Monday, February 28, 2011

Journal #37

I thought that parts of the article relating to Whitman and his works were very interesting. At some points, Mark Bauerlein brought up some interesting and valid points regarding some of Whitman's stories, and Bauerlein had a mindset that must be much different than my own. Some of his thoughts I never would have dreamed up; although, to be honest, I would not ever really want to waste my time dreaming about Whitman and his poetry. While I did find some of Mark Bauerlein's points and remarks to be fascinating and eye opening, it was also incredibly boring. He could have said a lot of his opinions in much shorter, simpler terms; for a common reader in our century and in our culture, big long articles such as that are extremely boring to read, and, frankly, no one really wants to read them if they can help it. That is just my opinion; maybe there are high school students that find that sort of stuff fascinating. I, obviously, do not find it very joyous to read and therefore struggled through the article. Also, I do not really like Whitman in general. While Bauerlein did do a great job expressing what Whitman might have been thinking or referring to in some of his poems, it would have been a whole lot more enjoyable for me to read if I actually liked Whitman's poems. I find Whitman to be a self centered writer who focuses on his viewpoint and his viewpoint only, and he blatantly declares that any other mindset is wrong. I think this is incredibly annoying, and biased authors are just not pleasurable to read. Bauerlein also did what I find annoying in literary critics. He analyzed Whitman to death. He took a simple sentence and broke it down into kind of absurd meanings that may have been true; however, he did this quite often. I feel that poetry should be written so that the listener, viewer, or reader can enjoy it and interpret it in their own way, and when poetry is over analyzed, I believe its whole purpose has been destoryed. Bauerlein's article did indeed serve as a useful tool in understanding Whitman's works; however, I do not care much in general about Whitman and therefore found this article much too drawn on and boring.

Whitman and His Sense of Self

Walt Whitman is a poet who changed the course of American poetry forever. His blunt, straightforward way of writing was a shock to some people, and it definitely is what allowed him to become so famous. Whitman, throughout his poetry, was said to search for his own definition of “self.” When reading his poems, I definitely got an idea of what his opinion of his own self was; he was very self-centered and conceited about his accomplishments and his ideas relating to the society and other people around him. By reading his poems “Myself and Mine” and “One Song, America, Before I Go” I was able to kind of pick up a sense of pride he held in his work and his own self, and it was a pride that almost seemed too overwhelming and over exaggerated. Although he may have been trying to explain to his readers how he viewed his own self, I personally thought it came off as much too showy and conceited.

In his poem “Myself and Mine,” Whitman writes about how he feels about certain subjects and people and how others might feel and react (Whitman “Myself”). When reading this, I got the sense that Whitman was extremely conceited. He wrote about situations in which he believed the society was flawed; however, instead of doing this in a respectable way, he was extremely rude and biased (Whitman “Myself”). For example, he wrote, “And who are you-blabbing by rote, years, pages, languages, reminiscences, Unwitting to-day that you do not know how to speak a single word?” (Whitman “Myself”). While I do appreciate people simply expressing their own opinions, I think he did so in a completely unnecessary manner. Most likely referring to people who were thought of highly in the society, he tore their image to pieces by basically saying they spoke nonsense (Whitman “Myself”). I really think he could have done that in way that was not as biased, and, as a result, he would have most likely gained the respect and interest of readers instead of the disgust and conflicts that instead were the reactions of many readers during his time. Whitman was trying to explore the definition of self and wanted to express his own “self,” and through “Myself and Mine” I think he did a pretty terrible job at expressing his own opinions and showing the world what he was about. Unless, however, he wanted to be shown as a selfish, stuck up poet; in that case, he would have succeeded.

The trend continues with his poem “One Song, America, Before I Go.” The title itself, in my opinion, is a brief reflection of the work itself. The title is so self centered, as if Whitman must make one last contribution to America before he can finally leave the earth; he acts like it is his duty to grant America one last song so that we can rest in peace with him gone (Whitman “One”). After inferring this from the title and then reading the poem itself, I realized that my assumption was right. The whole poem is about how he would do all of these great accomplishments before his death so that America can rest happily after his death; we will have been granted the knowledge and opinion of Walt Whitman and, therefore, have nothing left to ask for (Whitman “One”). Whitman displays his sense of “self” by proposing that he has all the right mindsets and facts regarding the government, the nation, and society in general (Whitman “One”). He says that he has the right “formula” to how America should be run, and people just need to see things how he does; then all of our problems would be solved (Whitman “One”). As previously mentioned, if Whitman was trying to display his own “self” as conceited, biased, selfish, and arrogant, he did a wonderful job portraying that. If not, his meaning of “self” may have been lost or misinterpreted on the readers of his poetry.





WORKS CITED

Whitman, Walt. "Myself and Mine." Leaves of Grass. 1990. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. .

Whitman, Walt. "One Song, America, Before I Go." Leaves of Grass. 1990. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. .

Friday, February 25, 2011

Journal #36

Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal is the delectable, crunchy breakfast food that one's mouth waters for when they just hear its mere name. Cinnamon Toast Crunch is described as "The taste you can see!" It is true; the cinnamon swirls truly are present on every delicious bite that is taken. The little crumbles of sugar that melt in one's mouth are truly sent from heaven. When I wake up in the morning and see that bowl of glittering Cinnamon Toast Crunch sitting there in the bowl full for two percent milk, my brain fills with all of these thoughts of happiness and all of my unhappy mindsets are shattered and thrown away. I make my way quickly to the breakfast table, almost running in joy just so that I can reach my Cinnamon Toast Crunch quicker. I throw myself down into the wooden char, which kind of hurts but it does not even matter because I am one step closer to my glorious meal. I reach down on to the table and pick up the silver spoon, glistening and cool in my hand. Taking a deep breath of excitement, I dip the shiny spoon into the creamy, white milk and fill the trough of the spoon with the golden brown Cinnamon Toast Crunch covered in the milk and slowly lift it to my mouth. As I do so, I am able to smell the cinnamon, the sugar, and the milk; this makes my mouth water even more than it already had been. Rejoicing silently inside my mind, I take the first bite, and I feel as if I am floating around in the ideal heaven. My head swirls with happiness, and my taste buds are singing hallelujah. Every ounce of my body is tingling with pure joy thanks to the splendid taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I thank the Lord for creating this wonderful breakfast food; I now know that I can begin my day with the happiest of hearts. Cinnamon Toast Crunch truly is a delectable meal that makes me jump with joy every time I consume that deliciousness.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Journal #35

I do not think I would enjoy being a reporter in a war at all. First of all, I do not enjoy fighting or war in general. I would be absolutely terrified, even though I would obviously not be fighting. I mean, if I was right there in the trenches with the soldiers, the likelihood of something happening or maybe even having to fight myself would probably be kind of logical and probable. I would obviously not enjoy that, and, without prior training as a soldier, I would probably be in some deep trouble if the opposing soldiers attacked. Also, I really do not think I would enjoy the general war environment; like I said, I do not like fighting and I would really hate being in the middle of a war.

