Which movement emphasized geographic setting and local speech and manners?

• A. Regionalism
• B. Dada
• C. Symbolism
• D. Romanticism

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that a movement can foreground place and everyday speech to define its scope. Regionalism does exactly that: it centers on a specific geographic area and treats its landscape, dialect, customs, and manners as essential elements of the storytelling. By doing so, writers render the region as a vivid presence that shapes characters and community, making readers feel the local life in a tangible way. This focus on place and vernacular helps distinguish Regionalism from other movements. Dada is concerned with anti-art and randomness rather than depicting real communities; Symbolism emphasizes abstract symbols and inner experiences over concrete local setting; Romanticism highlights emotion, imagination, and broad nature rather than the concrete details of a particular region. In American literature, Regionalism often portrays life in particular locales—like the Mississippi Valley, the Deep South, or New England—through distinctive settings and speech, with authors such as Mark Twain, Kate Chopin, and Sarah Orne Jewett illustrating how geography shapes character and culture.