Regionalism

Regionalism: A literary sub genre that emphasizes the setting, history, speech, dialect, and customs of a particular geographical locale or area, not only for local color, but also for development of universal themes through the use of the local and particular (Werlock). Differing from realism and naturalism, regionalism deals with a specific region, like the definition states. Writers today use this writing style to take readers to far off and exotic places, and regionalism became most prominent and popular during the years following the Civil War, as did realism and naturalism.

I believe a cause of the popularity in regionalism is because the United States had just suffered from a war, and needed a distraction from the task at hand of cleaning up the nation, so authors took their readers away from their troubles of their modern times. Personally, I think that is a cool and good idea, and it clearly worked as regionalism is still used today in most books. However I have found that in today's society, books tend to be written in the setting of a far away futuristic made up place. However, it gets the reader's attention and draws them away into the world the author has created with their words.

Mary Rose Kasraie says that local color is, "frequently used interchangeably with regionalism, as both movements are types of realism and both emphasize places and characters unique to a geographical area (Kasraie). Therefore, all the different writing styles are interchanged within one another and can all be combined to create a unique story, or have the story written using one writing style and still have an amazing story be created.

Although regionalism deals with a specific region in one story, all regions from around the world have been used in writing and made an interesting story. Authors after the Civil War were trying to get their readers' minds off the just fought war and get them to explore another world through their writing, creating a well earned distraction for them all.

Works Cited:

Kasraie, Mary Rose. "local color." In Barney, Brett, and Lisa Paddock, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature: The Age of Romanticism and Realism, 1816–1895, vol. 2, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL0634&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 3, 2011).

Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0581&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 3, 2011).