Rise of RealismRise of Realism►Based on the experiences during Based on the experiences during the Civil War, writers turned to the Civil War, writers turned to realistic writing in which they realistic writing in which they sought to portray real life without sought to portray real life without a Romantic, idealistic outlook on a Romantic, idealistic outlook on life. life. ►They wanted to portray REAL life They wanted to portray REAL life without filtering it through without filtering it through personal feelings, romanticism or personal feelings, romanticism or idealism. idealism. ►Additionally, they wanted to Additionally, they wanted to faithfully represent the faithfully represent the environment and manners of environment and manners of everyday life.everyday life.

RegionalismRegionalism

►Literature that emphasizes specific Literature that emphasizes specific geographic setting and that makes use geographic setting and that makes use of speech and manners of the people of speech and manners of the people who live in that region. who live in that region.

►American realism has its roots in American realism has its roots in regionalism.regionalism.

►Dialect- Language characteristics of a Dialect- Language characteristics of a particular groupparticular group

Mark TwainMark Twain

►Best-known example of a regional writerBest-known example of a regional writer►Wrote satiricallyWrote satirically►Novels include a biting (satirical) view of Novels include a biting (satirical) view of

some of the injustices inherent in pre-some of the injustices inherent in pre-Civil War life.Civil War life.

►Best known novel – The Adventures of Best known novel – The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn

►Samuel Longhorne Clemens (real name)Samuel Longhorne Clemens (real name)

Synopsis of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Charles Smith

Pudd’nhead Wilson is the pre-Civil War story of the two sons of Judge Driscoll,the chief citizen of Dawson’s Landing, Missouri. One of those sons - Tom - is hislegal heir and the child of his wife. The other, Chambers, is his child by hishouse slave, Roxy. After the Judge’s wife dies, Roxy is left in charge of bothinfant children, who are close enough in features and coloring to be twins. WhenRoxy is threatened with being sold “down the river” and away from her son, shedecides to switch the babies in their cradles.The two boys grow up with each other’s identities – the slave Chambers as therich ne’er-do-well Tom Driscoll, and the real heir, Tom, as the slave Chambers.Roxy reveals the switch to her son, the usurping Tom, who reacts with disbelief,but later begins to question all aspects of his personality and identity.The arrival of flamboyant Italian twins wakes the town’s prejudices andhypocrisies. When crimes begin to occur, including a violent murder, the lawyerDavid “Pudd'nhead” Wilson uses his deductive skills to investigate them. Hisinvestigations, and his interest in the new science of fingerprinting, lead to thecourtroom revelation of Roxy’s switch. The townspeople feel that justice hasbeen served, but can there be justice in a society where slavery exists?