It might be kind of cool to be a reporter in the war because you would get to see all the action without necessarily participating in the fighting. However, if I was in the trenches with them, then there is always the chance I could get involved in the fighting, and, like I said, that would definitely be an issue. While it would be cool to be able to show people back home what was going on and experience a life changing experience, I think the terror and the anxiousness of the war itself would be way too overwhelming for me. I would not enjoy it at all.

Another reason why I would not like it is because in the war, you always hear of soldiers who meet people and become good friends with them, but then tragedy strikes and their friend is killed. This seems to be a kind of common trend; I mean, it is the war, and it is sadly not uncommon for people to die. I would not like to see people I had bonded with fight in bloody battles and potentially be killed. Obviously, most people probably feel like that, but let's be honest, it would be an awful thing. If I can prevent it from happening, then I obviously would. Therefore, I just would not want to be a reporter in war; it would be extremely dangerous, not really fun in general, and people I had gotten to know and love would be put in danger and possibly be killed.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Realism Project- "To Build a Fire"

Jack London was an individual from a poor family who did not let any of his family's weaknesses get the best of him ("Meet" 601). An incredibly bright child, London graduated from high school in just one year and set off to college. Although he did not attend four full years of schooling, his knowledge and ability to write stories was incredible. After his first year of college when London traveled to the Yukon to join the Klondike Gold Rush, he experienced many adventures that allowed for even more creativity and ideas to be introduced in his future stories ("Meet" 601).

Jack London's "To Build a Fire" is based on his own experience through the Yukon. This story exhibits both Realism and Naturalism. From just the title alone, one can make the assumption that Naturalism is going to be involved. Naturalism is usually focused around a lower class individual who undergoes many trials in which his own natural strengths are tested as well as his intelligence in order to see if, without luxuries and money, one is really capable of surviving the task set out in front of them (Giles). Based off of solely the title of the story, "To Build a Fire," one can infer that the main character is going to have to face some sort of challenge with nature in order to survive.

As the story begins, the reader finds that, indeed, there is a struggle with nature. As the main character sets out on his journey to find gold, he is faced with many challenges, such as the intense cold weather that is common to the Yukon (Twain 604). The man knew that it was going to be cold and had prepared for it; however, he found that sometimes thinking one can make it through a difficult task is a little bit more challenging than actually acting on it. The man had to plan his trip out carefully, taking note of the sun's positioning and when and where he would have to set up camp each night (Twain 604). Thankfully, he had his husky dog alongside him, which allowed them to share body heat in the night and probably kept them alive through those first few blustering nights (Twain 605). Throughout the story, the man and his dog had to fight through the intense cold, proving that they were indeed using all of their natural skills to "fight" the depths of nature. This portrays Naturalism within the story (Giles).

Realism is also prominent throughout the story. Instead of acting like "superheroes" or relying on God for strength, the man simply did what he believed were the smart things to do at the time, and he would factually note the freezing of his spit and the frost in his mustache (Twain 607). These realistic portrayals throughout the story proved that it was indeed Realism (Diamond). One could say that the man was a hero, another characteristic of Realism, since he was so strong and never gave up in order to accomplish his dream (Diamond). A strong aspect of Realism is also shown at the end of the story, as the man dies and the dog is left alone (Twain 515). This sad and tragic ending after so much hard work and dedication had been put into survival is typical for Realism; things in life do not always work out as they had been planned (Diamond). This also showed the hardships people went through during the Gold Rush; during this time period, many people died while trying to become rich. Although this is extremely sad, it is very realistic; sometimes, nature does defeat the strength of even the most determined human. Jack London's "To Build a Fire" portrayed both Realism and Naturalism as the main character struggled through the Yukon to reach his dream.

WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).

London, Jack. “To Build a Fire.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 603-615. Print.

"Meet Jack London." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 601. Print.

Realism Project- "Richard Cory" and "Miniver Cheevy"

Edwin Arlington Robinson is an incredible Realism author. Born into a family that certainly had many problems, Robinson grew up as a troubled child, wondering by age six why he had even been born ("Meet" 573). As he grew older, he was forced out of college because his family did not have enough money, and this caused him to have to return to a house in which his parents were troubled, one brother was a drug addict, and the other was an alcoholic. All of these factors contributed to Robinson's general overall dislike of life; he was an unhappy man. He felt that poetry was all he had ever been destined to do, and he certainly was talented at it ("Meet" 573).

Robinson's poem "Richard Cory" tells the story of a man who was always well dressed, well mannered, and well liked in general ("Richard" 575). This man seemed happy and content; he was one of those people that seemed to have everything going for him. Then the reader reaches the last line two lines of the poem, "And Richard Cory, one calm sunny night, Went home and put a bullet through his head" ("Richard" 575). This shocking ending is one that is apparently not uncommon for Robinson; often he will tell the tale of someone who seems to have their life so put together that ends up dying or revealing a nasty habit ("Meet" 573). "Richard Cory" is an exemplary form of Realism. Although it might seem a little dramatic or extremely pessimistic, the story it tells is actually is not a rare occurrence. In the newspapers in present day, one always reads about the Valedictorian that commits suicide, or the star football player that pops pills in order to just forget about his unhappiness. While Robinson definitely portrays this hidden unhappiness in an extremely and surprising way, it is realistic, and therefore, a trait of Realism (Diamond). The irony in which the story ends really does apply to situations like this in an everyday environment, classifying it as Realism (Diamond).

"Miniver Cheevy" tells a story similar to "Richard Cory" as a man who appears happy but longing solves his mental conflict by drinking it away ("Miniver" 576). Longing so much for material things and a life he could be proud of, Miniver Cheevy finds himself becoming more and more dissatisfied with his own life, even though it is not awful by any means. He feels that if he wants to forget about his own dull life, he should just drink until the pain is all gone ("Miniver" 576). Unfortunately, this poem, too, presents the Realism writings style; although many do not want to admit it, it is not uncommon for one to drink away their problems. Many middle class individuals look at their lives and see what they could have been as opposed to what they really are, just like the man in the story, and this similarity proves that the poem is definitely a form of Realism (Diamond). Although it may be hard to admit, drinking, suicide, and other forms of ridding oneself of pain and disappointment do not just happen in sad poems, books, or movies. In today's world and in Robinson's time period, people were unhappy with their lives and felt they needed some way to fix it. Robinson did a terrific job of describing the pain and real life situations that many people endure their throughout entire lives, therefore producing two wonderful examples of Realism (Diamond).

WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

"Meet Edwin Arlington Robinson." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 573. Print.

Robinson, Edwin A. “Miniver Cheevy.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 576. Print.

Robinson, Edwin A. “Richard Cory.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 575. Print.

