Final answer:
Literary realists preferred novels to poems as novels provided a platform to express their social views.
Step-by-step explanation:
Literary realists of the mid-nineteenth century preferred novels to poems because they could express their social views through their characters.
Novels allowed them to depict a wider range of characters and settings, enabling them to address social issues and criticize society in a more comprehensive manner.
This was especially important during a time when society was undergoing significant changes due to industrialization and urbanization.
Learn more about Preference for novels over poems