RNA - Introduction to Realism Lesson

Introduction to Realism Lesson

Please view the following presentation, which will give you an introduction to Realism and its sub-genre, Naturalism. As you review the information, please take notes, as this presentation will provide you with a foundation for understanding the texts we will study in this unit. Please be patient while the presentation loads - depending on your internet connection, it may take some time. Ensure that your speakers are turned up, and use the controls at the bottom of the presentation to advance the slides.

 

Rebecca Harding Davis

Now that you've viewed the presentation above, you're ready to delve into the literature of the Realism time period. Before you read Life in the Iron Mills, take a look at the collection of images of child laborers from the late 19th and early 20th century linked below. These will provide you with a picture of the range of jobs even young children were expected to work for six days a week, sometimes 14 or more hours a day.

Child Laborers Image Collection Links to an external site.

 

Reading Assignment

It is now time to read Life in the Iron Mills, which is linked below. Set in a 19th century factory, the story describes the effects of the factory on the entire town and the life of the main character, Hugh Wolfe, a man who lives and dies as a factory worker without much to hope for or rejoice about. As you read, pay particular attention to the journalistic descriptions Davis gives the reader. Also, watch for how she tries to capture the speech of the working class through the use of dialect  (a particular form of a language that is spoken in one region) to make the conversations more realistic. Finally, note the responses of other characters from outside of the working class. How does Davis use their responses to comment on social classes and morality?

Life in the Iron Mills Text Link Links to an external site.