Realism Project- "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mask"

Paul Dunbar portrays both Realism and Naturalism through his two poems, "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mask." Born of parents who had been enslaved themselves, Dunbar found himself hearing stories of the hardships of slavery as he grew up ("Meet" 568). He went through a hard time of his own when his father died, Dunbar himself at a young age ("Meet" 568). Dunbar seemed to have continued to hold on to his sorrows for the rest of his life, for in the two poems "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mask," a dark, gloomy, and pessimistic viewpoint seems to be consistently prominent. "Douglass," written about Frederick Douglass, is about the two of them, both African American men to whom slavery had effected quite a bit ("Meet" 568). Douglass and Dunbar traveled together occasionally, since they were both African American poets dealing with common subjects ("Meet" 568). "Douglass," specifically though, is about the hardships they both grew up with and how it seems that the rest of the country seems to be pretending it just did not happen; the white men want to pretend they never treated African Americans so terribly when it obviously took place ("Douglass" 570). Dunbar is disgusted by this, and he feels that everybody is almost faking that everything is okay when really everything could collapse right back down again ("Douglass" 570). "We Wear the Mask" is actually a very interesting poem because it could be related to almost anyone, not just African Americans, although obviously Dunbar intended it to be referring to the African Americans. In it he wrote of the "mask" that he, as well as others like him, put on to make others believe that everything is okay when really things are awful ("We" 571). However, Dunbar feels that the rest of the world does not even necessarily deserve to see the true side of him or anyone else; they obviously do not care enough to really want to see what lies underneath the mask ("We" 571).

Realism is very prominent in these two poems. Each poem describes realistic situations in which Dunbar is facing the negative but still realistic obstacles that still seem to stand in his way, such as segregation. Instead of trying to pretend everything is okay or that it is all better, Dunbar is looking his troubles right in the face and admitting that they are all to real, which definitely is a characteristic of Realism as he expresses it in his poems (Diamond). Dunbar does not exaggerate on his viewpoints; while they might seem extremely troubling or a little too over the edge, that is how he truly did feel, and, as a middle class African American, many other probably agreed with that mindset. Because of this, Realism is definitely portrayed within these two poems (Diamond). Naturalism is also evident. Born to a family of slaves, Dunbar pursued his dreams in writing and became the first African American to make a living solely off of his literature ("Meet" 568). That is truly a rags to riches situation, which Naturalism portrays quite often (Giles). This is an incredible achievement, although he does not necessarily seem happy about it in his poems. Relating back to Realism, even though Dunbar achieved so much, he was still incredibly unhappy, which he wrote about. People were able to see that and relate to him: the reality of his words allowed readers to see the honesty and truthfulness through his pain. "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mast" portray both Realism and Naturalism.

WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Dunbar, Paul L. “Douglass.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 570. Print.

Dunbar, Paul L. “We Wear the Mask.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 571. Print.

Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).

"Meet Paul Laurence Dunbar." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 568. Print.

Realism Project- "I Will Fight No More Forever"

"I Will Fight No More Forever" is an incredibly sad and depressing piece of literature in which Chief Joseph is finally giving up and giving in. Chief Joseph was the chief of the Nez Perce, who were threatened by the government and began fighting with U.S. armies after members of the tribe attacked a group of white settlers ("Meet" 531). All Chief Joseph really wanted to do was to return his tribe back home so they could be with their families and avoid fighting and conflict; however, too many had died or fallen ill, and return was becoming more and more realistic in their eyes ("Meet" 531). In "I Will Fight No More Forever," Chief Joseph writes that, basically, he is just tired of fighting (Chief 533). He wants to go home, he wants to find his children, and he wants to relax and just be able to enjoy the rest of his life. However, he knows that this will most likely not happen, since the chances of survival alone are slim. He is incredibly upset because of the death of two other chiefs who were close to him, along with the death of his brother. He also really does not know where his family is or even if they are still alive (Chief 533). Basically, Chief Joseph is realizing the reality of what is happening and what will most likely happen to him, and this reality depresses him deeply (Chief 533).

Realism is quite prominent in this work. As previously mentioned, the reality of the entire situation seems to have caught up to Chief Joseph, and an utter wave of sadness, depression, and despair seems to overwhelm him (Chief 533). By expressing the reality that he lives in, as well as making it easily relatable for a reader, Realism can easily be seen within the passage (Diamond). Although a chief, Native Americans were not necessarily looked highly upon, so Chief Joseph was most likely a middle class citizen who is trying his hardest to act as a hero for his tribe, himself, and his children, which again is an example of Realism (Diamond).

Regionalism is also briefly shown in the passage. Although Chief Joseph is really the only person focused on in the writing, readers can infer the situation that he is in. Their dialect is prevalent; the names of his peers as well as his own name are an example of that. The real name of Chief Joseph, Minmaton Yalaktit, means "Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain" ("Meet" 531). His peers were named Looking Glass and Too Hul Hul Suit (Chief 533). This alone is different than the names of typical people; it is obvious that their dialect and the way they name people or refer to people is much different than the norm. This proves that Regionalism is being expressed (Werlock). The setting is also given; Chief Joseph speaks of the children freezing to death because of the cold weather and the adults dying of sickness and hunger (Chief 533). This allows readers to see the awful environment these people lived in, and it allows one to relate to the story in a better way. Although a very small passage, "I Will Fight No More Forever" is a sad yet all too realistic work of literature that exemplifies both Realism and Regionalism.

WORKS CITED

Chief Joseph. "I Will Fight No More Forever." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 533. Print.

"Meet Chief Joseph." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 531. Print.

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).

Realism Project- "Spoon River Anthology"

From "Spoon River Anthology," written by Edgar L. Masters, "Fiddler Jones" and "Lucinda Matlock" are two wonderfully written excerpts that both portray Realism. In "Fiddler Jones," Masters describes the journey of life and how one should do what he or she, in their heart, is meant to do ("Fiddler" 517). "And if they people find you can fiddle, Why, fiddle you must, for all your life" ("Fiddler" 517). He writes about how, if a job is to be done, one must allow unexpected interruptions to occur and have fun with them; the job will get done in the end. Fiddler exclaims that although it may have taken him longer to do certain tasks, and they might have been some hard times and bumps in the road, he accomplished all he had set out to do with no regrets("Fiddler" 517). "Lucinda Matlock" is similar to this poem. In "Lucinda Matlock," Masters simply and briefly runs through a lifetime ("Lucinda" 516). He writes of experiences that just sort of happen, like meeting a wife, falling in love, having children, and death. The way he states these events is kind of melancholy; it is almost depressing in a way. However, at the end of the poem, he states that he leaves this earth happily and that he has loved his life ("Lucinda" 516).

