1. Focus on everyday life and social issues:
- The story centers on the lives of middle-class Americans and their involvement in the Spanish-American War. It depicts the complexities of personal relationships, societal pressures, and the influence of nationalism on individual choices.
- Howells avoids romanticizing war and instead exposes the hypocrisy and self-deception behind patriotic fervor. He shows how Editha's romantic ideas about heroism clash with the harsh realities of war.
2. Naturalism and psychological realism:
- Howells delves into the characters' inner lives and motivations, exploring their psychological complexities and the interplay of their desires and moral compasses.
- Editha's impulsiveness, George's internal conflict, and Mrs. Balcom's pragmatism are all depicted realistically, without judgment or romanticization.
3. Social critique and critique of American values:
- The story criticizes the prevailing American attitude towards war and patriotism, highlighting how it can be manipulated for political gain and used to justify violence.
- Howells exposes the hypocrisy of a society that celebrates heroism while ignoring the consequences of war. He criticizes the romanticized view of war and emphasizes its true cost in human lives.
4. Verisimilitude and avoidance of melodrama:
- The story presents realistic dialogue and events, avoiding sensationalism and overly dramatic plot twists. Howells aims for a sense of verisimilitude, creating a believable world that reflects the social realities of his time.
- The narrative avoids exaggerated emotional outbursts and melodramatic scenes, instead focusing on the subtle complexities of human emotions and behavior.
5. Objective narration and limited omniscience:
- Howells employs a limited omniscient narrator, offering insights into the characters' thoughts and feelings while maintaining a relatively objective stance. He avoids explicit moral judgments and allows the reader to draw their own conclusions.
In conclusion, "Editha" embodies the key tenets of realism by focusing on everyday life, exploring social issues, presenting characters with psychological depth, engaging in social critique, and maintaining a sense of verisimilitude. It avoids the romanticized and sentimental narratives of earlier literary traditions, offering a nuanced and critical perspective on the realities of war and the complexities of human nature.