Willa Cather – from O Pioneers! and "A Wagner Matinée"

Both of Cather's works in mention involve both Realism and Regionalism. This is due to the fact that Cather is very keen on allowing the reader to know the hardships of the common man, yet, she also describes, and is true to, the region in which the works take place. The West is also mentioned in Cather's two works. "O Pioneers!" and "A Wagner Matinee" were both written by Willa Cather, and both also posses qualities of Regionalism, Naturalism, and Realism. In "O Pioneers!” the life of the Bergson brothers is depicted like it is some kind of biography. In plain and simplistic writing, the lives of two people are depicted in detail, giving information about things that are unimportant but still relate to the story as a whole. These insignificant and most likely unimportant details are common coming from authors of Realism, and Cather is certainly no exception to this. Also, the events that are depicted in "O Pioneers!" are interesting but could also happen in real life, especially in the past. These events are not really heard of now because our country has already reached the Western boarders, but events like these are still talked about by many people. But in the time period, the events were pretty common because Westward expansion really was a way of American life at the time due to manifest destiny and the quest for more land and influence. Her characters live their lives much the same as any pioneer of the time, living in the wild country of Nebraska, dealing with the very real hardships like drought, windstorms, thunderstorms, hail, buffalo stampedes, all things that ruin crops and various other trials such as coyotes picking off calves and foals, sometimes pigs. It was a very rough life, but some people are just made to be as stubborn and as determined to make it, like all of Willa Cather's characters. These stories are not so much part of the subset called Naturalism because they had nothing to do with nature's beings or how they interacted. So, Regionalism is still the best description to give to Willa Cather's works here. The section from "O Pioneers!" is focused on these Bergson boys and the harsh and unfair ways they had to live. These boys were farmers on new, prospective land out of the city, but the harvest had not been good, causing many of their fellow, neighboring farmers to declare bankruptcy and foreclose their land. The character of the narrator is very important to the story; it is written in first person and provides the window for which the reader can observe both the characteristics of the surrounding culture in Boston and Nebraska, and the attitude and feelings for which the narrator's aunt exhibits. Because of the way that Cather writes the narrator's observations, there are some that seem to be written by a distanced observer, and many that seem to be written by the actual character who is involved in the ongoing plot. "The overture closed, my aunt released my coat sleeve, but she said nothing... What, I wondered, did she get from it?" is a line that creates curiosity and shows that the narrator is limited to what he can observe, and can merely make speculations at a distance. However, the line "I understood. For her, just outside the concert hall laid the black pond with the cattle-tracked bluffs..." successfully explains what his aunt is truly feeling and why, making the narrator seems like a closely involved character.

Cather, Willa. ""O Pioneers!" & "A Wagner Matinee"" American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Douglas Fisher, Beverly A. Chin, and Jacqueline J. Royster. Columbus: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2009. 489+. Print.

Robert E. Lee – from "Letter to his Family"

This is a letter that Robert E. Lee wrote to his wife, following the battle of Gettysburg. It contains many examples of realism, but where it really falls is naturalism. He makes mention of God many times throughout his writing. Although this is not a real characteristic of realism, the way he writes makes it a naturalist writing. He writes about how God rules our lives, and how we can really do nothing to go against what He wants. If God had wanted them to escape, they would have been able to retreat. If not, they would have been destroyed by the Union Army. Realism was a large part of the letter to Lee's family as well because he talks about his "native state" and how he will return to it no matter what. This depiction of an area gives further connection the genre and shows his dedication to the Confederacy, and there is also common speech in this because Lee is simply writing a letter to his family and is not very concerned with things like having common speech or not. A large amount of Realism is also evident in the letter from Lee to his family. Since this a letter written by Robert E. Lee himself, it is obviously pretty realistic and accurate because he was a very prominent political figure with the possibility of a bright future ahead of him. This means that the things he talked about in his letter were real issues that were of interest to him, making it extremely relevant to Realism. Although he would be a leader of the Confederate Army and would be a hero for awhile, Lee was also a very real person who cared about his family, their safety, and what happened in the world. Government is really only mentioned, too, because Lee talks about how if a war were to erupt, the government would fail to prove a useless and laughable force. The American Dream, however, did only appear in the form of an uncatchable dream. Lee has seen an America of peace and hopeful prosperity, and his Dream is for that beautiful America to show itself to the world. The word choice he uses, however, has little effect on the overall message or meaning of the work because he is not trying to make a point or win over its reader. So, Lee was quite free to speak how he wished to speak, which happened to be in the common vernacular of the time. Besides describing the government and historical content of Lee's time, he also explores the human nature by giving the reader some idea of what typical Middle-Class citizens must be feeling at this time of turmoil. "As an American citizen, I take great pride in my country... but I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than a dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything...". These words sum up the patriotism, fear, and passion that lie within Americans at this time, and successfully convey the overall feeling and human nature of this time period to the reader.