Both of these excerpts are interesting examples of Realism. They are not necessarily the norm; they are not very descriptive of a real life situation, nor are they about the realization of life's realistic natures (Diamond). Instead, Masters writes his true feelings, and the bluntness and honesty of his writings allow others to understand what he was going through, find the "realisticness" within the passages, and relate them to their own lives. For example, in "Lucinda Matlock," Masters really does just simply run through the life of an average person ("Lucinda" 516). Many could relate to going to a dance, meeting different people, and then just happening to find your wife such as he writes about ("Lucinda" 516). It happens; it is realistic. He also writes about child bearing: although they had twelve children, eight of them died ("Lucinda" 516). While this is incredibly awful and sad, and many might feel as though they cannot relate because of the simple unemotional way it was written, it, too, is a realistic part of life and therefore is a trait of Realism (Diamond). Throughout both of his poems, Masters refers to love and loving one's life. While one might think this is emotional and therefore does not refer to Realism, Masters actually describes love as more of just an overall happiness; it does not need to be romantic, just simple. The fact that he explains himself by creating analogies, such as with the crops, allows people to feel that love and happiness is realistic as opposed to strictly emotional and romantic ("Fiddler" 517). Another note that one might realize is, although he talks about love and death, God is not mentioned, which might insinuate the culture of that time period in which God is not necessarily present in all of these events. Realism often depicts a world in which God is not the main focus (Diamond). Therefore, these traits together prove that these excerpts from "Spoon River Anthology" do indeed represent Realism.

WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Masters, Edgar L. “Fiddler Jones.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 517. Print.


Masters, Edgar L. “Lucinda Matlock.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 516. Print.

"Meet Edgar Lee Masters." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 514. Print.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Realism Project- "Two Views of the River"

The work of literature by Mark Twain called "Two Views of the River" is kind of a sad, depressing example of Realism. The story starts with Twain expressing his love for nature and the beauty of the land, the water, and the trees (Twain 504). He speaks about how certain landmarks in nature meant so much to him as a child, and they will always hold special places in his heart. He speaks of the romance that is associated with the setting sun and the beautiful, wonderful masterpieces nature has created (Twain 504). However, the mood soon shifts. Twain begins speaking about how he had once viewed nature as wonderful and beautiful; however, he had been naive and had not experienced many of the events he now had experienced (Twain 505). Now, instead of simply seeing the wonders of nature as beautiful and exotic, he now saw them for what they really were. Instead of taking nature for granted and not really thinking in depth about how or why things came to be, he had just accepted them as they were. Now, instead, he is beginning to see things for what they really are scientifically and realistically. For example, a bluff reef, instead of being a wonderful creation, Twain was now seeing as an obstacle that someone would more than likely crash a boat on (Twain 505). A different and unique pattern on a tree was not simply wonderful, but a defect. Twain then began thinking about doctors and people: Does a doctor see a his wife, a woman, as a beautiful and distinct human being? Or is she seen as an object, and the blush on her cheek is a sign of defect instead of a sign of individuality (Twain 505)?

The dramatic change in mindset from naive to realistic shows the Realism in this short story. Realism is seen as Twain began to describe situations such as the boat crashing on the reef (Twain 505). As situations in his mind become less romantic and more scientific and factual, Realism is clearly expressed (Diamond). As he describes the doctor and the woman, Twain even begins to show a scientific mindset, which is definitely prominent in the category of Regionalism. Another characteristic is the absence of God throughout the entire sequence (Diamond). Science is mentioned, while God is not, which definitely shows the culture change the literary world was experiencing during this time frame. For example, if a story was written that was similar to this a couple hundred years back, that story would most likely be about the change in mindset between being naive and realize God' plan in the creation of each object and item (Diamond). Instead of focusing on the scientific point of view, God would be the one that had created all of the diversity and beauty that is found in nature (Diamond). Because of this absence of God and the presence of scientific understanding, Realism is extremely prominent in the story (Diamond). Also, Twain's dramatic switch in mindset and point of view that allows him to see objects and nature in a realistic manner instead of a romantic manner allows readers to understand why "Two Views of the River" is considered a work of Realism.

WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Twain, Mark. "From Two Views of the River." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 504-505. Print.

Realism Project- "The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County"

"The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" by Mark Twain is an interesting story in which a man goes to his friend, Simon Wheeler, in order to find out information about another man, Leonidas W. Smiley (Twain 498). Simon Wheeler, in return, tells him the story of a different man by the name of Smiley, Jim Smiley to be exact. Wheeler, known for his long and detailed stories, proceeds to tell the man all about Jim Smiley and his jumping frogs. Apparently, Jim decided one day that he was going to teach a frog how to jump a very long distance in order to win money. Jim had previously owned a horse, but that horse was old and got in fights with dogs, causing problems. So he decided he would begin betting on frogs. Over a long period of time, Jim taught this frog to jump, rewarding it when it jumped far. Eventually, Jim was satisfied with his frog and the distances it would cover whenever Jim gently touched his rear. Jim decided to go out and bet on this frog, approaching a stranger on the street. He explained to the stranger what would be taking place, then set out to find the man a frog the man could use. This man, not wanting to lose, filled the frog up with a bunch of little pellets that would hold him down and make him heavy, causing him to not jump as far. As predicted, Jim's frog could barely move when it was time to compete. When Jim realized what had been done, he was extremely unhappy and chased after the man. Readers do not really know what happened after that, because Wheeler got distracted and stopped telling the story, then the main character left because he realized he would not be getting information about the correct Smiley out of Wheeler (Twain 502).

This short story exhibits, in my opinion, Realism and Regionalism with hints of Naturalism. Realism is portrayed through the general way the story is set up. Two men are engaging in conversation, and proper gestures and mannerisms are used that are very realistic to what might be used in real life (Twain 498). This is a common characteristic of realism; realistic events and conversations are portrayed (Diamond). Regionalism is strongly portrayed throughout this short story. Regionalism typically focuses on the setting, dialect, and culture of a region (Werlock). In the story, the dialect is heavily focused on (Twain 498). Wheeler is obviously an uneducated man; he uses words such as "feller" instead of fellow, "yaller" instead of yellow, and "bannanner" instead of banana (Twain 502). He also says that he is going to "learn the frog to jump" instead of "teach the frog to jump (Twain 500). When a reader sees this, it is obvious that the man in uneducated and that, probably, it is not uncommon for people in this community to not have a great education. This focus on the dialect shows that the story is an example of Regionalism. Naturalism is also portrayed because of the obvious intellect of the man; the fact that he is uneducated means that he is most likely in the lower class (Giles). The reason I believe that Naturalism is not the prime writing style of the story is because there is no real heroism in which the poor man proves himself worthy of something; instead, it is basically just a story that involves lower class individuals, which hints at Naturalism (Giles). "The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaverus County," in my opinion, is a very good example of Realism and Regionalism as it portrays realistic events in the lives of these men.

WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).

Twain, Mark. "The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 498-502. Print.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).

