Local Colorism.Mark Twain.pptVIP

Chapter Ⅸ Local Colorism * Mark Twain;American Realism Background 1) The Civil War The industrialized North defeated the agrarian South, and the United States headed toward capitalism. The war taught men that life, man, and God were not so good. The war marked a change in the quality of American life, a deterioration of American moral values.;2) 1880’s urbanization: from free competition to monopoly capitalism Commerce took the lead in the national economy. The spirit of self-reliance became perverted into a lust for money and power. Increasing industrialization produced extremes of wealth and poverty. Wealth and power were more and more concentrated in the hands of few “captains of industry”. In the meantime, millions of people were struggling for survival.;3) The closing of American frontier Now that the frontier was about to close and the safety valve was ceasing to operate. The American lost their dream and imagination. Beneath the glittering surface of prosperity there lay suffering and unhappiness. What had been expected to be a “Golden Age” turned out to be a “Gilded” one.;2. Characteristics of American Realism ① truthful description of life ② typical character under typical circumstance ③ objective rather than idealized, close observation and investigation of life ④ concerned with social and psychological problems ⑤ open-ending: leaves much room for readers to think by themselves ⑥ optimistic tone;3. Main writers William Dean Howells?(March 1, 1837 – May 11, 1920) was an?American?realist?author and literary critic. He was known for the Christmas story Christmas Every Day and the novel?The Rise of Silas Lapham. Howells also wrote plays, criticism, and essays about contemporary literary figures.? Howells defined realism as nothing more and nothing less than the truthful treatment of material. ;Henry James (April 15, 1843?– February 28, 1916) was an American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism.