Essay on Editha by William Dean Howells - 582 Words

Editha by William Dean Howells The story Editha by William Dean Howells and the poem Reconciliation by Walt Whitman are part of a true national literature. They are both told in a way that only we as Americans could ever understand. They speak of war in all of its glory, and they speak of all of the pain left behind. Editha is a story about a woman who loves her country so much that she would be willing to give up anyone who does not feel as she does. Her fiancà © George was not enthusiastic about the war. To George the war was about senseless bloodshed, but to Editha it was about taking pride in a country that she loved. She told George, I call it a sacred war. A war for liberty and humanity, if ever there was†¦show more content†¦Editha was a symbol of what America stood for and what America meant to so many people who could only dream of having the opportunity to live here. George was a symbol of all the young men who fought for this country to make it what it is today. They fought for a countr y they believed in. They fought for us, and for our freedom. This story shows the greatness on which this country was founded. Nobody except Americans could understand the dedication to a country that today, stands strong because of the love that the people felt for the land they lived on. Howells tried to show the depth of that love through Editha and George, which makes this a part of true national literature. Reconciliation is a poem that was meant to open the eyes of the reader to the effects the war had after it was over. It is written through the eyes of a dead soldier who has seen what the war has done. This soldier has the blood of many men on his hands and will always remember the death. Where Editha showed the significance of war in relation to a persons love of their country, Reconciliation tells in a few strong lines, the somber mood of a country that has lost many lives. Whitman writes, For my enemy is dead, a man divine as myself is dead(Whitman 129). It is not said what side this divine man fought for but it shows that no matter what side the men fought on they were fighting for whatShow MoreRelatedEditha, by William Dean Howells Essay826 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Dean Howells was an advocate of realism in writing; he believed that literary art should reflect the reality of the common man and demonstrate the truth of everyday current issues. He believed in truthful writing and he accepted very little at face value. He practiced this belief in his own writing, and his story called â€Å"Editha† is a good example of this. In this ironic tragedy, W.D. Howells shows the truth and nature of war. He uses a combination of metaphoric characters, irony, and theRead MoreAnalysis Of Editha By William Dean Howells And The Yellow Wallpaper1070 Words   |  5 Pageshand in hand with romantics as it exposes the truth behind marriages in the 18th and 19th centuries. Two stories I have read that stood out the most to me on the grounds of liter ary realism are: Editha by William Dean Howells and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Editha by William Dean Howells, will go down as one of many strong points of evidence when it comes down to literary realism. This comes into play when life for a real man is depicted as being in war. Life in the war duringRead MoreEditha: William Dean Howells’s Commitment to Literary Realism878 Words   |  4 PagesEditha: William Dean Howells’s commitment to literary realism ENG 202: American Literature II Editha: William Dean Howells’s commitment to literary realism Realism can be defined as view in which the author tries to depict life as truthfully and accurately as possible. The use of realistic or lifelike settings described by the author or narrated by a character, add a layer of realism to the story, even if the story itself is fictitious. The characters themselves are often portrayed as believableRead MoreLiterary Realism : A Movement1602 Words   |  7 Pageswere very detailed. Realist authors began to write about what was going on in the world and focused on realistic/plausible plotlines that were relatable to the working middle class families and their problems. Writers such as Mark Twain, William Dean Howells, and Henry James began to write realistic stories with realistic characters that usually depicted their region, class, gender, and age. Since most stories were based on the life of average middle class people the stories of this time were moreRead MoreThe Struggle for Power in The Yellow Wallpaper, Daddy, and Editha2112 Words   |  9 PagesAmerican Literature 9 March 2013 The Struggle for Power in The Yellow Wallpaper, Daddy, and Editha Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s piece, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† (written in 1890, published in 1892), is a semi-autobiographical piece that, although believed to be a result of her severe postpartum depression, illustrates the difficulties faced by women during the Women’s Movement. These difficulties are further illustrated by the similarly semi-autobiographical poem, based on Plath’s father andRead MoreEssay on Impact of World War One on American Literature1807 Words   |  8 Pageswillingness to kill or be killed is shown in many works, including William Dean Howells short story Editha. In the story, there is a young couple engaged to be married when war breaks out. The young man, George Gearson, is unsure about enlisting, for he is more of an intellectual type than he is a soldier looking for a fight. Georges fiancà ©e is Editha, who in her innocent ignorance cannot see why George even has to question enlisting. Editha sees war as a chance for George to be a hero and thereby becomeRead MoreAnalysis Of Annabel Lee s A Kingdom By The Sea1780 Words   |  8 Pagesbanish us, you know. (Dickenson) In William Dean Howells story Editha, he shows both views realism and romatasism in one and showing the end result. Editha is all emotionally bound by the romance idea of the glorious warrior coming home valiantly after war. Her boyfriend George isn t the type to go hunting for glory, he s a timid fellow and Editha pressures him into signing up for the war. Shortly afterwards he is killed in battle, glorious for Editha, hell for his family. Before signing upRead MoreSentimental Plot Essay992 Words   |  4 Pagesnot kill her to state a point, it just so happened that she caught fever. So in some sort of way this story can sometimes be said that it was not your typical sentimental plot. Another male writer that followed the sentimental hereon was William Dean Howells â€Å"Editha† this was about a young unmarried woman who practically forces her boyfriend to enter the war in order to show off in front of others. â€Å"I shall always love you, and therefore I shall never marry any one else. But the man I marry must love