5.02 The Rise of Realism

The Virtual Times

Feature

Okay Reporters! Now that you have explored Early American literature, Colonial literature, Romantic literature, and Civil War literature, it is time to take the plunge into America's era of realism, regionalism, and naturalism.

rural home 2 men, one drining from jug lake with dock
© 2004 clipart.com

The change from romanticism to realism in American fiction was in large part due to the historical and social changes in America. The Civil War, the growth of railroads, the telegraph, mass immigration, and rapid industrialization all combined in the latter half of the 19th century to transform the United States from a mostly agrarian, decentralized nation to an urbanized, more centralized one.

Essentially, investigative reporting means digging beneath the surface and telling your audience what is really going on by emphasizing the "how" and the "why" and not simply the "who," "what," "when," and "where." These tips can help you do just that.

Ask a basic question: How well is a program, policy, or department actually working?
Tips and sources: You may get tips via email and telephone, but also keep track of the concerns of family, friends, bosses, and co-workers.
Readings: Read, read, read. You might spot something that can be expanded upon or explained more in-depth.
Observation: Read bulletin boards or ads. Stroll through an unfamiliar neighborhood. Talk to people you meet there.
Personal experience: Are there parts of your life, or that of close family or friends, that might interest and educate others?

Find out

the definition of Muckracker.
the difference between Realism and Naturalism.
when "local color" was written and by whom.