Final answer:
Stephen Crane and Mark Twain were among the heavyweights in the literary field during the era of realism, while Jack London was a key figure in naturalism. Notable figures such as Hemingway, Faulkner, and Steinbeck were later and more associated with modernism.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the dominance of realism and naturalism in literature, several authors stood out as juggernauts in the literary marketplace. Notable among these were Stephen Crane, known for his stark stories such as those about life during the Civil War, and Mark Twain, who sought realism in his novels like 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'.
In addition, writers like Jack London took on naturalism's mantle, embracing Darwin's ideas to explore the impact of heredity and environment on humanity, as seen in works like 'The Call of the Wild'. Although Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and John Steinbeck were significant literary figures, their prominence was more aligned with modernism rather than the period of realism and naturalism.