I found the differences between sentimental and realist writing surprisingly obvious, but the details of why remained hidden from me until I delved deeper into the text. To understand the exact differences and similarities that distinguish these two eras of writing, I examined The Island of Bornholm, a sentimental story written by Nikolai Karamzin, and The Family of a Vourdalak, a realist piece by Alexis Tolstoy. With a gap of forty-six years between the two pieces, there are certainly some differences in style and word choice, but beyond that there were variations in character details, scene descriptions, and the construction of tension that made these two stories so unique to the genre. reader. The best place to start is at the beginning, where a big difference in scene setting is marked by varied use of detail. The Island of Bornholm, in classic sentimental style, creates an eloquent opening based on the change of nature and joyful time between friends. The descriptions are flowing poetry described in extensive detail and any possibility of nature being involved in a scene is emphasized to its fullest possibility. In the section where our main character walks within the castle gardens on page 357, we are given exact details of minor elements that play no role in the story other than to set the mood. We are told the exact plants that grew in the courtyard, the types of lamps and chandeliers that illuminated the surroundings, and even the details of where scattered fragments of pillars and cornices lay. The setting is created through this physical description rather than in the details of the “why” or “how.” This style of setting is used instead in The Family of a Vourdalak, where our entire opening is based on why the story is being told,...... in the center of the card...... the beauty is evident at first look, but it must be taken apart and examined to truly grasp its history. Being a horror story, it fails to maintain an interesting buildup of scares or connections between characters, and the biggest scare within this story is the hint of incest, which the reader is required to infer. Vourdalak's Family is the opposite and gives everything to its reader so that they never feel confused. Each is given a clear name, the reasoning for each action is obvious, and the overall plot has a clear narrative outline. They are symbols of their respective eras of writing and meet expectations, but they could have created a powerful story if their most important aspects had been combined together. However, they manage to engage the reader until the end with their unique writing style, and for this reason they will continue to stand the test of time..