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Rebecca Harding Davis helped shape American realistic fiction, though she wasn't widely recognized during her time. Her work, especially Life in the Iron Mills, highlighted the harsh realities of industrial labor in Wheeling and the struggles of the working class, challenging romanticized portrayals of American life.
Davis also contributed to major publications like Atlantic Monthly and New York Tribune, critiquing political corruption and industrial issues. Her social realism, especially in addressing women’s struggles, was a significant contribution to American literature, though overshadowed by her son, Richard Harding Davis.