Realism & Symbolism

About This Group

Key word: Truth

Gustave Flaubert, considered to be the most influential French Realist writer, was meticulous with his craft. He was always searching for “le mot juste” (“the right word”) in each of his literary creations. Carefully selecting the perfect prose to represent what he meant was important to the integrity of his work and his person.

Along with choosing their words carefully, writers like Flaubert and Henrik Ibsen wrote about the things “they” didn’t want said out loud. They eliminated sentimentality and decoration, and wrote objectively about ordinary people and their daily lives. They would lay the foundation for 20th century literature by implementing ideas such as progress, social reform, evolution and psychology into their writing.

In short, writing during the Realism movement can be defined as terse realistic prose. I’d like for this group to try and achieve exactly that: conscientious writing whether it be prose or poetry. My goals include, but are not limited to: challenging willing writers to learn more about the Realist and Symbolist movements and apply those styles to their work.

Thank you for your time.

See the group rules and join this group here