As discussed by David Shi, different writers in the post‐Civil War era turned away from “idealistic” representations of human life to ones that were more “realistic.”
This transition from “idealistic” to “realistic” representations can be seen in how different post‐Civil War authors represented problems of courtship, marriage, and family life.
Chose two of the literary authors we have read this term and write an essay that argues how each author’s representation of courtship, marriage, and/or family life reflects this post‐Civil War interest in realism.
How does each author reflect different realities (or challenges) of post‐Civil War America in the way that she or he represents the human relationships involved in courtship, marriage, and/or family life? If these relationships succeed, what obstacles must they overcome? – if they fail, why do they fail?
