A Focus on American Regionalism

 

Within Realism is the sub-genre of Regionalism, and much like realism it sought to present life as it truly was through accurate and detailed descriptions of the literature’s setting, though with a deeper focus on the lifestyles of people within specific regions and the use of dialect within narratives and dialogs. This can be seen extensively within key works featured in the 10^th edition of The Norton Anthology of American Literature 1865 – 1914. In Bret Harte’s “The Luck of Roaring Camp” (344 – 350), he uses rich setting details to bring the gold mining camp in California to life and lend to it a realistic aspect. For example, in paragraph 1 on page 345, Bret explains “The camp lay in a triangular valley between two hills and a river. The only outlet was a steep trail over the summit of a hill that faced the cabin, now illuminated by the rising moon.” Harte also employees the use of dialect to add local color to his work, his use of nicknames and colloquialism allow him to highlight this unique local color. For example, within paragraph 4 on page 344, “ ‘You go in there, Stumpy,’ said a prominent citizen known as ‘Kentuck,’ addressing one of the loungers. ‘Go in there, and see what you kin do. You’ve had experience with them things.’ ”

            Another excellent example of regionalism within this anthology are two works by Joel Harris, “The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story” (549-550) and “How Mr. Rabbit Was Too Sharp for Mr. Fox” (550 – 551.) These stories are told through the words of “Uncle Remus,” and the rich southern dialect present lends to these stories’ authenticity and a sense of place, without specifically designating a location. In “The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story” for example, in paragraph 13 on page 549, “ ‘Ef you don’t lemme loose, I’ll knock you agin,’ sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, en wid dat he fotch ‘er a wipe wid de udder han’, en dat stuck. Tar-Baby, she ain’t sayin’ nothin’, en Brer Fox, he lay low.” The word “Brer” in this case, is a southern pronunciation of the word brother, and the southern way of shortening and pronouncing words gives these stories a clear sense of place.

Homer,Winslow. "Maine Coast." 1896, The MET

            Within Sarah Jewett’s work, “A White Heron,” that is featured within this anthology on pages 556 – 562, another rich and beautiful example of regionalism arises. The setting details she employees are rich and capture the geographic beauty of Maine/New England, in paragraph 2 on page 557 for example, “She waded on through the brook as the cow moved away, and listened to the thrushes with a heart that beat fast with pleasure. There was a stirring in the great boughs overhead. They were full of little birds and beasts that seemed to be wide awake, and going about their world, or else saying good-night to each other in sleepy twitters.” And on page 561 in paragraph 3, “Yes, there was the sea with the dawning sun making a golden dazzle over it, and toward that glorious east flew two hawks with slow-moving pinions…. Their gray feathers were as soft as moths; they seemed only a little way from the tree,” vividly paints a picture of the countryside. Jewett also uses dialect to bring authenticity and the feel of reality to her works. For example, on page 558 in paragraph 7, Sylvia’s grandmother exhibits a unique one, “ ‘There ain’t a foot o’ ground she don’t know her way over, and the wild creaturs counts her one o’ themselves.” And it is in a clear contrast to the visiting hunter of the story, an ornithologist from a different area.

            While these stories all maintain aspects of realism, be it through social critique, attention to detail, everyday life, these stories are excellent representations of regionalism. They each highlight the unique ways authors attempted to capture the unique characteristics of particular regions. Whether its through the use of unique dialect, like the way in which Harris employed the use of southern colloquialisms, or Jewett’s use of rural language. It can also be seen in the efforts to capture a particular focus on the setting and geography of a unique region, like the way in which Harte focused on the details of everyday life in a California gold mine, or Jewett’s focus on the beauty and natural simplicity of rural New England.

 

Works Cited:

Levine, Robert S., et al. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Volume C: 1865-1914. W.W. Norton & Company, 2022.

Artwork Cited: 

Homar, Winslow/ "Maine Coast." 1896, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Last Edited: May 5. 2025 - added Image