Critical realism in American literature Plan: Introduction

Conclusion
Two significant time periods in literature and art were the periods of Romanticism and Realism. Before Realism was really brought into literature, Romanticism was the style of choice. Authors of the Romanticism phase generally depicted their characters as heartfelt and full of intuition. These characters were most often known to follow their own hearts instead of their logic. Authors were responsible for building characters who “placed greater emphasis on the value of intuition and imagination than on objective reason” (Keenan.)
After the phase of Romanticism, Realism came into play. Realism really became an active movement in literature in the mid-nineteenth century, during a period of revolution and innovation in Europe (Maier). Often times portrayed as the opposite of Romanticism, Realism is a genre of true honesty and reality. Realist characters are brutally honest, able to deal with and address difficult situations, and deal with their problems in a realistic fashion. In contrast with Romanticism, Realism provided readers with a fresh breath of air with “a certain degree of “truth telling” or sober factuality” (Maier). A guide booklet created by The French Realist School concluded that realistic writing should be clear of “idealization, poetic language, and exaggeration,” with some kind of struggle of the main character present in the plot (Maier).
Many time periods have set the bar high for today’s authors, such as the revolutionary time in Europe when Realism was brought into play. More specifically, the creation of Realism has inspired authors and artists alike to create a sense of honesty and reality within their works of fiction. Realism has set the standard for literature and art, all around the world, because of ...

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   1^  Art Center Information Presents the Ashcan School~Apostles of Ugliness » Art Center Information
   

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   2^  Sherry Maker, Edward Hopper, Brompton Books, New York, 1990, p. 8, ISBN 0-517-01518-8
   

3^ Holton, Milne. Cylinder of Fiction. - The Fiction and Journalistic Writing of Stephen Crane. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1972. 37

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   4^  Sherry Maker, Edward Hopper, Brompton Books, New York, 1990, p. 9, ISBN 0-517-01518-8