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Authors use different literary styles to highlight the challenges of everyday life. One such literary style is realism. According to the Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature realism is “the theory or practice in art and literature of fidelity to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization in favor of a close observation of outward appearances. The word has also been used critically to denote excessive minuteness of detail or preoccupation with trivial sordid, or squalid subjects in art and literature” (Realism).
In the short story “Editha”, the author William Dean Howell, does a good job displaying realism. Although there are multiple strong themes displayed in “Editha”, the main trait Howell is portraying is the reality of war and its destructive nature. William Dean Howell shows realism in “Editha” by vividly depicting the actions and motives of the characters, expanding on social challenges and conflict of morals, and by elaborating the devasting consequences of war on people and relationships
Howell believed that realism “was nothing more or less than the truthful treatment of material, especially the motives and actions of ordinary men and women” (351).
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By providing details of their actions and motives, it gives the reader a better understanding of the characters as they can relate to them, which gives the story a more “realistic” feeling. In the story “Editha”, right away the reader begins to understand the main character’s motive, which is trying to get her fiancée, George, to join the war. George thinks that Editha’s motive for him to join the war is to help his country, but, she wants him to join the war, so she can be prideful of having “a hero, her hero” (354).
This represents realism because Howell displays the main character’s true intentions. The intentions of Editha are impure and selfish which brings about another level of realism to the story. A key principle of realism is “representing reality” and “real life”, which we see evident by Howell possessing Editha with her false motives. In reality, people’s motives are not always pure as it is a part of human nature.
George was taught by his mother to not fight and tries to explain to Editha how he was raised. “She brought me up to think war a fool thing as well a bad thing” (359). “He came home with misgivings about the war, and they grew on him, I guess he and mother agreed between them that I was to be brought up in his final mind about it” (359). This is an example of realism because in society people’s morals/values are typically a product of their upbringing. Howell uses George as an example of someone who grew up and possesses the values their parents taught them. George is conflicted because he knows he should not fight, “She [George’s Mom] won’t like my doing this thing” (359), but wants to for Editha. Howell displays realism in the sense that people are conflicted with social challenges. Regardless of the way he was raised, George agrees to enlist in the war. He justifies going against his own morals by saying “if I hadn’t helped keep it from coming, and I knew I hadn’t; when it came, I had no right to stay out of it” (359). Howell shows realism through the power of love and how it can cause people to go against their own beliefs and values.
Howell challenges the romanticized view of war by highlighting the devasting consequences of war on people and relationships. Editha had a completely romanticized view of war which she describes as “Glorious” (353). Editha herself has never been through a war and does not understand the effects it has on society. Her only source of information on war was from the current newspapers she had read. Howell utilizes Editha as an example of people who blindly support the war but do not understand the consequences. Secondly, Howell uses realism to portray the death and devastation of war. Ironically, Editha wanted George to go war because she wanted to marry a war hero. The war took George’s life. George was willing to forgo his pacifist beliefs in order to win the heart of Editha, yet he was never able to enjoy life with her. Howell demonstrates realism through Georges mother who points out to Editha the reality of war. “I thank my God they killed him first, and that he ain’t livin’ with their blood on his hands!” (362). The reality is, if the soldier is not the one killing, then he is the one being killed.
In literature there are different styles authors use to convey their thoughts. William Dean Howell’s story “Editha” uses realism as the main literary style to challenge the romanticism of war. In the story, Howell used realism by giving insight on character’s thoughts and motives, highlighting moral conflict and dealing with social challenges, and elaborating on the consequences of war on people and relationships.
Realism in Editha by William Dean Howell. (2022, Jan 24). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/realism-in-editha-by-william-dean-howell-essay
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