Examples Of Realism In The Call Of The Wild

What is realism? Dictionary.com defines realism as “a theory of writing in which the ordinary, familiar, or mundane aspects of life are represented in a straightforward or matter-of-fact manner that is presumed to reflect life as it actually is.” Simplified, realism is a way of writing that portrays real life, and not imagination. Some characteristics of realism are: it renders reality in great detail, social class impacts the story, events are plausible, the ending may be unhappy, and diction is in vernacular--sometimes with a satiric or matter-of-fact tone (Campbell). Realist authors also make their works take place in contemporary life to relate to recent events. This is the exact opposite of the movement that took place before Realism.
This prior movement was Romanticism--a movement that embraced the imagination and the mind. Romanticism is an unrealistic outlook on life that can trick people into false hope. That is why writers should produce more realistic works rather than over-idealized pieces because it’s more effective than other types of literature, helps the reader gain perspective of truth, and can have a longer-lasting impact than any other artistic genre. Realism, as stated before, is a genre of literature that portrays life as it is.
Good examples of this would be Call of the Wild by Jack London, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Stephen Crane (Examples of Realism in Literature…). Each of these stories is a fictionalized contemporary work from the time period it was written. Call of the Wild was the tragic story of a man and a dog during the discovery of gold in the Yukon Territory in Canada; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is about a teenage boy helping a runaway slave in the early 1800s (when slavery was still legal) and their many misadventures; and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge takes place during the Civil War at the hanging of a Confederate troop. What all of these have in common is that they all are stories that could happen in real life during the time periods they take place in, and have realistic endings. What makes these stories more effective than other genres is that they are not completely fiction; they are events that could transpire in the real world. Although there is nothing wrong with Romantic writing, Realism is a more authentic style because it is more practical. Although Realism can be onerous to the reader, practicality creates the opportunity for the reader to open their eyes to the deeper aspects of life. To summarize, Realist stories are more effective because they give the reader the opportunity to experience all kinds of
life. Openness to truth is a valuable thing for all people to obtain.
The genre of Realism is excellent at portraying different perspectives that are truthful. Jane Collingwood of Psych Central’s explanation of Realism states:
Unrealistic optimism is defined as believing that you are more likely to experience pleasant events […] and less likely […] to experience negative ones. It can keep you from being able to change direction [...] Pessimists tend to believe that bad situations are their fault […] [and] often think that good situations are not caused by anything they have done […] and will not be repeated. Optimism and pessimism operate on a continuum, of which the midpoint is realism[…] Realistic optimists are cautiously hopeful of favorable outcomes, but they do as much as they can to obtain the desired results.
This is a great way to explain Realism--as a midway point between optimism and pessimism. With the ideals of Realism, one is truthful to themselves; one cannot keep their hopes so high without a being steadfast on working for their goals, and cannot have affectations that everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Realism is not only a style of writing, but a genuine art form that can become a lifestyle through its optimistic, yet real, way of
thinking.
As stated before, the original Realism movement was a countermovement to Romanticism. Romanticism is “a literary, artistic, and philosophical movement originating in the 18th century, characterized [by] an emphasis on the imagination and emotions” (“Definition of Romanticism”). Realism is not the exact opposite of Romanticism, but it has many differences, such as the settings and plots themselves. Although Romantic literary pieces are still widely acknowledged, Realist pieces continue to be the basis of literary studies. Realism is “a means of communication very much like spoken and written languages” (Ross). Realism pieces are special in that one can put themselves in the place of the main character. This creates a sense of universal understanding through the years since the Realism movement began. These Realist stories are slices of life and time, and will always be important for people to read.
In the late 1800s, Realism was censured and not widely accepted among readers. But, as time went on, Realist pieces began to gain appreciation because of the discovered importance of perceiving life as it truly is. Instead of over-idealization and romantic whimsy, Realist authors introduced a new outlook on life through literature with a focus on truth, objectivity, and representativeness. In conclusion, Realism continues to promote the move toward facing “what is” versus getting lost in fantasy.