Realism in the Balance is a 1938 essay by Georg Lukács in which he defends the "traditional" realism of authors like Thomas Mann in the face of rising Modernist movements, such as Expressionism, Surrealism, and Naturalism. Practitioners of these movements, such as James Joyce, placed an emphasis on displaying the discord and disenchantment of modern life through techniques that highlight individualism and individual consciousness, such as stream of consciousness. In his essay, Lukács presents a complex, nuanced view of these movements and their relation to what he feels is "true" realism: On the one hand, Lukács feels that such movements are a historical necessity, but he also strongly expresses the sentiment that these new artistic movements lack revolutionary power.
Read more about Realism In The Balance: The New Movements in Context, Social Totality, Realism and Great Literature, Historical Materialism
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