e to console her…’”’(467). So inevitably, Editha had her redemption. She had done what was expected of her, and she is recognized for it. This is evident when she discovers that the portrait artist also believes that Mrs. Gearson was wrong; “’I can’t understand such people…how dreadful of her how perfectly--excuse me—how vulgar!’” (467). This word carries Editha into the halls of honor. William Dean Howells, one of the most prolific writers of the Nineteenth-century, used typical realistic methods to create an accurate depiction of changing American life.Howells demonstrated how life shaped the characters of his novels and their own motives and inspirations. He detailed characters shaped by society and tried to convey the good and evil aspects of life. By concentrating on these characters’ strengths as opposed to a strong plot, he thematically wrote of how good was better than evil and, in return, wanted his literature to inspire more good. Work CitedHowells, William Dean. “Editha” Anthology of American Literature: Realism to the Present. (Vol. II). Seventh Edition. George McMichael, editor. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 2000. 458-467....