Lee, Robert E. "Letter to His Son." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus; McGraw-Hill, 2010. 385. Print.

Sojourner Truth – "And Ain‘t I a Woman?"

Regionalism is very evident in her speech, probably more so than either Naturalism or Realism in general. Truth used the dialect of her region and this showed her upbringing as well because, as a black woman, she would not have received much education. Her message is very clear to the reader or to someone listening to the speech, but it is also obvious that Truth speaks in a different way than we do today. This is mostly because we have more opportunities for education but also because of where we live in America and specifically us in Illinois. The most obvious sign that Truth speaks differently than most people do today was immediately clear in the title; her use of the word "ain't", which is quite improper to use today. However, for a black woman in 1851, that was totally normal and therefore was a part of Regionalism by keeping with the common speech. Truth is also pretty relaxed in her dialogue and speaks rather freely to her audience.

This work fits in the Realism period because it is in the moment and not about the past. It looks forward to the future and concentrates on what could happen (Truth). It is realistic, and she made realistic demands and proved her point based on facts of what happened in the past, which reflects Realism (Truth). It does not fit in the Naturalism period because the speech was given with feeling and it portrayed everyone's feelings (Truth). It was not scientific, nor did it subject humans to animalistic tests and observations, so Naturalism has been ruled out (Truth). It is also not in the Regionalism period because it is not based on a certain region of the United States that wants more attention (Truth). While this work does not really have anything to do with religion, it has a lot to do with government and different issues of the time period (Truth). This speech, while it does not outright attack the government, fights to go against what the government was trying to do (Truth). She wanted rights for African Americans and women alike, and to do that, she needed to go against the government. Sojourner Truth wanted to be able to do everything that men could because that is what she had been doing her entire life, and she felt that since she gad done a man's work and them some, she deserved it (Truth). This speech does not talk about nature, unless her working in the fields would count, and there is not much about human nature (Truth). One could say that her whole speech was really about human nature because she was trying to change ideas that had come to pass because of her human nature (Truth). This also talks about the American Dream because one of the most basic American Dreams is equal rights (Truth). She wanted to achieve equal rights not just for herself but for many other people as well. She was a minority, but she did not want to be treated as such (Truth). There was not any figurative language, and there is not much talk about the Hero, but the Hero would be the one to give them their rights (Truth). Sojourner Truth was an important orator who wanted equal rights for everyone.

Truth, Sojourner. Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Douglas Fisher, Beverly A. Chin, and Jacqueline J. Royster. Columbus: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2009. 368-70. Print.

Anonymous – "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Go Down, Moses," "Keep Your Hand on the Plow"

