of his time. William
Dean Howells, Henry James, and George Eliot were other successful Realist writers during the 19th
Century. Howells was an early advocate of Realism. Howells wrote The Rise of Silas Lapham,
which was about how a farm boy became a millionaire but all of it ended in a financial crash.
George Eliot was another successful Realist writer. Eliot believed that Realism was the writer's
presentation of the commonplace. Eliot was also the author of Middlemarch which was another
literary work of Realism. Henry James believed that Realism is a part ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Verisimilitude is the appearance of the truth or fact. Twain is showing the readers how devastating
war can be. War does not only just affect the soldiers fighting in the war; it affects the families of the
soldiers, their homes, and the land that they live on. Twain exhibits all of those characteristics of
war through his short story The War Prayer. Twain brings out the grim realities and disgusting truths
about war. Verisimilitude is also a theme of Realism. Verisimilitude resembles reality how it actually
is and that is also a characteristic of

Goophered Grapes Pre Ready 1 Essay example
James Campbell
Dr. West
Afro Am Lit
7/19/12
Goophered Grapes
In the 10 years between the publication of "The Goophered Grapevine," Chesnutt's first conjure tale,
and the composition of "The Dumb Witness," the development of segregation culture had even more
firmly cemented the popular notions of black and white identifies in the United States. (Robison 61)
Charles Chesnutt is credited as a pro–black writer for first being an African–American writer and
then presenting the African–American experience for the further humanizing of blacks in the United
States. Much of Chesnutt's work was drawn from his own experience as a fair–skinned black person
as revealed by Mary Zeigler in her article, "History And Background Of The Charles W. Chesnutt ...
Also, there are many black writers that wrote very empowering pieces that did succeed at presenting
and demonstrating the black experience like Toni Morrison, Zora Hurston and Langston Hughes.
But for those that do subscribe to the idea that being able to speak standard American English makes
a person 'better', like many Americans, black and white did at that time and still do, by showing the
contrast of Chesnutt's extremely harsh dialect of Julius, which "indulges a "scholarly" predilection
for the obscure or exotic", to that of the narrator further enforces and encourages that negative social
construct (Bodie). Speaking of Americans that might have subscribed to this idea, let's take a
moment to consider who would be reading this text.
"The Atlantic Monthly" is a Bostonian publication that centered on politics, literature, science and
the arts. While these topics are not reserved for our society's elite so much these days, it was much
more so back then and the creators of the magazine definitely thought of themselves as part of our
nation's cultural elite. Even to this day, at least some of the staff at "The Atlantic" feel this way.
Managing editor, Cullen Murphy gave a presentation and presented its founders like this;
At a moment in our history when New England was America's literary Olympus, the men gathered
that afternoon could be said to occupy the summit. They included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow,

The NAACP: The Struggle For Civil Rights
Founded February 12, 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognized
grassroots–based civil rights organization. It's more than half–million members and supporters
throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their
communities, campaigning for equal opportunity and conducting voter mobilization.
The NAACP was formed partly in response to the continuing horrific of lynching and the 1908 race
riot in Springfield, the capital of Illinois and resting place of President Abraham Lincoln. Appalled
at the violence that was committed against blacks, a group of white liberals that included Mary
White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard, both the descendants of abolitionists, William ...
Echoing the focus of Du Bois' Niagara Movement began in 1905, the NAACP's, stated goal was to
secure for all people the rights guaranteed the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States
Constitution, which promised an end to slavery, the equal protection of the law, the universal adult
male suffrage, respectively.
The NAACP's principal objective is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic
equality of minority group citizens of United States and eliminate race prejudice. The NAACP seeks
to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic processes.
The NAACP established its national office in New York City in 1910 and the named a board of
directors as well as a president, Moorefield Storey, a white constitutional lawyer and former
president of the American Bar Association. The only African American among the organization's
executives, Du Bois was made director of publications and research and in 1910 established the
official journal of the NAACP, The

