American Realism

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Clarissa

December 24, 2016

Theodore Dreiser, one of the 3 greatest American novelists*, was immediately recognized as a genius when he published his first novel Sister Carrie. But for decades his novels didn’t sell, and not just because they were suppressed and persecuted by censors. The readers didn’t like his realism. Even his greatest admirers and friends asked the writer to add uplifting, inspiring stories about the good being rewarded and the bad being punished. Dreiser, of course, refused, preferring to live in penury.

The funny thing is that today he is not read either. Realism suits this country so incredibly well. American realist writers are the best in the world, better than the French even. But Americans are forever divorced from their true nature. They reject realism and go for grand fantasies. Reality offends them and they offend it right back.

* In my opinion, of course. The other two are Twain and Faulkner.

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7 responses to “American Realism”

matt

December 25, 2016

There is a fine line here I think. Are americans too unrealistic? Probably. Is that part of the reason we drive a majority of the innovation in the world (tech, healthcare, transportation, fundamental science research), more than any other nation on an absolute and more on a per capita than all other “major countries” (Israel or switzerland or nordic country are small enough that the per capita nubmers of innovation could be higher).

Generally agree with your point, but the “american spirit” towards optimism and ambitious is something we don’t want to lose. Its hard to better balance realism with one of the largely unique american drivers of exceptionalism.

Merry christmas 🙂

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cliff arroyo

December 25, 2016

I think you need to define “realism” with some examples of works that are and aren’t considered realism.

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1. Clarissa
  
  December 25, 2016
  
  Steinbeck, Dreiser and Sinclair Lewis are realists. Don DeLillo, Cormack McCarthy, Flannery O’Connor, Pynchon are not. And I hate this sad postmodernist bunch passionately.
  
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  1. cliff arroyo
    
    December 25, 2016
    
    I lurve me some Flannery O’Connor! Wise Blood and some of her short stories are amazing. But I’m a sucker for Southern literature (tending especially toward the gothic).
    
    Don’t have strong opinions on the rest.
    
    Is it possible for realism to ever be optimistic or are optimism and art mutually exclusive for you?
    
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    1. cliff arroyo
      
      December 25, 2016
      
      I need to amend my previous comment. I hated East of Eden. There were some very good parts but the philosophizing just killed it deader than a fence post for me.
      
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      1. Clarissa
        
        December 25, 2016
        
        I actually haven’t read East of Eeden. Maybe it’s just as well because I hate philosophizing in literature. Let readers draw their own conclusions, I say.
        
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    2. Clarissa
      
      December 25, 2016
      
      It’s not like Don DeLillo and Co are super optimistic. But they are pretentious, and that I can’t stand.
      
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