henry-james-and-dean-howells

TheComparisonbetweenHenryJamesandDeanHowells(AmericanRealism)Inhistime,WilliamDeanHowellsheldthecentralpositioninthedevelopmentofAmericanrealism.Hismainconcernswerewiththesociologicalproblemsofindustrialconflictandclassstruggle.Hestrovetoillustratehowcompetitivecapitalismaffectsvirile(男性的）invarioussectorsofsociety.HisviewoflifeisclearlythatofAmericanmiddle-classofthetime.Hismoralityisprudishtothepointofbeingcomic,ifwejudgehimfromtheculturalperspectiveof21stcentury.HenryJamesisapowerfulexampleofrealism.Inhistechniques,inhisvisionofAmericaandinhiscapacityforironyandambiguity,Jamesisalsotypicallymodernist.HenryJamesisgenerallyregardedasarealistisduetothefactthathisworksdonotquitebelongtothemodernistperiodwhichliteraryhistoriansquitearbitrarilyclaimtohavebegunwithWorldWarI.WilliamDeanHowells,thechampionofthenewschool,feltthathemustwritewhatheobservedandknew.HenryJamesrevealedhisliterarycredothatrepresentationoflifeshouldbethemainobjectofnovel.Bothofthemconfirmedthattheexpressionsshouldrevealthetruth.However,theyaredifferentintheirunderstandingofthe“truth”.Inthematicterms,inliterarytechniquesetc.ThisarticlemainlyfocusesonthedifferencesbetweenHowellsandJames.Firstly,theyaredifferedintheirunderstandingofthe“truth”.WhileHowellsseemedtohavepaidmoreattentiontothe“life”oftheAmericans,Jameshadapparentlylaidagreatemphasisonthe“innerworld”oftheman.Secondly,theyaredifferedinthematictemwhichwereaffectedbytheirdifferentbackground.WilliamDean,concernedhimselfchieflywithmiddleclasslife.HenryJames,wrotemostlyoftheupperreachesofAmericansociety.Thirdly,theydifferedinliterarytechniques.WilliamDeandefinesrealismas“fidelitytoexperienceandprobabilityofmotive”asaquestoftheaverageandthehabitualratherthantheexceptionalortheuniquelyhighorlow.Tohim,realismincludesacentralconcernwith“motives”andpsychologicalconflicts.Hearguesfortheideathat“afreeandsimpledesignwhereallgrowsnaturallyoutcharacterandconditions,isthesupremeformoffiction.”Charactersshouldhavesolidityofspecificationandbereal.Jameswasconcernedwith“pointofview”inhiswholewritingcareerwhichisatthecenterofaestheticofthenovel.Hislanguagewashighlyrefinedandinsightful.Heusuallywrotein1stand3stpersonnarrationanddeeplyintotheindividualpsychologyofhischaracters,writinginarichandintricatestylethatsupportedhisscrutinyofcomplexhumanexperience.Fourthly,theydifferedincontributiontoAmericanliterary.HowellshelpedtomouldpublictasteandbecamethechampionoftheliteraryrealisminAmerican.(manysocialnovels,eightcriticalbooks,about1700bookreviewstospreadthecredoofrealism).James,byemphasizingtheinnerawarenessandinwardmovementsofthenovelandanticipatedinhisworksthemodernstream-of-consciousnesstechniquesowidelyemployedinthefirstdecadesofthiscentury.Fifthly,theydifferedinwritinglimitationsHowellsisfoundlackinginqualitieswhichwouldmadehimgreatandeternal.Heiswantingindepthmuchofhisrealismwasexternalcharactersandeventsviewedfromwithout.Hisworksrarelyachievedorsoughttoachieve“psychologicaldepth”,InrefinementheisnotuptoJames,inroughandreadyhumorhefallsshortofMarkTwain.James,theover-elaboratestylewasoftenirritatingintimidatinganddiscouraging.Andthepsychologicalcomplexitiesofhisnovels,whichinterestingfromtheliterarypointofview,arenotalwaystothelikingofthecommonreaders.