Social realism
A literary approach emphasising realistic depiction of ordinary people's lives, particularly working-class or marginalised communities, often addressing social problems, economic hardship, or injustice. Social realism combines naturalistic detail with social critique.
Real World
Ken Loach's film 'I, Daniel Blake' (2016) follows a middle-aged joiner navigating Britain's benefits system after a heart attack — its unflinching depiction of bureaucratic humiliation and food bank dependency sits squarely in the social realist tradition.
Exam Focus
Show how specific details (dialect, setting, economic circumstance) serve the social critique — AO2 analysis of these choices scores higher than general thematic comment.
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