Mark Twain's Personality Revealed in His Writing Essay
Mark Twain's Personality Revealed in His Writing
Literary artists refuse to be categorized, defined, and completely fathomed by any standardized
paradigm, but a writer's work exhibits his or her personality traits. Though authors are incapable of
being defined by mere personality traits, literary accomplishments, and literary criticisms, an
author's personality can be used to sketch a limited definition of his or her literature. Mark Twain's
literature manifests his personality's candor, graphicness, humor, and criticalness that William Dean
Howells describes in "My Mark Twain." These attributes are evident in "Old Times on the
Mississippi," The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras
County," ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although the theme of deception pervades Twain's work, truth always emanates from both the plot
and characters.
While many Romantic authors elevate their childhoods to idealistic terms of good or bad, Twain
walks the line between Romanticism and Realism. After romantically heralding the position of a
steamboatman in Old Times on the Mississippi, a young Mark Twain realizes and expresses his new
belief on the unfairness of life because of his recent knowledge about the rise of an ungodly boy to
the position of a steamboatman. Twain writes, "This thing shook the bottom out of all my Sunday–
school teachings" (275). Instead of glossing over his young self's questioning nature, Twain
acknowledges the ability to question the authority of the church, even if it is based on jealousy.
Similar in honesty and naivete to the young Twain is the forthright Huckleberry Finn. He will not
accept society's conventions about both religion and history, and he denounces the Widow Douglass'
story about "Moses and the Bulrushers." Huck states, "so then I didn't care no more about him,
because I don't take no stock in dead people" (26). Huck ceaselessly disdains efforts to civilize him,
but the Widow Douglass continues to try to change him. After Huck first learns about Hell from the
Widow Douglass, his earnest initial response is memorable. Huck covertly thinks, "Well, I couldn't
see no advantage in going where she was going, so I

Realism In America
Coping in America with Realism
Through the years 1860 to 1900, the Realism literary movement made its way to America. This
movement was a way to entertain the American people from the harsh circumstances they were
facing. Realism became a movement that helped the American people cope with their issues by
using real–life circumstances they could relate to.
Realism began in Europe in the 1840s and did not make its way to America until after the Civil War.
American Realism and European Realism shared common goals, such as focusing on the common
person and contradicting society's beliefs, but American Realism branched off with ideas of its own
(Fluck). William Dean Howells is credited for starting the Realism trend in America. He was the
editor–in–chief ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This novel focused on unfortunate characters who were trying to tolerate society's expectations
while finding themselves in the world (James). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn took place in
Missouri, where many farmers owned slaves to cultivate their crops. Farmers from the lower South
made deals with those of the upper South in hopes to buy their slaves. Many of the slave owners in
the upper South could not resist the offers that were made (Moss). Huckleberry Finn was one of the
main characters in the novel. Huck ran away from his intoxicated, unloving father by faking his own
death. On his journey, Huck met Miss Watson's slave named Jim, who was escaping in fear of being
sold to the deep South. In the novel, realism is displayed by Huck's actions and his colloquialisms.
Twain uses the derogatory term, "nigger", often in his writing. This word referred to colored people
at the time period because many white people were racist towards people of color. The white people
believed colored people should not have the same rights as they do. When Huck uses the term
"nigger", he does not mean any harm. Being from the South, he picked up the habit of using this
word from the influences around him; this adds to the realistic effect of the time period. Also, Huck
and Jim bonded with each other and created a friendship and, throughout the novel, Jim became the
father figure that Huck never had. This created problems

Essay On The Leisured Gentleman Of Letters By Howells
It is a form that Howells came to connect with "the leisured gentleman of letters," a figure who, in
the larger culture, was increasingly and pejoratively being associated with the feminine, and
consequently with leisure and consumption (Kaplan 16).
The subject of divorce provided Howells the opportunity to show himself as a serious–minded
author, who focused on matters of social significance. With his democratic philosophy, Howells
wanted to disturb a class–bound order that hindered the growth of democracy in the same way he
wanted to put a truthful spin on the usual love plot. Howells recognized that divorce carried the
potential to do both, in real life and in fiction. However, not without complications. Riley explains
how, "After the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Howell describes how he
"looked at her with strong self–disgust [. . .]. There is something in a young man's ideal of women at
once passionate and ascetic, so fine that any words are too gross for it. The event which intensified
the interest of his mother and sisters in Marcia had abashed Halleck; when she came so proudly to
show her baby to them all, it seemed to him like a mockery of his pity for her captivity to the love
that profaned her. [. . .] Little by little his compassion adjusted itself to the new conditions; it
accepted the child as an element of her misery in the future, when she must realize the hideous
deformity of her marriage. His prophetic feeling of this, and of her inaccessibility to human help
here and hereafter, made him sometimes afraid of her, but all the more severely he exacted of his
ideal of her that she should not fall beneath the tragic dignity of her fate through any levity of her
own. Now, at her innocent laugh, a subtle irreverence, which he was not able to exorcise, infused
itself into his sense of her." (Howells, A Modern Instance 178)
Here, we watch as Halleck's intense emotional struggle begins to take shape. Marcia's baby is a
reality that wounds his moral value, provoking his own "self–disgust" at his reaction. By showing
him like this, he indicates that "self–disgust" is a realistic modification to these idealizing
tendencies. However, Howells displays Halleck as being too fragile to act inversely.

