Naturalism Flashcards
Naturalism
Embraces lack of free will and rejects the ordinary. Embraces the amoral view of the reality: world is neither moral or immoral.
Test of Realism
Do the characters have free will? If yes, then congrats - realism detected.
Upton Sinclair
A journalist who represents expose journalism (exposing corruption in government and businesses).
Worked in meatpacking plant in Chicago for several weeks undercover.
The Jungle
Upton Sinclair. A book that alerted society on the gross irregularities in business; created a panic - Sinclair showed how business violated all sanitary regulations, and workers (mostly immigrants) were exploited; rats and fingers in sausages - meat inspection act was passed because of this book.
Stephen Crane
One of most important naturalist american writers; bleakly nihilistic; fundamentally indifferent universe - nature is also indifferent.
Maggie: A girl of the Streets
Stephen Crane. Maggie is born into poverty, narrator has sympathy for her (unorthodox for naturalism); because she was born in slums, she becomes a prostitute and FUCKING DIES
The Red Badge of Courage
Stephen Crane. Portrayal of a Civil War - pov of a soldier who enters civil war with baggage of romantic illusion, and is clashed with a reality; thinks that war is a test of manhood, but during first battle runs away from the battlefield.
Fear is a natural instinct, all living forces are motivated by danger ; all characters are archetypes. In order to return to the regiment he needs the red badge of courage (a wound) - he receives it not in combat, but accidentally, and pretends that he was wounded in combat.
War experience not as a glorious affair, but something sorted, brutal, and irrational.
Call of the Wild
Jack London. Central animal character - a dog, removed from civilized life exposed to danger.
Call of the Wild
Jack London. Central animal character - a dog, removed from civilized life exposed to danger.
White Fang
Jack London. A young wolf dog gradually becomes a house pet in California - translating laws of nature on laws of human - hierarchy, conflicts.
Theodore Draiser
In his novels everyone acts in response to their impulses, no one makes free choices, settings predetermine human choices - urban cities express characters’ desires that cannot be satisfied.
Sister Carrie
Theodore Draiser. Carrie achieves success, because she is helped by two lovers; virtue not rewarded, vice not punished. Carrie is seduced by wealth, merchandise, customer culture; Carrie advances in the world, Hurstwood goes down in the world, ends up on the street and dies. They cannot be fully accountable for their choices - determinism.
An American Tragedy
Theodore Dreiser. Young talented man dreams of success, works hard, wooes women who lie beyond his reach. Is involved in two accidents, where girls lose their lives - circumstances drew him relentlessly to get rid of the women.
Trilogy of Desire
Theodore Dreiser. A success story that focus on an industrialist - only the fittest survive, social darwinism
- The Financier
- The Titan
- The Stoic
