Maggie a Girl of the Streets
Many times the thoughts and works of great authors and writers are published before the general public is ready for the graphic images that these works create. Only after society has become more accepting of situations over time, can these works truly be appreciated instead of facing disapproval from society. Tragically, often times it takes many years and countless hours of revisions to tone down the work to fit within the moral mold that society creates for itself. Stephen Crane was one of those authors who wanted to use his works to show his readers and the general population the things that are often just swept under the rug. In Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane, many controversial topics are addressed which led to problems with publication. Following the end of the Civil War, a new literary movement began to take place. "Realism was taking root in the United States from 1865 to 1900, the period justifiably seen as a change of literary vectors" (Kizima 2). After seeing all of the destruction that the war had caused, society began to realize how bad things can be and wanted to deepen their understanding as to why people act the way that they do. "Realistic fiction has been primarily a revolt against the sentimentality and melodrama of romantic idealism" (World Book 16: 173). The Civil War was an extremely traumatic event in American history and changed the way that the citizens of the United States viewed almost all things.
Writers of realist fiction attempt to, as accurately as possible, show how things really are. They also seek to bring to light the conditions in society that have previously gone ignored. As compared with the works of romantic literature, characters in realist works tend to be dynamic rather than static. Also, "[s]ettings are more ordinary, plots are less important, and themes are less obvious" (World Book 16: 173). Realist writings focus more on developing their characters and less on the surroundings and
Writers of realist fiction attempt to, as accurately as possible, show how things really are. They also seek to bring to light the conditions in society that have previously gone ignored. As compared with the works of romantic literature, characters in realist works tend to be dynamic rather than static. Also, "[s]ettings are more ordinary, plots are less important, and themes are less obvious" (World Book 16: 173). Realist writings focus more on developing their characters and less on the surroundings and
Bibliography: Cady, Edwin Harrison. Stephen Crane. Ed. David J. Nordlough. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1980. Colvert, James B. "New York." Stephen Crane. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984. Conn, Peter. Literature in America – An Illustrated History. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1989. Criticism. Ed. Dennis Poupard and James E. Person, Jr. Vol. 17. Detroit: Gale, 1985 Coming into Being)." Social Sciences, 2006: 156-161. Research Library Milne, Ira Mark and Timothy Sisler, Eds. Novels for Students. Vol. 20. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2005. (1965): 121-131. Rpt in Twentieth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Dennis Poupard. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale, 1983. 152-154. Press, 1956. 66-86. Rpt in Twentieth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Dennis Poupard. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale, 1983. 143-146. World Book Encyclopedia. 22 Vols. Chicago: World Book Incorporated, 1988.