Realism

1
Realism

• Contemporary Realism
• Historical Fiction

2

• There are three rules for writing a good novel.
  Unfortunately, nobody knows what they are. -
  W. Somerset Maugham
• Every memorable work of fiction presents a
  conflict or problem that affects human beings,
  and how this obstacle is overcome is the story.
• In realistic fiction, writers draw on their own
  backgrounds and observations of life around them.

3
Contemporary Realism

• Most popular genre
• About my life my world
• Readers can know characters quickly and its
  often easy to identify with them.
• The ground rules are already established. No need
  to create a new world with new rules.

4
My Life My World

• Contemporary realism
• reflects and confirms my understanding of the
  world. (familiar)
• Readers can see themselves in characters
• But many kinds of people are seldom represented.
• For example There are very few books with deaf
  characters.
• Most contemporary realism for children still
  shows the lives of white, middle class characters
  in the countries where they published.
• expands my understanding of my world (difference)
• Readers gain some understanding of people who are
  not like them or in conditions which are
  different.

5
Characters

• Protagonists are usually slightly older than the
  implied reader.
• Exceptions
• No child characters
• Stories about animals

6
Realism and Society

• The view of life in a realistic story reflects
  the societal values and attitudes of the time in
  which the story is set.
• Until the 1960s the world in children's books
  typically was presented without negative or
  earthly aspects.
• Some general restrictions
• No budding love affairs
• No liquor
• No supernatural phenomena
• No undermining of authority
• No parents with serious human weaknesses
• No realistic working-class speech (not even the
  mildest cursing)
• The Vietnam War helped to change this

7
Harriet the Spy 1964 by Louise Fitzhugh

• A Non-traditional girl
• Dressed in a sweatshirt
• Spied on neighbors
• Neglected by her wealthy parents
• Underwent psychotherapy
• Visited her nannys impoverished, mentally
  challenged mother
• Said hell to her mother.

8
The Chocolate War1974 by Robert Cormier

• Bleak world view
• overly realistic
• Presents a corrupt authority
• Bullies get away with it.
• The good guy doesnt win.

9
Bibliotherapy

• Any kind of emotional healing that comes from
  reading books
• The broad, therapeutic feelings of recreations
  and gratification experienced by individual
  readers
• The sense of connectedness readers in a group
  feel when they share the same reading experiences
• The particular information and insight books can
  provide in dealing with personal problem
• This has led to much didactic literature
  especially for young adults. The problem novel

10
CategoriesThere are many ways to categorize this
genre (Judith Hillman)

• Survival stories
• Family and school stories (includes problem
  novels)
• Animal realism
• Sports stories
• Mystery and adventure
• Humor
• Series books

11
Categories Another classification system
(Charlotte Huck)

• Becoming ones own person a. living in a family,
  b. living with others, c. growing towards
  maturity
• Coping with problems of the human condition a.
  Physical disabilities, b. developmental and
  learning disabilities, c. mental illness, d.
  aging and death
• Living in a diverse world a. African American
  experiences, b. books from other cultures, c.
  understanding various world cultures.
• Popular a. animal stories, b. sports stories, c.
  school stories, d. mysteries.