American Realism

The writings of the American Romantics seem to focus a lot on feeling and emotion. In reading the works of different romantic writers I noticed that imagination plays a strong role. Especially in stories like Irving's, "The Devil and Tom Walker", a story in which the main character gets involved with the selling of his soul to the DEVIL. Along with radical imaginative plots, nature is a popular theme in romantic stories and poems. Reflection upon nature untouched by man seems to give inspiration. Surrounding yourself with natures pure beauty may reveal truths and give incite to life. In Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Tide Rises the Tide Falls, he discusses how human imprints are nothing compared to the wrath of the earth. " The little white waves with their soft white hands efface the footprints in the sand". Many Romantic poets use nature as a way of looking at huge human issues such as death. For example, William Cullen Bryant's Thanatopsis.


For this journal entry i chose to look at the works of American realist Willa Cather. Compared to the writings of American Romantics, Cather is very down to earth with her writing. She does not express abstract ideas or concepts, her stories are enjoyable to read and give a good incite into the things she enjoys or has experienced in life. In the two stories I read it is apparent that Cather is infatuated with German culture, it makes a very strong presence in "A Wagner Matinee" and she finds a way to throw it into "Consequences".

The social theme of "Consequences" is suicide. One very powerful line I have pulled out of her writing is, "every suicide is logical and reasonable, if one knows the facts." This is a quote from the character Cavenaugh, the man who ends up committing suicide in the end. This quote can be taken as almost offensivly. Whether you know the facts or not, suicide should never be taken as something "logical or reasonable". Because Cavenaugh thought this way it is obvious that he was thinking illogically and irrationally. Could Cather have been foreshadowing his suicide with this phrase. Was she letting us into her writing world by giving us hints toward the thought process of someone contemplating suicide? On the other hand, how can one say what it is like to have thought about committing suicide unless they themselves have thought about it? Is Cather telling us through her writing that she has been in Cavenaugh's position at one time or another? Perhaps I'm being illogical and irrational.

Trailing away from "Consequences" and onto "A Wagner Matinee", I ask myself, who is her intended audience? I feel like this is just story made for anyone who wants to listen. It is overall more pleasant. She shows themes of love. Aunt Georgiana shows her love of music, her hometown of Nebraska, her husband, and Boston (a kind of newly found love). When Georgiana hears the "Prize Song" at the Wagner matinee she is reminded of her good old fashioned (German) lover boy. One song filled her with so much joy and so many memories. It was such a nice and relatable thing to read about. This story did have it's sad moments, when the opera was over Georgiana didn't want to move. The thought that her entertainment was over and she will soon have to return to her boring labor filled farm life is quiet upsetting to her. Cather may be writing to those who live in culture rich places like Boston. Seeing Aunt Georgiana's reaction to the theater may make people appreciate where they are from, something as common as a musical production can mean so much to someone who lives in a place where something like that isn't common at all. She may also be writing to those who live in places like Nebraska. She may be telling them that if you get out to see new places you never know what you might find and it could end up being a really good thing.