Realism

Which plot event would you most expect to see as a magical realism story unfolds?

• a visit from people in a time machine

• a tree that seems to sigh and groan in the wind

• aliens take over The White House

• ghosts who rob The Metropolitan Museum

Which of the following would you expect to see as a magical realism story progresses toward its conclusion?

• Characters realize that they are in a traffic jam that is a thousand miles long.

• Characters realize that their bank is giving away free candy.

• Characters find their lost dog at the animal shelter.

• Characters find that a raccoon has been raiding their garbage.

In a magical realist story, a truck driver gets four flat tires in a row. When he goes to fix them, he finds that they have fixed themselves. What would you expect to see as the truck driver’s response to these events?

• The truck driver would call his boss and angrily quit on the spot.

• The truck driver would search frantically for the person who made the repair.

• The truck driver would keep driving as if nothing unusual had occurred.

• The truck driver would call the police to report the unusual incident.

Which of the following inferences about the Civil War is best supported by the text?

• After the difficulty of the Civil War, escapist, non-realistic fiction became more popular and widespread.

• Because many social justice problems plagued the nation after the Civil War, most Americans preferred to read investigative journalism pieces instead of fiction.

• After the difficulty of the Civil War, most Americans preferred fiction with realistic settings, but unrealistically optimistic endings.

• After the difficulty of the Civil War, most Americans were disillusioned with previous literary movements and preferred Realism because it reflected their problems.

Which quote from the text best supports the idea that after the civil war, most Americans were disillusioned with previous literary movements and preferred Realism because it reflected their problems?

• “The South emerged from the war into a period known as Reconstruction. African American men had been granted the right to vote and began running for and serving in public office.”

• “Industrialization and urbanization had significant benefits, such as providing both mass transit and a massive boost to the Northern economy.”

• “American writers and artists rejected the idealism and lofty symbolism of the Romantic and Transcendentalist movements because they failed to address the realities of rapid socio-economic change in post-war American life.”

• “Investigative journalists during this period worked to expose social injustice, including the harsh labor practices, dangerous housing conditions, corporate greed, and political corruption.”

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Which of the following claims is best supported by the text?

• Setting was more important in Naturalism than in Realism and Regionalism.

• Plot was more important in Regionalism, while character was more important in Realism.

• Realism, Naturalism, and Regionalism emphasized character over plot.

• Character was more important in Realism, while plot was more important in Naturalism.

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Which sentence from the text best supports the idea that Realism, Naturalism, and Regionalism emphasized character over plot.

• “Landscape, as well as the cultural, economic and historical context of the location, played an important role in Regionalist fiction.”

• “Just as with Realism and Naturalism, plot often took a backseat in Regionalist literature.”

• “A good example of a character who is powerless to act upon the outside forces that influence her life is Laura in Katherine Anne Porter’s short story ‘Flowering Judas.’”

• “For example, ‘The Cactus’ by O. Henry focuses on Trysdale, who experiences a dilemma brought on by his girlfriend’s sudden and inexplicable change of heart and eventual marriage to another man.”

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Naturalistic writers often showed human life as –

• Crule and subject to the natural laws of the universe

• All working out for the best in the end.

• an unlimited journey of body and spirit.

• determined by a person's own choice and free will.

Ultimately, realists, naturalists, and regionalists attempted to portray...

• the complexities of the average American's everyday life.

• a fanciful and over idealistic society.

• life as a an extreme series of unfortunate events.

• how beautiful the settings in America could be.

Realism emphasizes...

• representing things as they actually are

• contemplating what could be

• learning lessons from the past