Twain's style, based on vigorous, realistic, colloquial American speech, gave American writers a new appreciation of their national voice. Twain was the first major author to come from the interior of the country, and he captured its distinctive, humorous slang and iconoclasm. For Twain and other American writers of the late 19th century, realism was not merely a literary technique: It was a way of speaking truth and exploding worn-out conventions.
Twain's writing style, based on robust, realistic, colloquial American speech, provided American writers with a new appreciation for their national voice. As the first major author to emerge from the country's interior, Twain conveyed its distinctive slang and irreverence. For Twain and other late 19th-century American authors, realism was more than just a literary technique; it served as a way of speaking truth and challenging outdated norms.