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Chapter 7 American Naturalism

Chapter 7 American Naturalism. The last decade of the 19 th century. Historical Background. 1. Charles Darwin (1809-1882) and his Origin of Species (1859) The struggle for the existence, natural selection, survival of the fittest.

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Chapter 7 American Naturalism

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  1. Chapter 7 American Naturalism The last decade of the 19th century

  2. Historical Background • 1. Charles Darwin (1809-1882) and his Origin of Species (1859) • The struggle for the existence, natural selection, survival of the fittest

  3. Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) and his social Darwinism (the weak & stupid would fall victim to economic forces in the natural course of events) • A distorted and narrow interpretation of the concept natural selection to human cultural systems • Application of social Darwinism-pseudo-evolution (military action, colonialism and even Nazi Eugenics Programs)

  4. Naturalism: A more deliberate kind of realism in novels, stories ,and plays, usu involving a view of human beings as passive victims of natural forces &social environment. As a literary movement, naturalism was initiated in France , but it came to be led by Emile Zola.

  5. Major features of Naturalism • Men are controlled by heredity and environment (pessimistic determinism) • The universe is cold, godless and hostile to human desires. (struggle for existence) • Naturalistic characters are not dehumanized, and their struggle for life and dignity make them heroic.

  6. Key difference between realism and naturalism • The focus on technique vs. the focus on the hostile forces against men • The smiling side vs. the dark side of life • Sense vs. scientific observation

  7. Representative works • The most significant work of naturalism in English being Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie. • Stephen Crane: Maggie, A Girl of the Streets ------the first American naturalistic novel short story: The Open Boat Frank Norris Trilogy: The Octopus The Pit The Wolf (never written) Jack London The Call of the Wild The Sea Wolf Martin Eden O’Henry: The Gift of the Magi, The Cop and the Anthem

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