Realism Presentation
Transcript: The literary movement following romanticism was termed realism or verisimilitude. This period in literature was characterized by novels with an accurate portrayal of middle-class life. Realism was caused by an interest in science, documentation of history, and rational philosophies. A depression in the US began in 1893 so the literature from this period was not ultimately happy or fairy-tale like. Novels from the realism period are very true, uncut depictions of average reality without fake endings or added twists. Characters in realism were plausible, not dramatic or satirical but believable humans.What was written is normally what truly happened. "The Awakening" Kate Chopin assists in identifying the literary movement of realism in "The Awakening" by focusing on characters rather than plot, keeping things accurate, and telling a realistic story in a gimmick-free, matter-of-fact manner. Kate Chopin Realism Thesis Bee, Amber. "Kate Chopin: Writing Style." Mibba.com. Mibba, 2009. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://www.mibba.com/Articles/Biographies/1849/Kate-Chopin-Writing-Style/>. Campbell, Donna M. "Realism in American Literature, 1860-1890." Literary Movements. Dept. of English, Washington State University. 8 September 2011. Web. 27 September 2012. <http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/realism.htm>. Le Marquand, Jane. “Kate Chopin as Feminist: Subverting the French Androcentric Influence.” Deep South 2.3 (1996). 27 Sept. 2012. <http://www.otago.ac.nz/DeepSouth/vol2no3/chopin.html>. Koloski, Bernard. "Kate Chopin The Awakening." The Awakening, Kate Chopin, Characters, Setting, Questions. Kate Chopin International Society, 2004. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www.katechopin.org/the-awakening.shtml>. Matthaei, Julie, and Teresa Amott. "America at Work / America at Leisure, 1894-1915." America at Work / America at Leisure, 1894-1915. Library of Congress, 1996. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awlhtml/awlwork.html>. Wyatt, Neal. "Biography of Kate Chopin." Biography of Kate Chopin. Virginia Commonwealth University, 1995. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/hour/katebio.html>. "The Awakening", set in the late nineteenth century on Grand Isle, Louisiana and New Orleans is a story of feminism at the turn of the century and finding self empowerment as a woman. The setting greatly affects the theme of domesticity among women and French cultures in everyday life in "The Awakening". Chopin knew first-hand the dynamics of the South and used her knowledge to truly reflect the depictions of feminism and realistic actions of a woman during this time. Edna Pontellier's raw, natural struggle to find herself and reject societal norms is the main plot of "The Awakening". Because Chopin illustrates a character that is so much like herself she demonstrates perfectly the realism literary movement. The ending is not a gimmicky, happily-ever-after type of finale, which exemplifies even more the truth and reality of Chopin's work. Gabby Dolan Kate Chopin grew up in St. Louis Missouri surrounded by feminism, Catholicism, and death. Her sister died in infancy and her brothers passed away in their early twenties. The young's girl's father was killed in a train accident when she was just five and her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother became her care-takers and role models is life. Admiring the strong women around her, Chopin began building morals of female empowerment and individuality in a male dominated world. The author attended the Sacred Heart Academy and began finding her strength in creative writing and artistic expression. More and more deaths were occurring in her life, and she started to doubt her Catholic background; this probably contributed to her seeing and relaying things for exactly how they were and no better. The Realism Literary Movement and Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" Works Cited