Daisy Miller Realism Analysis

Imagine if the current tensions plaguing American politics finally hit their breaking point. What if the Democrats decided that enough was enough; they quit protesting peacefully and took up arms. The Republicans would, of course, retaliate. California would rally the Democrats, D.C. the Republicans. Political ‘swing-states’—so named for the oral battles Presidential candidates wage to garner votes during election season—would become literal battlegrounds as armies fight to take control of the region. The entirety of what defines American society and culture would be thrown into chaos. Now, take this conflict and replace the Republicans and Democrats with the North and South. Push it back a couple hundred years. Welcome to the American Civil War. The war itself lasted only five years, but the repercussions of such a conflict rippled through society and continue to impact Americans even to this day (Towner). Culture, values, society as a whole completely shifted directly after the war, and literature from the following time period reflects this shift. For example, take Henry James. One of his most famous novellas, Daisy Miller, provides a stark contrast to the previous literary

M. H. Abrams defines realism as: “fiction that provides a ‘slice of life,’ an ‘accurate representation of reality’” (Abrams, 255-257). So, realist authors sought to depict life exactly as they saw it. Literature from this time period focuses heavily on the surroundings and ‘local color’ of the story’s setting. This includes detailed descriptions of scenery, a heavy influence of local dialects, and an emphasis on the mundane, everyday routines. This approach to literature significantly contrasts with the previous era of romanticism—which was characterized by a focus on emotion, imagination, and a heroic “exaltation of the common man”