The term "realism" is the actualization of life. It is life interpreted exactly as it is seen. Every detail is intact and nothing is distorted or swayed one way or another. Realists do not necessarily interact with society because they refuse to be influenced by it. They perceive things only as they see them and do not consider the opinions of others in their decisions. One might make the argument that realists are stubborn. This may be true, but they merely look at it as being able to form their own opinions. The main problem with realism is that realist artists can only be considered realists by themselves because realism is not influenced by the opinions of others. It is an individual belief that can only be expressed by an individual. Realist is interpreted differently by everyone and there is no specific reaction that can result from it.
             In the article "Death on the Front Page," Martha Sandweiss writes about the very beginning of war photography. Matthew Brady published several pictures in the New York Times in 1862 from Antietam during the Civil War. The photos had a tremendous impact on society, because for the first time ever, people could view the horrific faces of war and the casualties that resulted from it. The media preferred more patriotic images of war, rather than images of corpses with their heads blown off. These images left a tremendous impact on society and for the first time ever, people could clearly see the meaning of the term "war is hell." The author portrays Brady as a revolutionary. He made the tragedy and horror of war more realistic and apparent to the world, because for the first time ever people could see the results of combat rather than believing what they are told. Many people, who have experienced war, had painful memories brought back to them when they viewed Brady's photos. People don't look at war photos the same way these days, because the media has allowed people a first-hand view of war. A ...