Mark Twain 's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn And The...
Mark Twain, American humorist and novelist, captured a world audience with stories of boyhood
adventure and with commentary on man 's shortcomings that is humorous even while it probes,
often bitterly, the roots of human behavior. His writing, Shelley Fisher Fishkin who is one of the
leading scholars on the work of Mark Twain in American culture and literature observes, involves
"an entreaty to rethink, reevaluate and reformulate the terms in which one defines both personal and
national identity." Twain hoped to coax us out of our "timid and suspicious privacy" and into
recognition of human equality and of the dignity of self–governing citizenship. Evidently at odds
with so much of established opinion, this high aim was only another reason ... Show more content
In "The War Prayer" Twain argues against the philosophy of imperialism. This essay was written in
1900's when America was caught up in the idea of imperialism and extending its influence to other
countries using military prowess. He reveals that praying for success in war is also praying for the
defeat of another nation. He questions what exactly the people are praying for. Even though it
appears that the people are praying for the safety of their soldiers, in the end it can be concluded that
they are praying for destruction of another civilization. But the argument does not stop here: the last
line of the essay says, "It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no
sense in what he said (Twain, 682). After bringing forth the harm caused by war, the aged stranger is
dismissed as a lunatic. The characters' sheer ignorance leads them to believe that God's messenger,
who has posed these questions, must be just an insane old man thus illuminating the public opinion
in the early 90s.
The sentences in "The War Prayer" are lean, accelerated, cadenced, and charged with imagery. The
premise on which their authority depends–in this case, that official and religious can't conceal seeds
of their abominable corollaries –is self–evident and irrefutable. At its core, "The War–Prayer"

Literary Realism : A Movement
Taylor Jones
Professor Anderson
American Literature II
11 October 2015
Literary Realism Realism was a movement in literature that followed Romanticism. In sharp
contrast to Romanticism, everyday things characterized the writing of this time period. The use of
authentic settings, relatable characters, and plotlines made realism what it was. In order to support
the goals of these works, authors, for the first time, created stories that truly represented class and
gender. The topics of class and money often appeared in these works. The people targeted for a story
of realism was generally the new middle class. This was the first time that the middle class was
really acknowledged in literature. Realism is all about being true to what actually happens; the
author tells all that is real even when the truth may be ugly or socially deviant of the time.
Romanticism in literature took hold in the U.S from 1830–1865. Romanticism was generally based
upon love, optimism or opportunity. Basically, this was a time of growth for the United States, and
the literature reflected that. After this time, the country 's immigrant population and working base
grew, and changes in industry began to change the way that people lived. During this time period
machines were being built, manufacturing became easier, urban areas expanded; cities became the
center of the action. Ultimately, this industrialization and urbanization led to changes both socially
and economically. All of this, created a divide

Realism In Victorian Literature
REALISM Realism is a literary movement which tries to show things, actions or social
circumstances in point of fact without presenting them in the influence of feelings or other artistic
ideas. (Duerksen, R. A. (1966). Shelleyan ideas in Victorian literature. The Hague: Mouton.)
Realism as a word comes from Greek word "Res" which means real. Realism emerged in France
during the mid– 19th centuary. (Realism (late 1800s–early 1900s). (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2017,
from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753924) Honoré de Balzac was credited for
creating literary realism in French literature with his description of French society in his novel La
Comedie Humaine. (Honoré de Balzac. (2017, March 25). Retrieved March 26, 2017, ... Show more
These are: faithfully representing life as it is, rejecting idealizing conventions, taking subjects from
contemporary life, representing middle class attitudes, referring to work of a particular period. (Ltd,
F. M. (n.d.). Visual Arts Gr11 Learner's Guide. Retrieved March 26, 2017, from
https://www.scribd.com/doc/101022170/Visual–Arts–Gr11–Learner–s–Guide) Realism is strongly
marked in these poems: Geoffrey Chaucer: The Miller's Tale, William Shakespeare: My Mistress's
Eyes, Thomas Hardy: Friends Beyond.(REALISM IN POETRY. (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2017,
from http://www.textetc.com/traditional/realism.html)
To sum up, Realism is a movement whose effects are seen in literature, poetry and art. Realism has
some characteristics in literature and writers from all around the world used these features in their
works. (Realism (late 1800s–early 1900s). (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2017, from
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753924) Poetry and art are also affected by
Realism and they give us the picture of lower class people and their everyday lives. (Realism
Movement, Artists and Major Works. (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2017, from

