Is this the work of an American romantic or American realist?
“The correspondent plainly saw the soldier. He lay on the sand with his feet out straight and still. While his pale left hand was upon his chest in an attempt to thwart the going of his life, the blood came between his fingers. In the far Algerian distance, a city of low square forms was set against a sky that was faint with the last sunset hues.
To determine whether this passage is the work of an American romantic or American realist, we first need to understand the characteristics of each movement and identify elements that align with them.
American romanticism was a literary movement that flourished in the mid-19th century, emphasizing imagination, emotions, and the individual's connection with nature. It often portrayed heroic individuals and emphasized the sublime and supernatural.
On the other hand, American realism emerged in the late 19th century as a reaction against romanticism. Realism aimed to depict ordinary people and everyday life with accuracy and objectivity. It focused on social issues, representing life as it was, without idealization or embellishment.
Looking at the given passage, it lacks the typical characteristics associated with American romanticism. There is no emphasis on imagination, nature, or the supernatural. Instead, the passage presents a bleak and realistic description of a soldier lying wounded on the sand.
The focus on the soldier's pale hand attempting to stop the flow of blood and the distant city depicted as low square forms align more closely with American realism. These details suggest a descriptive and objective approach to portraying the scene.
Therefore, based on the characteristics presented in the passage, this work appears to align more with American realism rather than American romanticism.
To verify this conclusion, it would be helpful to conduct further research on the specific author and their writing style to gain a clearer understanding of their literary movement affiliation.