Local Colorism (本土色彩主义)
1. Definition
Local Colorism (also called Regionalism) was a literary movement in the late 19th-century U.S. that focused on capturing the unique dialects, customs, landscapes, and social traditions of specific American regions (e.g., the South, New England, the Wild West). It emerged alongside Realism but emphasized cultural distinctiveness rather than universal human experiences.
2. Key Characteristics
Dialect & Speech Patterns: Writers used regional accents and slang to make characters sound authentic.
Example: Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) uses Southern Black and rural white dialects.
Detailed Setting: Vivid descriptions of local landscapes, food, clothing, and rituals.
Example: Sarah Orne Jewett’s The Country of the Pointed Firs (1896) depicts Maine’s coastal villages.
Nostalgia & Change: Often portrayed rural/old-world lifestyles fading due to industrialization.
Humor & Eccentricity: Exaggerated characters (e.g., quirky villagers, outlaws) highlighted regional culture.
Example: Bret Harte’s gold rush miners in The Luck of Roaring Camp (1868).
3. Major Writers & Works
| Author | Key Work | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Twain | Huckleberry Finn (1885) | Mississippi River Valley |
| Kate Chopin | The Awakening (1899) | Louisiana Creole culture |
| Sarah Orne Jewett | The Country of the Pointed Firs (1896) | New England |
| Bret Harte | The Luck of Roaring Camp (1868) | American West |
4. Why It Matters
Cultural Preservation: Documented diverse U.S. identities before standardization.
Realism’s Evolution: Paved the way for Naturalism (e.g., Dreiser’s urban struggles).
Marginalized Voices: Women (e.g., Chopin) and minority perspectives gained space.
5. Comparison with Chinese Literature
Similar to Shen Congwen’s Border Town (《边城》, 1934), which poeticizes rural Hunan life.
Contrast: American Local Colorism often addressed post-Civil War tensions, while Chinese rural literature (e.g., Lu Xun) critiqued feudalism and modernization.
6. Discussion Questions
Is Local Colorism just romantic nostalgia, or does it critique industrialization?
Compare how Mark Twain and Lao She (e.g., Rickshaw Boy 《骆驼祥子》) use dialect to portray social class.
Key Takeaway: Local Colorism turned “place” into a character itself, revealing America’s cultural patchwork. To study it, analyze dialogue, setting, and clashes between tradition and progress.