Realism Project- "The Red Badge of Courage"

Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage" was written about a young recruit named Henry Fleming, acting in his first battle ("Naturalism" 492). Although Stephen Crane was actually born six years after the Civil War ended, its effect was still great and prevalent in his life; growing up, he saw many people influenced by the war and heard war stories as well as living through the aftermath of the horrific event ("Naturalism" 492). In this excerpt from his story, Crane describes the boy's mannerisms and attitude as he mentally prepares himself for battle. The boy's emotions, thoughts, and actions were vividly portrayed as the opposing army rushed towards him, and readers truly felt his feelings right alongside him (Crane 493). Stephen Crane did an excellent job in correctly portraying emotions that he himself had never even lived through, which I think is an incredible feat.

This excerpt from "The Red Badge of Courage" is most definitely a work of Realism. First of all, the emotions felt by Henry Fleming were very descriptive and correlative to the feelings one would image having in that situation. Though not necessarily characterized by emotional behaviors, Realism can definitely be portrayed through the accurate descriptions and detailed thoughts exhibited by a character (Diamond). For example, on page 493, Crane describes the war atmosphere's affect on Fleming; he says it is "a blistering sweat, a sensation that his eyeballs were about to crack like hot stones" (Crane). This description is helpful to the reader in creating a mindset similar to Fleming's that makes the setting and situation even more realistic. This portion also exhibits realism because of the truthfulness of the situation; if one was in a war atmosphere in which bombs were exploding and nerves were running high, one probably would feel as if he was experiencing those symptoms (Diamond). This description is both accurate and realistic and, therefore, Realism is easily detected (Diamond).

On page 492, it is said that Stephen Crane is thought to be a Naturalism author ("Naturalism). By reading the excerpt from "The Red Badge of Courage," I would agree with that statement. Fleming, a lower class young male, is put into a situation in which he really does not have much control over (Crane). He acts as hero by participating in this event, in which he very well might die. Heroes are typical of Realism and Naturalism; in the Naturalism writing style, that hero typically comes from the shambles and proves himself worthy of achieving more than others thought he would (Giles). Although the ending of the battle is not given in the excerpt, readers can easily see that Henry Fleming is risking his life in order to serve what he thinks is right, and he is using his sheer power and ability to do so (Crane). Since typically characters of Naturalism are not rich or really do not have much money in general, a powerful mindset and physical strength is important, as well as hard work that must be put in (Giles). In the excerpt, Fleming refers to his impotency, and that makes him very angry and more determined (Crane). It seems that even though others might not have found Fleming to be capable of honorary tasks, Fleming took matters into his own hands in order to prove them wrong and actually make something of himself. This characteristic and admirable trait is often shown in works of Naturalism, as the characters are not usually looked upon and are usually thought lowly of (Giles). The fact that Fleming is trying to hard to prove himself is a sign of his heroism, portraying both Realism and Naturalism.

WORKS CITED

Crane, Stephen. "The Red Badge of Courage." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 493. Print.

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).

"Naturalism." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 492. Print.

Realism Project- "The Awakening" and "The Story of an Hour"

Kate Chopin was one of the first female authors to portray, realistically, the thoughts and feelings of a typical woman ("Realism" 490). This, automatically, puts her in the category of a Realism author; Realism is, hence the title, based widely off of the realistic aspects and descriptions portrayed in a work of literature (Diamond). In an excerpt written by Chopin titled "The Awakening," Chopin writes of a woman who is deeply sorrowed ("Awakening" 491). Although the woman does not seem to necessarily know why she is upset, she cannot stop herself from the mental pain she is in, and continues to weep uncontrollably ("Awakening" 491). Although typically, Realism does not portray the emotional side of a situation but instead focuses on the sheer facts or the black and white mindset of an issue, "The Awakening" is an exception because of its truthfulness (Diamond). During this time period, women were supposed to basically do whatever the men wanted them to do, such as cook, mend the children, and do laundry ("Realism" 490). For a woman to show her feelings or admit to actually being unhappy or sad was almost unheard of; it was not politically correct ("Realism" 490). The fact that Chopin actually did portray these emotions and truthfully exhibited feelings that women do indeed have gave "The Awakening" a realistic overview; instead of being seen as silly and romantic, the excerpt is viewed as shockingly honest and straightforward. Another trait that makes "The Awakening" a true work of Realism is the way that certain details are focused on in almost a scientific way (Diamond). For example, at the end of the excerpt, Chopin writes about the mosquitoes that are biting the insteps of the woman's bare arms, since the woman was so vulnerable due to her emotions ("Awakening" 491). This observation is common in works of Realism; small details that might be overlooked are actually noted in detail (Diamond).

"The Story of an Hour" in definitely an interesting story that fits into the Realism category. About a woman whose husband has just passed away, the story is both incredibly emotional yet very factual at the same time ("Story" 554). For example, Realism does not necessarily exhibit a lot of description; however, if the descriptions are realistic and factual, they portray traits of Realism (Diamond). For example, in the story, Chopin writes about the weather outside, noting the "blue sky" ("Story" 554). This description adds to the mood of the story and creates a general setting that one cannot simply imagine on their own; since it is factual, one believes it to be true and can from there maybe better see the story through a character's view. This adds to the "realisticness" of the story, creating Realism to be even more evident (Diamond). Another aspect of Realism is clearly portrayed in Chopin's "The Story of an Hour." After realizing her freedom that would soon come with the death of her husband, Mrs. Mallard became extremely elated ("Story" 554). It seems that with her weak heart, the sheer excitement of this new freedom caused Mrs. Mallard to actually become too worked up, leading to a heart attack ("Story" 554). The ending to this story is actually quite scientific. Chopin wrote about Mrs. Mallard's bad heart, and, knowing that the heart can speed excessively when becoming excited, created an ending that could actually happen ("Story" 554). In writing periods before this, an ending such as this one would most likely not have occurred (Diamond). Some kind of "superpower" or God-related instance would probably take place instead; however, with the scientific breakthroughs and understandings that were becoming more common in Chopin's time period, works of art that related to science were increasing and were a characteristic of Realism (Diamond). Therefore, as exhibited through both "The Awakening" and "The Story of an Hour," Chopin is seen as a Realism author who not only showed the realistic views of women but also created scientific plots in her stories.
WORKS CITED

Chopin, Kate. "The Awakening." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey
D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 491. Print.

Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 554-555. Print.

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

"Realism." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 490. Print.

