Isabel March Analysis

A mocking realism in a Hazard of New Fortunes: Isabel March as an example of incorrect realist observation and immorality. A Hazard of New Fortunes is a realistic novel written by the American novelist and literary critic William Dean Howells. This book was published in 1890. The story is about Basil March and his family who move to New York because of Basil's new job as an editor of a literary magazine called Every Other Week. In New York, Basil meets with the help of Fulkerson, the manager of the magazine, a wide range of people with their ideologies that occasionally clash. While the Marches are living in New York, they are witness to the social tension in New York. This tension is also present on the work floor. This culminates towards

A first example where the narrator mocks and criticize the reaction of Isabel is when the Marches are having a walk and see a long row of poor immigrants that try to enter the country in Castle Garden (Howells 303). Here the narrator says that 'it warmed their hearts so easily moved to cheap sympathy, to see the friendly care the nation took of these humble guests'(Howells 303). Amy Kaplan says about this passage that the narrator criticizes the cheap sympathy of the Marches (Kaplan 75). Another example that shows the irony of the narrator is when Isabel wants to leave New York after her unexpected visit of the tenements and her encounter with the French person. Before Isabel leaves, she tells him that she realizes that finding a suitable flat in new York is not easy, and Mrs. March adds that she will not be difficult anymore when it comes to apartments (Howells 77). However, after she said that, she gives him an endless list of demands concerning the apartment that are superficial, such as a pleasant janitor and a flat below the third floor. The fact that the narrator mentions this entire list of demands can be proof that the narrator mocks this whole situation because she does not stay true to her word to not be demanding, especially after her experience with poverty. Furthermore, Michelle Kohler agrees that the narrator is inconsistent. Sometimes, he is almost objective and remains in the background, but a few pages later he can be ironic towards the city, the advertisements and the Marches (197). Thus, the narrator mocks Isabel's lack of morals and her superficiality following these overwhelming encounters with