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).

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