The Rise of Silas Lapham
In the Story "The Rise of Silas Lapham," written by William Dean Howells, Silas's desire to
conform to the standards of society is the root of his company's downfall but the rise of his
understanding and morals. The society Silas is trying to feel accepted by is very judgmental and
vain and do not care about others therefore making it very tough for the Laphams to be accepted or
even feel somewhat normal where they are living. Persis is a significant character in the novel
because in the end she is why Silas does the things he does because she bestowed good morals in
him. The last attempts to fit in with the community is the building and destruction of the house.
These are all very significant events to the story leading up to Silas last ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Persis was one of the most important characters in the book. At the beginning of the story Silas
didn't have very many morals to none at all. She helped him obtain the morals he lives by. The
reason these morals are so vital in the book is because when he loses site of everything and pursues
his desire to fit in he comes back to these morals and realizes what he's been doing and sacrificing
just to be "one of them." A good example of him realizing morals are when Rogers is trying to get
buyers for the mills knowing the companies going go under and the mills aren't going to be worth
anything once it does. Rogers does not tell the English men of this situation so they are completely
unsuspecting when going in to purchase the mills. When Silas heard this he refused to sell it to them
because he didn't want to cheat them of their money. Rogers then suggests selling the mills to him
and he will sell them to the English men. Silas refuses again. He'd rather let his company go
bankrupt than resent that decision for the rest of his life and still be wealthy. Early in the story Persis
said in a conversation with Silas "You know he couldn't buy then. It was no choice at all. You
unloaded [a partner] just at the time when you knew that your paint was going to be worth about
twice what it ever had been; and

Comparing Immorality in The Rise of Silas Lapham and The...
Motivation of Immorality in The Rise of Silas Lapham and The Octopus
In both William Dean Howells' The Rise of Silas Lapham and The Octopus by Frank Norris, a
character is faced with the moral issues involved with operating his business. Howells' character,
Silas Lapham (The Colonel) and Norris' Magnus Derrick are both desirous to have a prominent
position in their respective societies, but are in the precarious situation of having to deploy immoral
methods to achieve this coveted stature during the course of harder times. Each man has aspirations
to be powerful, prestigious, famous, and/or wealthy. In combination with their lack of humility for
their lofty position in society and their over ambitious definition of success, ... Show more content
He desires acceptance as an equal to the socially distinguished Boston family, the Coreys. It is only
through the money made from his mineral paint business that lends him the chance to associate with
such families.
Silas' rise from poverty was not fully morally sound though, notwithstanding the fact that the
product he made his money with was one that was virtually handed to him and that sold itself. In
spite of these facts, at an earlier stage in the business, Silas had taken up a partner, Mr. Rogers, to
help him financially, and then forced him out before he could make any profit. This move appears to
be the first immoral business choice in the career of Silas Lapham. It forces him to be dishonest not
only to himself, but to his wife, by driving him to lie about and cover up his inner feelings about
what he had done. Although he states that he has a clear conscience concerning the whole affair, he
cannot so much as speak directly to the man during a chance meeting on the street. He shies away
from the awkward situation entirely, leaving his wife to contend with the betrayed former partner.
Silas attempts to reconcile his deceiving Rogers by calling it a business chance, but his wife refutes
by stating,
It was no chance at all. You crowded him out. A man that saved you! No, you had got greedy, Silas.
You had made your paint your god, and you couldn't bear to let anybody

