Literary Annotation #5

Pizer, Donald. "Late Ninteenth-Century American Realism: An Essay in Deffinition." Ninteenth-Century Fiction 16.3 (1961): 263-69. JSTOR. Web. 19 Sept. 2012.

            Donald Pizer argues that the late 19^th century American realism, having previously been criticized for showing scenes of unrealistic commonplace life, is not only not idealized or common but, through the characters experiences, shows realism’s strength and energy as well as the promise of future growth. He branches off George J. Becker’s definition of realism, as resulting from observation, representation, and objectiveness, to say that the diversity goes beyond representation and realism, while being idealistic, is also personal and containing vigor. He states that Howells has his character contend with evils of a more commonplace manner, his former business partner and the jeopardies of trying to climb the social ladder. He writes that Silas’ rise above his neighbors is idealistic in that morality is a private belief of the way life should be rather than the way it truly is. Mark Twain on the other hand exemplifies the diversity that realism can take. Twain examine the possibilities of “the fiction of external violence and interior monologue.” Through these ideas, the reader is able to understand that realism is more than spoken dialogue and the tedious day to day events. With Howell and Twain, realism is objective but personal, common but full of vitality. Authors are able to use these and Twain’s venture into the inner monologue instead to continue to grow and develop the meaning of realism in our twenty-first century works.