Realism Project- "O Pioneers!" and "A Wagner Matinée"

Willa Cather was a woman who typically wrote about life on the prairie or life as a pioneer ("Meet" 519). In an excerpt titled "O Pioneers" Willa focused on the struggles many pioneers experienced throughout their lives ("O Pioneers!" 498). Portrayed in an almost upsetting way, Cathers showed the unhappy lifestyles these people went through, sharing that a steady job or simply a small period with not much to think about or worry about would have brought these individuals great joy ("O Pioneers" 498). In my opinion, this small passage definitely exhibited Realism, as well as its subcategories, Regionalism and Naturalism. Realism is shown through the way Cather expressed her ideas. Instead of lingering on the emotions or even mentioning the power of God, Cather focused instead on the actual lifestyle of the pioneers and the hardships they went through ("O Pioneers" 519). She stated facts of their everyday life, and did not try to blow things out of proportion for dramatic effect ("O Pioneers" 519"). Because of the simple, honest way she exhibited these realistic facts, Realism was obviously evident (Diamond.) I believe that Regionalism and Naturalism were also portrayed in this passage. Regionalism tends to focus on attributes common within a general area, and Cather definitely wrote about the culture, setting, and some dialect of the area (Werlock). Cathers focused a lot on the culture of pioneers, giving examples of their everyday struggles, such as having land taken away from them or having to move very often ("O Pioneers" 519). These traits make me believe that "O Pioneers!" is certainly a work of Regionalism. Naturalism is also evident in my opinion. According to James R. Giles, Naturalism portrays lower class individuals and how they struggle to overcome their problems. Although there is not necessarily a problem that is overcome, there is not really a "hero, the lower class is definitely exhibited for readers to see. One can easily understand the trial that each one of these pioneers had to go through, such as simply not being able to celebrate holidays because they were forced to work ("O Pioneers" 519). "O Pioneers!" demonstrates not only Realism, but also Regionalism and Naturalism.

"A Wagner Matinee," in my opinion, does not quite exhibit Realism as strongly as "O Pioneers!" did. Although I do think it could be considered Realism, emotions are more evident and involved, and the characters appear to be at a much higher level of wealth ("A Wagner" 522). Marie Josephine Diamond portrayed Realism as simply stating facts about situations and real life events, and the presence of God or petty emotions are not typically involved. Middle class individuals are usually the focus of this literary style as well (Diamond). While I think that that these story does actually exhibit Realism as it goes into depth about facts of the characters and basically describes the mindset of Cather that one could easily and realistically relate to, I do not think it is quite as strong of an example of Realism as the previous work of literature mentioned ("A Wagner" 526). Cather seemed to linger a little longer on the emotional ties between her and her aunt, and I think that, even though it does not focus too strongly on a spiritual being or the concept of love, the emotional despair takes away from the whole Realism mindset. In my opinion, I think that "O Pioneers!" is a much stronger example of Realism from Willa Cather.

WORKS CITED

Cather, Willa. "O Pioneers!" American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 489. Print.

Cather, Willa. "A Wagner Matinée." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 521-526. Print.

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).

"Meet Willa Cather." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 519. Print.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).

Realism Project- "Letter to his Son"

Robert E. Lee was a famous commander in the Confederate Army during the Civil War ("Meet" 382). Before his involvement in the war, however, he wrote a letter to his son, appropriately titled, "Letter to His Son." In this letter, Lee described his feelings towards the upcoming war, which had began to become an big issue (Lee 385). As the North and the South began to fight, Lee found himself realizing that his heart was with the South, as he was native to Virginia ("Meet" 382.) He told his son that he would most likely be returning to Virginia, and would fight in the war if necessary (Lee 385). Lee wrote mostly about not his feelings towards fighting, but his feelings towards how America would be destroyed. A smart man, Lee realized that this separation between the North and the South would not be easily resolved; even after the war was over and the conflicts settled, men would still not agree with each other and discrimination and hatred would still be present (Lee 385). Lee, although a Confederate, seemed to be a genuine and caring man. He was loyal to his home state, and did not want to see America destroyed; he knew what had to be done but feared for the outcome (Lee 385).

I think that this letter portrays Realism as well as Regionalism. Realism was definitely shown as Lee shared his emotions with his son; he stated facts about what was going on with the people around him and how he felt the ongoing turmoil (Lee 385). There was not necessarily a spiritual or emotional aspect. Lee did mention God and how God's country should not be torn to pieces; however, the article was not centered around God's love or how God would save them from the war (Lee 385). This shows how Realism was portrayed, since God is not necessarily the saving factor in a conflict in typical Realism literature (Diamond). Although usually Realism focuses on middle class individuals and shows them as the hero, Lee spoke of the men around him who were being influenced by the starting of the Civil War, and these men could easily be classified as middle class (Diamond). Therefore, although it was not exactly direct, Realism was also portrayed through the influence of the war on the middle class people. Another example of how Realism was shown is through the manner of which Lee spoke. Again, instead of focusing solely on the emotional or power aspects of the war, Lee simply stated his worries of what would happen to the country. This showed that Lee was a smart man who thought situations over realistically; instead of boasting to his son about how the Confederate Army would destroy the Union or anything silly like that, Lee just stated that it would be a good fight and the best army would win (Lee 385). The realistic understanding that Lee portrayed showed that he was not blowing matters out of proportion. He saw them as they really were. That is a key aspect of Realism (Diamond). Regionalism was also immensely shown in this letter to his son. Lee gave descriptions of the people, setting, and general mindsets around him, which is a trait of Regionalism (Werlock). He wrote about how the people were in a frenzy with the upcoming battles, as well as upset and angry with those who did not share their points of view (Lee 385).

WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

Lee, Robert E. "Letter to His Son." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 385. Print.

"Meet Robert E. Lee." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 382. Print.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).

Realism Project- "And Ain‘t I a Woman?"

Sojourner Truth, in her speech "And Ain't I a Woman?" spoke out about how she felt regarding slavery, and, more importantly, women's rights. Sojourner, actually born with the name Isabella, was born into slavery and endured many hard times growing up until she escaped at the age of twenty nine ("Meet" 368). She later in her life became a famous orator, and she believed that she saw visions and that God spoke to her, therefore wanting to share her message as well as God's ("Meet" 368). She commonly spoke out about slavery, sharing personal stories and horrifying events as well as her views on women's rights ("Meet" 368).

"And Ain't I a Woman" is a powerful speech Truth gave in her later years (Truth 370). In it, she basically shut down anyone that looked down on females as opposed to men. She stated some of the hardships she had endured just as well as the men had; she related different situations and how females could handle them in the same manner that men could. Therefore, she felt that men should not be regarded as more powerful or more highly regarded; wasn't Jesus born from woman and God? There was no man involved (Truth 370).

