* Ordinary Characters: They focused on everyday people, often from the middle or lower classes, facing challenges and making decisions that felt true to life. These characters were not idealized heroes or villains but complex individuals with flaws and strengths.
* Realistic Settings: Realist writers carefully described the environments their characters inhabited, focusing on details that reflected the social and economic realities of the time. This created a sense of authenticity and immersion for the reader.
* Everyday Conflicts: The plots of realist novels were driven by conflicts that ordinary people encounter, such as financial struggles, interpersonal relationships, social pressures, and ethical dilemmas. These conflicts were presented in a realistic and believable way, avoiding overly dramatic or sensationalized events.
* Psychological Depth: Realist writers paid close attention to the inner lives of their characters, exploring their motivations, emotions, and thoughts. This gave the reader a deeper understanding of the characters' actions and choices.
* Focus on Social Commentary: Realist literature often aimed to expose and criticize societal issues like poverty, inequality, and injustice. By presenting these issues through the struggles of their characters, realist writers hoped to raise awareness and promote social change.
Examples:
* Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" explores the complex relationships and social pressures faced by a woman who falls in love with a younger man.
* Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" portrays the harsh realities of poverty and child labor in Victorian England.
* George Eliot's "Middlemarch" delves into the lives of ordinary people in a provincial town, highlighting their hopes, dreams, and disappointments.
By focusing on the everyday struggles and realities of ordinary people, realist writers created believable and compelling plots that resonated with readers and provided insightful commentary on society.