Theme Of Realism In Henry James - 949 Words

Andreea Emilian-Stergiotis American Literature II Prof. Terence McNulty Realism by definition, is described as the faithful representation of reality or verisimilitude.† It is an artistic movement, practiced by many authors, which took place in the late 1800’s, and began as a reaction against romanticism. Realism centers on the â€Å"psychological development† of characters, detailed portrayal of people and settings, and presenting life â€Å"as is†. William Dean Howells a realist novelist stated, â€Å"Realism is nothing more and nothing less than the truthful treatment of material†. In my opinion Henry James’ novella is a true representation of realism, depicting a time when certain expectations were placed on women in society. James’ characters†¦show more content†¦She did not seem to care what others thought of her at one point stating, â€Å"The young ladies of this country have a dreadfully poky time of it, so far as I can learn; I don’t see why I should change my habits for them† (James 356). Even though at times Daisy’s character comes across as innocent and naà ¯ve I found her to be the complete opposite. Throughout the whole story she stood her ground, refusing to tailor her persona to fit society’s norms. She also never allowed herself to be controlled or dominated by her gentleman friends, and was never submissive. While Daisy’s character chose to go ag ainst the grain, Winterbourne chooses to adapt to the European standards and expectations. His character came across as stiff and quite boring, a pushover whose opinion of Daisy was easily swayed. Winterbourne in particular, constantly changed his opinion about Daisy, he was very much intrigued, but had no clue how to handle someone like her. During their initial meeting Winterbourne was initially quite smitten with Daisy, who he perceived as beautiful stating â€Å"American girls are the best girls† (James, 330). He found her feminine beauty addictive, â€Å"he had not seen for a long time anything prettier than his fair countrywoman’s various features† (James, 331). He came to the conclusion she was a â€Å"coquette† who had a â€Å"spirit of her own†¦no mockery, no irony† (James, 331). As the story progresses, the reader begins to observeShow MoreRelatedLiterary Realism : A Movement1602 Words   |  7 PagesTaylor 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. 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Two short stories, The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick and Walter Van Tillburg Clark’s The Portable Phonograph explore victims of war in the vivid settings that the authors have created. Although both works are vague as to geographic setting and place in time, the authors’ detailedRead MoreLiterature Questions Essay example1159 Words   |  5 PagesMagazines d. Novels Feedback The correct answer is: Telegrams Question  2 Correct Mark 1.00 out of 1.00 Flag question Question text The work of Henry James can be most precisely characterized as Select one: a. dramatic realism b. psychological realism   c. understated realism d. natural realism Feedback The correct answer is: psychological realism Question  3 Correct Mark 1.00 out of 1.00 Flag question Question text The girl in Hills Like White Elephants is also called: Select one: