Realism
The description of the story relates to the topic of realism. Realism, in layman terms, is used in a period of time in literature and art where artists and writers express their works through the point of view of the lower class. In Norris' novel, McTeague, the street itself symbolizes the life of the middle class stating that, The street never failed to interest him. It was one of those cross streets peculiar to Western cities, situated in the people who lived in the rooms above their shops (Norris 8-9). The street is expressed as the heart of the working class because that is where the customers are, business is started, and how the owners of the shop try to get the attention of the consumers. The street relates to realism because the street is viewed as something that is very much valued by the lower class, especially McTeague, because of the businesses made. Realism is expressed throughout the beginning of the story due to the amount of ideas that is valued by the middle class.

Symbolism
The interesting factors that were mentioned that symbolizes hard work and the middle class are trash, junk, and gold. Maria Macapa is an interesting character because she hides the fact that she collects junk and trash to a man who is gold-crazed who goes by the name of Zekrom for three cents a pound by going to people whose offices she cleans and asking them for trash. Once in a while, she steal gold from McTeague. The trash and junk is expressed as a desperate desire for people to make a living. Here the expression, One mans trash is another mans treasure, is in effect. Zekrom shows that his life goal is to own at least a speck of gold. Gold to him means that he is wealthy. Zekrom was very amazed when Maria told him about the story of her past explaining the luxuries that she lived with and the gold that she had encountered when she lived in Central America. The trash and junk symbolizes a way for the lower class to make a living, while ...