What is realism in literature?

Question: What is realism in literature!?

I read the adventures of Huckleberry Finn and my summer is asking me what realism is and how the work reflects this literary period!. Im lost cuz i looked it up on dictionary!.com but i dont understand!. =( Help would be nice if you can thanks in advance =DWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

It's like, to show the world as it really is!. =] and do you mean summer school!? =P
edit: Do say if you need more info
another edit =P : no problem and lol =PWww@QuestionHome@Com

--Character is more important than action or plot
--Events aren't sensational, and there is little melodrama!.!.!.the events are realistic
--Mostly written objectively (author doesn't put in his/her point of view much!.!.!.no 'preachiness')
--Diction (word choice) is natural!.!.!.not overly poetic!. Tone is usually comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact
--Characters are complex and relative, and their temprements/motives are related to their class, each other, their own past, etc!.

Okay, so, basically, someone who writes realist literature is trying to REPRESENT--not just depict--the world[America in particular--this is really an American technique] in an accurate way, and to explore people's lives in different ways/contexts!.

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