Abstract
This essay examines "Life in the Iron Mills" to discern the differences and similarities between American Romanticism and Realism. Using popular convention of both literary movements, this study shows that "Life in the Iron Mills" is a unique piece of writing that straddles the line between the two movements in its own distinct way. The contributing factors to his conclusion are related to labor, environment, history, and more. A confirmed piece of Romanticism and Realism are used for comparison to show that "Life" is a hybrid genre that serves the time in which it was written, and the subject matter that it discusses.