Melissa Fleming

SLMMCD 521

Web Drop-in #1

Realism in American Literature, 1860 - 1890

Realism in American Literature is one of the most difficult eras of literature to understand, but produced some of our greatest literary works during this time, such as Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer. Since we are starting to read some of Twain’s work, visit the following online resource to have an enhanced perceptive of Realism, how it differs from Naturalism (the unit we just completed), and how it influenced the authors who wrote during this period. Realism has many characteristics that make it unique, and with that you are able to get a better understanding of what it is, and it shaped certain author’s works. Visit the following site http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/enl311/realism.htm to get a better understanding of Realism and how it affected Twain’s work.

Once you have read the following page, answer a few short questions that help you in your understanding of Realism.

1. Identify the meaning of Realism in your own words from the site you have just visited.

2. Identify any words that are unfamiliar to you, and define them.

3. Explain how Realism is different than Naturalism (click on Naturalism if you need clarification).

4. After getting an understanding of what Realism is, click on the Twain link and go to Tom Sawyer. Read the first 2 chapters and find at least 4 examples of realism from Tom Sawyer from the definition that you came up with in question #1.

Complete you answers in your submission log that you will turn into me.