Human nature is partially displayed because the songs show how much the African Americans hoped for their freedom and how desperate they were to get it. The American Dream for them was almost the same because they wanted to have freedom more than anything. There was also a lot of figurative language. They called the South "Egypt", and the North was often either "heaven" or the "promised land". This was also about the stories of the Jews, because that was their situation as well. The "Hero" would be whoever their savior was that could help them achieve freedom. The real "Hero", however, was scarcely mentioned in these songs. African Americans had a hard life as slaves, but they stayed close by writing and singing songs together that gave them hope for a brighter future. The mention of God or any other higher power in these works also goes against Naturalism, which is a rejection of God and religion in general. These works are really songs, and the only connection I can really see between them and Realism is that slaves made them up because they had nothing else to do and did not like their masters. Another small connection between these works and Realism would be through Regionalism. The songs are in fairly common language and are fairly simplistic. Because they also probably originated from slaves in the South, you could make the argument that they portray part of the region. The songs were pretty much region specific because slaves did not have many opportunities to leave their master's plantation unless they were sold, bought their freedom somehow, or ran away. Freedom was a main topic to speak of in African American writing during this time period of Realism. Songs were probably the most popular versions of expressing their wanting of freedom because they were able to memorize the songs quite easily. Some songs tell of the treacherous journey over to America from Africa, however, many of the songs describe slavery and their desire for freedom. This desire of freedom can be accurately described as hopes for a better future. These songs do not belong in the subgenre of Naturalism. This is due to the fact that, while many songs did indeed involve nature, the songs do not involve about human beings as scientific specimen. Their songs do not belong in the Naturalism period because while they may involve descriptive words and nature, they do not talk about human beings as something to do tests on and study or about the decisions that humans make and why they do them. However, these songs could possibly fit into the Regionalism period because they may have talked about features that are unique to that area, but most African Americans did not want to dwell on where they were located, seeing as a majority of them were located on plantations. These works of Realist literature reflect activities and happenings from their time period. Their lyrics depict the pain and depression of slavery, and they show us how desperate the African Americans were to achieve their freedom. The works show us that the African Americans never lost hope or gave up, even though they were forced into things that could have killed them.

Wilhelm, Jeffrey D., Douglas Fisher, Beverly Ann. Chin, and Jacqueline Jones. Royster. Glencoe Literature. New York, NY: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.

Frederick Douglass – from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro

This literary work is a direct reaction and reflection to society during this time period. Written in 1852, slavery had yet to be abolished. This work also displays the perspective of people that were not in the wealthiest class. Douglass is expressing the frustration of African Americans around this time period. Douglass also expresses the feelings of utter hypocrisy slaves felt on the celebration of the Fourth of July. This work is more or less a reaction to the issue of equality or the lack thereof. At this time, many African Americans were still enslaved. This excerpt from "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" expresses the frustration with the nation many experienced at this time. America promised equality, yet African Americans did not experience this equality. Other than historical accuracy, I do not think that the story represents Realism, Regionalism, or Naturalism in many ways. Frederick probably spoke in an accurate dialect, which would represent Regionalism, that was not exactly conveyed in writing. As I said before, the historical accuracy of the speech goes along with Realism, but there was no real concrete connection to any of the movements. One important aspect of Realism is the "hero". The hero is typically an average person whom other people are able to easily relate with. He is typically is just a middle class citizen who just wants to try and make the best out of the situations that he is forced into. In Frederick Douglass' speech, although it was written by an African American man about the plights of African American people to a strictly white audience, he played upon the basic ideas of humanity and the rights that we all share. It is at this point in the speech that emotions begin to make an appearance. Sometimes guilt is the best way to make someone understand that what they have done was wrong. Frederick Douglass used this to his advantage by making the white men realize that they were being hypocritical by saying that they deserved their freedom from Great Britain, but the African Americans did not deserve freedom from their bondage as well. Douglass' realism in this story serves a powerful purpose as he tries to convey the fruitlessness of celebration for African Americans on the Fourth of July. Douglass is upfront about the subject, and it shows that he is passionate enough about his people to imply a sense of stupidity about which African Americans should celebrate the day. Essentially, Douglass states that white people are allowed to falsely celebrate the Fourth of July for their "freedom," despite its being stolen, in the sense that we merely ran away from our original English heritage, but African American people should and can not celebrate a freedom on the day because they, still being in technical slavery, are bound by their masters. No matter how African Americans of the time celebrated the Fourth of July, Douglass puts those people to shame for having the audacity to deliberately defy what they were fighting for and to make mockery of the efforts of salvation of rights to the enslaved population.

Douglass, Frederick. from "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." Glencoe American Literature.comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg 337.

