Meaning & use
socialist realism
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Meaning
noununcountablespecialist
An official style of art and literature in the Soviet Union and similar states that showed ideal Communist life and supported socialist goals.
Grammar: Uncountable: say socialist realism, not a socialist realism or socialist realisms.
Patterns
- socialist realism in art
- a work of socialist realism
- the style of socialist realism
The novel is often studied as an example of socialist realism.
Socialist realism required painters to show workers as strong and happy.
After Stalin's death, some artists moved away from socialist realism.
Common combinations
- a work of socialist realism
- The film is considered a work of socialist realism from the 1930s.
- the doctrine of socialist realism
- The doctrine of socialist realism was officially adopted in 1934.
- socialist realism in literature
- Socialist realism in literature often focused on heroic workers.
- reject socialist realism
- Many young writers began to reject socialist realism in the 1960s.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Soviet realism
- This is a narrower term, used mainly for art from the Soviet Union.
- proletarian art
- This is a broader idea of art about workers; it does not always carry the same official political meaning.
Word family
Commonly confused: socialist realism or realism?
socialist realism vs realism
Realism is a general artistic style; socialist realism is a specific political style with a required message.
Practice
Socialist realism was an official artistic style that required artists to do what?
Choose one answer.
Socialist realism required art to support socialist goals and show idealized workers. Criticizing the government was not allowed, and abstract shapes were rejected.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “socialist realism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.