Truth, throughout her speech, was definitely inspirational, and it made one realize how much she personally had really endured. She spoke of getting beaten while still a slave, and other events in her life that had not been taken easily (Truth 370). One could easily say that Sojourner Truth could be viewed as a hero. This is certainly a trait of Realism; I think that this speech could definitely be classified as Realism (Werlock). Traces of Naturalism are shown; Truth definitely gives a very clear image of how the lower class was treated back when she was still a slave, and Naturalism focuses a lot on lower class individuals and the everyday struggles they encounter and must overcome (Giles). Although Truth definitely does mention God and His power in her speech, the whole speech does not centrally locate around Him (Truth 370). This is common in Realism; people did not typically write much about God, but they did mention Him if they saw him as a part of their life (Diamond). Realism is also portrayed in the way that Truth casually but bluntly states facts; she does not try to exaggerate any details to make them seem more flabbergasting or impressive (Truth 370). She instead very simply says what she thinks to be true, and she uses a very honest and matter of fact tone (Truth 370). The information that she is sharing was most likely applicable to most middle class individuals such as herself, which is another trait of Realism (Diamond.) Since Truth had pulled herself through all of her hard times, escaping slavery and making a name for herself, she managed to move up as a middle class individual from a previously lower class individual ("Meet" 368). This, too, projects Naturalism, which is a subcategory of Realism. Altogether, Sojourner Truth gave a speech that was very noteworthy and respectable, and it showed her as a hero as she shared a few awful events that she had gone through (Truth 370). Instead of wallowing in her pain, however, she managed to prove a point. She shared that men really should not be regarded more highly than women; she went through the same difficulties they did, and she was just fine (Truth 370). By giving examples from her life and comparing them to the lives of others living in the same time period and general culture, Truth managed to give a very powerful speech that indeed portrayed Realism.

WORKS CITED

Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).

"Meet Sojourner Truth." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 368. Print.

Truth, Sojourner. "And Ain't I a Woman?" American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 370. Print.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).

Realism Project- "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Go Down, Moses," and "Keep Your Hand on the Plow"

"Go Down, Moses," Keep Your Hand on the Plow," and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" are all spirituals said to have been sang by, most commonly, enslaved African Americans ("Three" 344). Passed down orally over many troubled years and generations, these songs were called "sorrow songs" and were sung during hardships as the African Americans suffered through their slave years ("Three" 344). Extremely spiritual although vaguely depressing, these songs often referred to the Bible in the sense that the good Lord had a plan for them and they would eventually be saved ("Three" 344).

In "Go Down, Moses," a story from the Bible is repeatedly referred to ("Go" 347). In the Bible, a story is written about how Moses fought to free his people; he would not let anything stand in his way and continuously told his brother, the king, to let his people go. Moses also parted the Red Sea, which allowed his people to safely cross and killed the army trying to stop him. This is a common Bible story that has been passed down over generations and generations, and it is what this sorrow song is about. This song was most likely sang by the enslaved African Americans to give them hope; if God freed those people, then surely he would free them. By repeating after each verse "Let my people go," it is obvious that the slaves were focusing themselves on that one day in which they, too, would be "let go" ("Go" 347)

"Keep Your Hand on the Plow" was a folk song that, too, was meant most likely to inspire the slaves and keep them focused on being freed one day. In the song, they are singing about how they must work hard and it will be paid off; different conflicts are mentioned from the Bible, as well as how they were peacefully and happily resolved ("Keep" 348). Again, this is most likely meant to inspire the African Americans in their extreme times of trial.

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" shares the common theme. This song, too, refers to the Bible and the Jordan River, in which the Jews had to cross in order to be freed in the book of Exodus ("Swing" 346). This song, a kind of haunting work of literature, again refers to the day in which they will be saved and brought back home ("Swing" 346).

Personally, I do not necessarily see the Realism in these passages. I definitely note the Regionalism, since each passage describes the dialect, culture, and setting of their area and time period (Werlock). Naturalism can also be observed, as the less fortunate and poor individuals were focused on; the slaves were definitely not considered middle class, but instead were the lowest class imaginable at the time (Giles). However, I think these songs were too based on God to be considered Realism; in the Realism time period, authors tended to be more focused on factual information as opposed to beliefs and spiritual related mindsets (Diamond). While these passages do describe, very realistically, the conditions and occurrences that were common in the lives of many, God was too much of a factor for it to really be considered true Realism (Diamond).

WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).

"Go Down, Moses." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 347. Print.

"Keep Your Hand on the Plow." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 348. Print.

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 346. Print.

"Three Spirituals." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 344. Print.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).

Realism Project- "Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865" and "The Gettysburg Address"

Although Marie Josephine Diamond claims that Realism is most often portrayed in fiction stories and poetry, it is definitely evident in Abraham Lincoln's "Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865," in which Lincoln wrote about the all too real conflict of slavery in his world (Diamond). Lincoln described how, although slavery was definitely an incredibly awful and terrible activity, if it was truly God's will than it was for the best (Lincoln "Second" 339). Granted, Abraham Lincoln was truly and utterly against slavery; however, he believed that God had a plan for the people, and if slavery was a part of that plan, we must all trust that God is indeed playing out his plan the way he wants to. Although this may seem cruel and unjust, Lincoln describes that all of the fighting and hatred regarding slavery was necessary in order for the conflict to be resolved, and that when the conflict was resolved people would be at peace; that was what God's plan was (Lincoln "Second 339). Although Realism does not typically mention how God is in control of a situation, this work of literature does certainly portray Realism in the way that Lincoln describes the situation (Diamond). Lincoln does not over exaggerate, nor does he make light of the terrible situation at hand. He, instead, describes his feelings in a blunt and honest way, which is an certainly an attribute of Realism (Diamond).

Much like "Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865," Abraham Lincoln's "The Gettysburg Address" could be considered a work of Realism. "The Gettysburg Address"
addressed topics that were indeed all too real to Lincoln and individuals living in that time period (Lincoln "Gettysburg" 402). However, "The Gettysburg Address" also showed evidence of literature that does not necessarily point to realism, according to Marie Josephine Diamond. Like Lincoln's other related story, "The Gettysburg Address" does mention God, which was not a very typical trait of Realism, and it also was not a work of fiction, which Diamond stated most works of Realism were (Diamond). However, it is true that Realism does not necessarily have to be a work of fiction, and although God was mentioned, He was not actually the main focus of the story (Lincoln "Gettysburg" 402).

"The Gettysburg Address" was written to show how America was acting and reacting to the current civil war, and Lincoln shared his thoughts and feelings about the situation (Lincoln "Gettysburg" 402). This story, along with the related article, could both be considered works of Regionalism. Both articles described solely how people in America were acting, and although that definitely is a very broad setting, it does demonstrate a particular country and the different cultures within. Therefore, I think that both articles do portray Realism and its subcategory, Regionalism (Werlock). Regionalism, as mentioned in my blog about the literary style, depicts the traits and includes descriptions about things such as setting, dialect, culture, and history of a particular area (Werlock). In both of these excepts written by Abraham Lincoln, many of these topics were covered, such as some of the history, culture, and setting. Although it may seem that there is somewhat weak support for why these works are considered Realism, since God is so focused on, it is definitely evident that both of these excerpts strongly exhibit Regionalism.



WORKS CITED

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).

Lincoln, Abraham. "Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 339. Print.

Lincoln, Abraham. "The Gettysburg Address." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 402. Print.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).