Abraham Lincoln – from "Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865" and "The Gettysburg Address"

Abraham Lincoln's "Second Inaugural Address" was a speech that made history. His writing, however, doesn't follow many of the traits that make a realist writing realist. There are a few better genres to place it under, rather than realism. He makes many refrences to God and His divine power. He basically says that the slaves were freed only because he allowed it. Many pieces of literature from early America, specifically Puritian writing, had themes of piousness and references to God. All of the references to God and his power are not very common in realism, which mostly shifted away from things that could not be proved by science. This was, in one way, how this speech is partially a Puritian writing. He does write as if there were a higher power controlling our lives, which is particular to realism. Specifically this is a trait that is more naturalist, but this couldn't very well be considered a true naturalist writing. His great dream of emanicapition for slaves and returning our nation into one both came true. This fact that what he was writing about could come true is another realist trait. There could even be undertones of romanticism in his speech. His view of the furture for America is somewhat romanticized.
Although still not completely an example of realism, Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" is more realist than his "Second Inaugural Address." It has some naturalist traits because Lincoln mentions the fate of the soldiers that died at the battle of Gettysburg, and even that fate played a role in the battle. He makes mention of the historical beginnings of America, which could be viewed as a naturalist trait. Regionalism is also apparent here. He talks much about the particular are that the battle was fought in, and makes specif mention of the grounds where it took place. Lincoln writes that the speech that he makes will be soon forgotten, and also that the events that took place at Gettysburg would never be forgotten. Obviously he was wrong about the former.
These should not be considered realist speeches. Although there are characteristics of realism, mentioned above, there are too many other styles of writing present for it to be purely realism. The shortness of his speech did not leave room for there to be much anyalsis of his writing style.
Although not totally realsist works, the language that he writes in is a characteristic of realism and regionalism. His words are not flowery or fancy, but he still manages to pack a powerful message in the words he uses. He didn't need any of the fancy language that some use to get his point across, and people still loved him for what he did. So although they were not purely realist works, there are definitely many realist undertones in the way he writes. He prefered to use the simple style of writing, and this allowed many less than educated to know what he was saying. He considered those who couldn't read or write very well. This was one of the many reasons he was loved by so many people.

Definition of Regionalism

Like naturalism, regionalism is a subset of realism. It can be used interchangeably with "local color" (Kasraie). One of its most famous authors was Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens). He is viewed as one of the most important authors of regionalism, and his writing is seen as purely American in every way. His use of dialect, clothing, and customs makes it all American. This type of writing is about more than just that though. What makes a regional writing so is its clear focus on one particular location and its people. It used people who spoke, dressed, and acted as someone from the certain location would actually do so. It highlighted the true diversity of America. From the south to the north, east to west, every person is different. This is what regionalism focused on. More and more, writers who came from the south and west were beginning to gain fame. Previously, most authors had been educated and came from the East, like New York or Boston. This indicated the growth and population increase in the American West. This type of writing highlights the true diversity of America. The writer could be living in a largely German town, where his characters all eat German food, act in German customs, or talk in a German accent. This allowed people to know what people from different places were like, even if they had no idea where it actually was. Mark Twain was the first writer who wrote in American, actual American. Where others had written in English before, he chose to write in a way that was truly American, in the words he used, the actions they made, the clothing they wore, and many other ways. He wrote in vernacular, avoiding long or fancy words, as many realists did. Both naturalism and regionalism branch off of realism, and both contain many traits of realism. But only regionalism is so specific about the setting and details of the characters. This sets it apart from realism, even though both are very detail full, use vernacular, have an average character or man as the "hero", and both became popular around the same time, in the late 19th century.


Wilhelm, Jeffrey D., and Douglas Fisher. "Regionalism and Realism." Glencoe Literature. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009. 488-89. Print.


Kasraie, Mary Rose. "local color." In Barney, Brett, and Lisa Paddock, eds.Encyclopedia of American Literature: The Age of Romanticism and Realism, 1816–1895, vol. 2, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=EAmL0634&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 8, 2011).