Realism is used to reveal to readers the everyday, real life activities in society. In contrast to Romanticism, a movement in which authors liked ot write elaborate stories, realism depicted the common experiences of people. It is based on a worldview that bases its foundation on experiences, science, and reasoning. Naturalism stems off of realism; authors that use naturalism usually write stories that take place in a destitute and oppressive environment in order to show the poor social conditions and pressures that people faced in real life during those times. Readers are able to get a sense of the daily experiences and hardships that people actually faced. For example, the story “Separate Way” uses naturalism and realism to show the realistic hardships that many people faced in Japan during the nineteenth century.

In the story “Separate Way” written by Higuchi Ichiyo, the two main characters, Okyo and Kichizo, represent two different parts of the author’s life. One night, Okyo tells Kichizo that she must move away; although he does not want her to, the author shows the readers that Okyo has no choice in what she wants to do; in order to live a better life, she must become someone’s mistress. This reflects the author’s life because at the age of 11, she was forced to leave school since many girls living in nineteenth century Japan had very little education and were expected to work at home. This incorporates Naturalism because it shows the reality of the experiences and lack of choice that many Japanese girls had.

The other character, Kichizo, had birth parents who had died a long time ago and was taken in by the former umbrella factory’s owner, Omatsu. Unfortunately, Omatsu died two years ago by jumping into a well. Therefore, Kichizo was very upset when he learned that Okyo was going to move because he had so many expereiences of being abandoned by his loved one. This reflects the writer’s life, as well as many others, who have been abandoned by their loved ones. When Higuchi Ichiyo was 17, her father died, leaving her responsible for the family. This also relates to realism because this is bases on a real life experience.