Howell’s Idea of Realism in American Short Stories

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Realism in the in Cadian Ball
Realism in the in the storm
Realism in under the lion’s paw
Realism in The real thing
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

William Dean Howell put forward the idea of realism in the 18^th century. He argued that most businesses at the time were collapsing because the traders lacked morals (Dooley 75). Most of the traders were vulgar or had seen themselves as being in a different class above those who bought from them. He emphasized that the value of mankind was in the manner in which people treated one another with moral justice.

The championing of this idea was mainly done in literary presentations. Instead of focusing on the illusions of romance and eroticism, authors had to write books in which heroism in their characters resulted from moral solvency unhyped by material wealth. Here, characters had to act with real motivations in the real world rather than illusions of their personal feelings. In this essay, we shall discuss some of the main characters in several books and see if they adhered to Howell’s idea of realism.

Realism in the in Cadian Ball

Kate Chopin, a native of Louisiana, wrote stories that depicted her home base. Most of her fiction showed color fiction and expressed the power of women. Gibert (69) asserts that although realism had been thought to be associated with morals, Chopin drew from her own home and wrote stories of eroticism explicitly.

The story “at the ‘Cadian Ball’ was one of such local fictions based on the Louisiana dialect. Most critics argue that the story showed more of color than realism and hence Chopin might have used racism to nurture her writing (Gibert 77). When Alcee unexpectedly falls in love with Clarisse at the end of this tale, it indicates that the real women strive to escape traditions to earn their rights. This is seen in today’s’ society. Clarisse had told Alcee on his face that she loved him. Alcee was astonished and thought the world had changed. In many societies, it is tabooed for a woman to seduce a man for love.

Cultural values limit women’s expressions and sexual needs. Women were supposed to kowtow to the roles assigned to them and as the story is, women did not achieve individual freedom (Korsgaard Para.1-4). As a motivation by the physical desires, Clarisse’s actions were a show of realism (Gibert 78). She tries not to expose them because the society would frown at it. Her feelings force her into it. When Alcee is called out by the servant, he is already having a good time with Caxta but when a different voice calls him, he gives in. He is finally taken by Clarisse. Caxta, another rival of Clarisse, notes that she has lost the battle even though she speaks to her to let the man bid her farewell.

Realism in the in the storm

As a continuation of real feelings on women’s sexuality, varying situations are shown as relative reality. Bobinot and his son Bibi are in town at the time of the storm. When his wife, Caxta (at home) is shutting her windows, Alcee arrives to seek shelter. They rekindle their feelings amid the storm which leads to sex, and then he leaves after the storm. When her family arrives, she is happy to welcome them back. The story ends with a tag, “So the storm passed and every one was happy!” (Ondix Para.2). Whereas cheating in marriages had better be unknown, the usual happiness expressed here is abnormal. Real women should have the power to resist giving into desires the way Caxta did. However, it may show the weakness on the part of Alcee, falling to a woman’s desires! This is quite true of today’s societies.

Realism in under the lion’s paw

Hamlin Garland’s short story, “Under the lion’s paw”, shows dominion of people against others (Vaz para.3). The author is well informed with the environment in the setting. It drafts the desolation and pleasure of Midwestern rural life. Realism in the story is about confronting daily stresses in life. Barren clouds are shown in the sky when the story begins then snow starts to fall and people have to shelter away from the wetness although people have to endure this to plough their farms.

Stephen Council is a “good-natured” and hard-working man, and is always helping those in need or in misery. Mrs. Council is supportive of her husband. This trait contrasts with their environment. One cold day, a man appears before him in need of a place to shelter, Council helps him out and promises to give him help till the next harvest. He even asserts that he is always disturbed with seeing problems with people (Vaz para. 4-6).And that he says is religion from which fulfillment is derived. He helps other people with similar problems. They can’t pay him back so they promise to repay that help later.

Haskins having been accommodated at Council’s for a while begins his life afresh. He enters a deal with Butler to use his land which has been fallow but Butler betrays the deal, Haskins is angered and eventually plots to stop butler from further robbery. Realism is shown in the sense that our societies are full of people with weird characters (Vaz para. 7). Even in such a crowd, honest and sympathetic people like Council and Haskins exist; their efforts are rarely appreciated

Realism in The real thing

This story by Henry James shows the conflict between pride and shame, the appearance and the reality of that appearance and the fate of victims of a society that is about appearance alone. Miss Churm belongs to the lower and she varies her appearance from a street pauper to a princes. Oronte is an Italian fit-anywhere. There is a couple who is searching for work having stayed and gotten used to life in the monarch that is now financially crippled. This monarch can not however be versatile; some members of this monarch cannot laugh at a later photography session when they have gone poor. They used to do so previously. Their pride has taken control of them and now they cannot even serve others. When Miss Churm is dressed up in a princely outfit, she becomes a respectable woman even when all her life has been spent in a lower, poorer class (Bernardo para. 4-7).

Conclusion

This shows that it is difficult for people in high social classes to face the reality when poverty suddenly comes in. Lower classes earn respect when they appear in outfits won by higher classes. But sometimes there’s lasts briefly after which they revert to normal life of poverty.

Works Cited

Bernardo, Karen. “Henry James’ ‘the Real Thing.’” 2007. Web.

Dooley, Patrick K. “Moral purpose in Howell’s realism.” St. Bonaventure University. Web.

Gibert, Teresa. “The Role of implicatures in Kate Chopin’s Louisiana Short Stories.” Journal of the Short story in English. Numero 40(Spring 2003):69-84.

Korsgaard, Christine M. “Realism and constructivism in the twentieth Century moral philosophy.” 2000. Web.

ONDIX. “The storm.” 2004. Web.

Vaz, Teresa M. “Under the Lion ‘s paw: a critical writing.” Mestrado em Estudos Seminario de Literatura. Universidade Aberta. 2009. Web.

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