Editha: William Dean Howells’s Commitment to Literary Realism
Editha: William Dean Howells's commitment to literary realism ENG 202: American Literature II
Editha: William Dean Howells's commitment to literary realism Realism can be defined as view in
which the author tries to depict life as truthfully and accurately as possible. The use of realistic or
lifelike settings described by the author or narrated by a character, add a layer of realism to the story,
even if the story itself is fictitious. The characters themselves are often portrayed as believable as
possible, to the point that the character being described could actually exist; they are often depicted
as very average people, void of extreme wealth, influence, or astounding abilities. The reason
characters and settings are often ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
George, unlike the reader however, is unaware of Editha's dishonest reasons for her support of the
war and ignorantly goes off to war with the innocent belief that his girlfriend actually cares about
the outcome of the war itself and not that it might potentially shape him into the man she secretly
wishes he was. Howell's use of Editha and her deceitful motives for supporting the war add a layer
of realism to the story, as peoples' motives in real life are not always pure. Editha also possesses an
unrealistic view of war itself as being glorious and sacred in nature. "And I call any war glorious
that is for the liberation of people who have been struggling for years against the cruelest
oppression. Don't you think so, too?" (308) "I call it a sacred war" (309). Howells's who was
diametrically opposed to the idea of war, may have been subtly implying something here like, only
silly young girls believe that war is a glorious or sacred enterprise. George's mother, who has been
through one war already and would be considered much wiser than Editha, holds a contrary view of
war as being far from glorious and sacred as it only leaves mothers without sons and wives without
husbands. At a time in which most authors were romanticizing and praising war as glorious,
Howells was using realism in his story to expose war as being harsh,

Bret Harte's An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge
Bret Harte wanted the truth to be told, he asks society to see reality. In Harte's article about the 1860
Massacre he describes graphically the slaughter of the Indian people. The people he wrote to
despised his piece on the massacre because it told the bloody truth. They ran him out of town
because even though they wanted this massacre to occur they did not want to be reminded about this
unholy event. In Harte's writing he conveys not everyone is as racist and discriminative as the
people. Harte says "Tipton proposed that they should send the child to Red Dog, –a distance of forty
miles, –where female attention could be procured. But the unlucky suggestion met with fierce and
unanimous opposition" (Harte, pg. 356). Harte shows that even though ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In this short story named "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" he takes a different more serious
approach to his writing. Bierce takes the reader to the Civil War era where and individual is about to
be hanged. Bierce being someone who has served in this war can speak from first–hand experience
when it comes to events during this time. He writes about a before death experience in most of "An
Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." Bierce being severely injured during the war most likely
experienced one of these events while his injury was taking place. This is why he is able to describe
this character's experience so vividly because he most likely has been in this man's shoes. Bierce is
able to keep the reader on their toes through the last two thirds of his short story by describing a
grand escape. These types of actions and events that happened during the action packed scene of
story most likely came from types of situations that Bierce was in during his commission in the 9th
Indiana Infantry. Bierce also ends "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" with the death of the main
character which shows the reader some of the death that Bierce experienced during his time as a

The War Prayer Williams Dean Howell Analysis
Mark Twain" The war prayer" and Williams dean Howell "Editha" both compare their stories to
war; they were impelling the characters into something that can cause death. Twain and Howell both
contradicted they stories off war that really didn't take places. The stories were both romanticism.
Howells was very much opposed to war and especially the Spanish–American War, which he
considered imperialistic. The story impales Editha, who embodies all the nonsense about the heroic
romanticism of war and whose false sense of values drives her unfortunate fiancé to a premature
death in a questionable war. Howell made it story based off currently everyday situation of
manipulative. Twain "War Prayer was devastating indictment of war, and particularly ... Show more
Editah was a woman who loved her country more than anything and willing to give up anything.
George however dislike in his portrayal of Editha, a thoughtless, selfish lady idealistic but ignorant
for wanting him to be processed in war. Editah couldn't understand how George didn't think that war
was important even thou she got him to go. Her pressing him into war effect on other people mainly
his mom because he got soon he got to war. His mom speaks "No, you didn't expect him to get
killed," Mrs. Gearson repeated. (Howell) "I suppose you would have been glad to die, such a brave
person as you! I don't believe he was glad to die. He was always a timid boy, that way; he was afraid
of a good many things; but if he was afraid he did what he made up his mind to. I suppose he made
up his mind to go, but I knew what it cost him by what it cost me when I heard of it. I had been
through one war before. When you sent, him you didn't expect he would get killed." (Howell) His
mom was very discouraging in Editah for send her son to get killed. The war prayer depicts a man
coming in to tell them that fighting war wasn't no justification right. A country goes into war and
church member call ups a meeting to pray for the soldiers. They prayed to GOD to grant them
victory and to protect their troops. when an unexpected man comes on alone to tell them it's not
right sending them off

The Relationship Between Divorce And Love In American...

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Ivani Rosado

More from Ivani Rosado (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

The Relationship Between Divorce And Love In American...