Which author is commonly associated with Realism?

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Realism centers on portraying life as it actually is—ordinary people, everyday settings, and social conditions observed with accuracy and attention to detail. Mark Twain exemplifies this approach through his Mississippi River tales, where regional speech, vivid local color, and candid treatment of issues like education, class, and morality reveal the texture of real life without relying on fantasy or melodrama. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, for instance, uses authentic vernacular and concrete scenes to explore character and society in a nuanced, unromantic way. Other authors in the options lean toward different traditions: Stephen King excels in contemporary horror; J. K. Rowling builds expansive fantasy worlds; George Orwell writes political dystopias and satire. While Orwell critiques society, Twain is the clearest representative of Realism in American literature.