NaturalismNaturalism

NATURALISM AND ITS INFLUENCE NATURALISM AND ITS INFLUENCE ON JOHN STEINBECKON JOHN STEINBECK

Naturalism refers to a literary movement in American Naturalism refers to a literary movement in American fiction that reached its peak popularity at the turn of the fiction that reached its peak popularity at the turn of the 2020thth century. century.

Early naturalistic writers included Stephen Crane (“The Early naturalistic writers included Stephen Crane (“The Red Badge of Courage”) and Jack London (“The Call Red Badge of Courage”) and Jack London (“The Call of the Wild”).of the Wild”).

At the heart of this idea is something called At the heart of this idea is something called “pessimistic determinism”: the notion that the causes of “pessimistic determinism”: the notion that the causes of human tragedy lie beyond the powers of the individual. human tragedy lie beyond the powers of the individual.

NaturalismNaturalism This movement was influenced by Marxist This movement was influenced by Marxist

theory (as in Karl Marx): the idea that class theory (as in Karl Marx): the idea that class struggle is the central component of social struggle is the central component of social change. This was coupled with economic and change. This was coupled with economic and other problems that came from American other problems that came from American changing from an agricultural to a more urban changing from an agricultural to a more urban culture by the end of the 1800s. culture by the end of the 1800s.

This combination portrayed socio-economic This combination portrayed socio-economic forces that overwhelm individual lives.forces that overwhelm individual lives.

NaturalismNaturalism Naturalists focused on the lives of lower-class Naturalists focused on the lives of lower-class

characters struggling for survival in an alien characters struggling for survival in an alien and often hostile society – a society that was and often hostile society – a society that was insensitive to their personal needs for insensitive to their personal needs for fulfillment or self-expression.fulfillment or self-expression.

Often, these characters are in some way Often, these characters are in some way grotesque, mentally retarded, or misshapen grotesque, mentally retarded, or misshapen victims of genetic accident. Sometimes, they victims of genetic accident. Sometimes, they are people obsessed by greed or a compulsive are people obsessed by greed or a compulsive plan for success that ultimately destroys them.plan for success that ultimately destroys them.

NaturalismNaturalism These characters’ stories are often told by an These characters’ stories are often told by an

all-knowing narrator who knows about all-knowing narrator who knows about deterministic factors far beyond the knowledge deterministic factors far beyond the knowledge of the characters affected by them.of the characters affected by them.

The plots of Naturalism tend to depict the The plots of Naturalism tend to depict the downward spiral of impending tragedy, and downward spiral of impending tragedy, and there is normally very little suspense about the there is normally very little suspense about the final outcome of events.final outcome of events.

No one emerges triumphant in a naturalistic No one emerges triumphant in a naturalistic novel, because simple survival equates to a novel, because simple survival equates to a moral victory.moral victory.

NaturalismNaturalism John Steinbeck was John Steinbeck was notnot a dedicated a dedicated

student of American Naturalism, yet his student of American Naturalism, yet his themes and methods are often closely themes and methods are often closely tied to this literary tendency. We will look tied to this literary tendency. We will look at this as we read “Of Mice and Men.”at this as we read “Of Mice and Men.”