Realism Project- "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro"

Frederick Douglass was an African American man who had been born into slavery but escaped later in his life to the North, where he became free (Barney and Paddock. In an excerpt from his speech, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro," Douglass spoke of how many slaves and African Americans felt about the Fourth of July. He made the point that while the white people felt that it was a day to celebrate and rejoice, many African Americans did not agree with that mindset (Douglass 337). For the African American, the Fourth of July is just another day in which the white man gets to boast about all of his achievements while still putting down the African Americans (Douglass 337).

Douglass presented this speech to an audience of all white men, which I personally think is a very brave and bold thing to do. Douglass, as a former slave himself, was a very famous orator who presented his opinions on racial differences to many groups of people of different race (Anderson, et al). In this particular speech regarding the Fourth of July, Douglass made his point and positioning very clear. He described the mistreatment of slaves and the overall bad treatment of African Americans in general, explaining how the Fourth of July is supposed to be seen as a day of "justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence," and while this may apply to the whites of America, it certainly does not seem to apply to the African Americans (Douglass 337). He said that the boasting of freedom and liberty made African Americans extremely angry; while the white man is certainly free and happy, the African American still has constant struggles and is looked down upon. Therefore, it almost seems that the Fourth of July is a completely biased and racist day of celebration. The whites are celebrating their own freedom, while the African Americans are still, in many ways, not free. This holiday, therefore, as not seen as a happy day to celebrate whatsoever; it is instead a day that angers them greatly (Douglass 337).

"The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" is obviously a work of Realism. Frederick Douglass portrays the thoughts and feelings of the typical African American, and he is basing his speech off of true facts, events, and situations. He describes the constant struggle that African Americans must go through, even though they are considered "free" (Douglass 337). Douglass, an average, middle class man, has to overcome the daily struggle of just living as an African American. He did not choose to be in this situation; he was born into it, and yet he is still discriminated for it. He describes how this situation applies to many African Americans like him, and that he does not find this fair whatsoever. The fact that the Fourth of July is so widely celebrated is a problem to him, as he believes that the celebration of independence and freedom applies to the whites only (Douglass 337). This speech narrates the typical feelings of an African American in that time period, and allows readers or listeners to realize the constant struggle they were put through.

WORKS CITED

Barney, Brett, and Lisa Paddock, eds. "Douglass, Frederick." Encyclopedia of American Literature: The Age of Romanticism and Realism, 1816–1895, vol. 2, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL0492&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 14, 2011).

Douglass, Frederick. "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 337. Print.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Realism Project- Definition of Regionalism

Like Naturalism, Regionalism is another style of writing that branched off of Realism. Regionalism could be described as a category that focuses strongly on the particular area in which the story takes place (Werlock). Regionalism puts emphasis on things such as the setting of the story, the history of the location, the speech dialect of the characters, and the customs of the people that live in the area (Werlock). This is done in order to provide specific information and background that allows readers to understand how or why something might be done in a particular way (Werlock). For example, if a Regionalism author today wanted to write a story about Pleasant Plains High School, that author would make sure that he or she has a general understanding on the setting; it would be important to know that it is a very small country town as opposed to a busy city town in New York. The author would most likely write about the corn and beans which are common to the area, as well as the farmers that inhibit the land and are a big part of the society. The author would want to look into the history of Plains, maybe noting Clayville as a landmark that could become an important part of the plot. By noting all of these traits, the author would be able to apply them to his story, creating a work that would not only justly portray the area but might also act as entertainment or a source of knowledge for those who do not live in an area such as the one written about (Anderson, et al). The different mannerisms of a society vary very much depending on where you go, and Regionalism allows those different mannerisms to be portrayed. The story, however, could also be made up; just because detailed facts are portrayed does not mean the location is real (Anderson, et al). The general theme is to base the story on the location and the descriptions and attributes of the characters, setting, and history. While it is common to use a setting that exists, some authors provide a different form of entertainment by basically creating their own society (Anderson, et al).

Like Realism, Regionalism depicts a very honest and factual story that could easily be the story of a common person living in that area. While it might sometimes focus on the general topics of government or social classes, though, Regionalism would more likely portray a conflict that is more apt to arise in that specific area. In general, Regionalism could be thought to be more specific than just Realism. Realism tends to be written about middle class individuals, while Regionalism is more focused on all of the people in the particular area (Anderson, et al). Also, obviously, the fact that many aspects are studied and portrayed in a story, the work is going to definitely be more specific and detailed in order for the reader to get the full affect the author is going for (Anderson). By generating background information on many aspects of a particular society, a work of Regionalism would accurately depict that one society and area (Werlock).

WORKS CITED

Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).


Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 13, 2011).

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Realism Project- Definition of Naturalism

Naturalism is a writing style that evolved from Realism. According to James R. Giles, Determinism, or, "The concept that individuals are controlled by impersonal internal and/or external forces" is the also part of the basis of Naturalism. Naturalism could be defined as a literary style that focuses on the everyday life situations faced by common people, and these people are generally from the lower class, such as homeless folks or people in the slums (Giles). Since Naturalism does focus on the lower class, society is commonly a topic discussed or centered around in a work of Naturalism. This is quite similar to realism in the way that it gives initiation to normal, every day situations in which one must use his or her own strength, ideas, and power in order to resolve a conflict (Giles). Realism also centers many stories around the society, such as how a corrupt government or the differences between social classes (Giles). However, Realism usually focuses more on the middle class individuals; their characters are not very high up on the social rung, but they are also not anywhere close to the bottom. A trait previously mentioned of Naturalism is the use of lower class individuals; often times the setting will take place in a large city in the slums, portraying characters whom are really in the most sad and desperate of situations (Giles). This might allow a reader to see, truly, how one may bring themselves out of such a desperate situation; since these individuals in the story truly do not have many advantages such as extra money or government connections, it is up to their sole strength and power to resolve any situation (Giles). There have been many Naturalism stories written in which the setting was not within city limits, though (Giles). Some stories have been written in which the plot took place out in the middle of the country, or out in the middle of places that were not very populated. There, instead of focusing more on a direct government, the stories are centered around their own general conflicts and problems. Although there may not have been a direct government, a general society is still set up everywhere, and there are always people who are "higher class" than another, causing society to have impacts on the lives of all of those people. Naturalism focuses on the stories of those lower class people who have been hit hard by the impacts of society, and, although it may be more common or more easy to see it happening in the city, it certainly does take place almost everywhere, and is therefore written about (Giles).

According to Giles, Naturalism made a big impact in the American theater. People were beginning to speak out about how they felt regarding the government and the fact that it may be quite corrupt (Giles). These plays allowed individuals to express how they truly felt towards the situation; viewers could probably easily relate to the story line and even feel as if they participation might bring the corruptness to a stop. Since the theater would focus on the situations many common people were experiencing day after day, it became even more popular and definitely influenced modern day theater. Naturalism, really, as a whole influenced literature and theater very strongly through the honest words and sincere reality that was being portrayed.

WORKS CITED

Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).