Realism & Naturalism

Realism

Definition:

• A literary movement focused on everyday life, ordinary people, and an objective portrayal of reality.

• Sought to depict life as it is, without romanticizing or idealizing it.

Realism

Key Characteristics:

• Focus on the ordinary: Realist works often center on middle or lower-class characters and their struggles.

• Complex characters: Characters are realistic, multidimensional, and morally ambiguous.

• Ethical dilemmas: Themes often include social issues, morality, and personal responsibility.

• Detailed settings: Emphasis on creating an authentic sense of place, often through meticulous description.

• Objective narration: Authors avoid overt judgment or moralizing, letting events speak for themselves.

Realism

Historical Context:

• Industrial Revolution: A shift from agrarian to industrial societies led to urbanization and social change, providing fertile ground for stories about ordinary people adapting to these changes.

• Post-Civil War Era (in the U.S.): The aftermath of the Civil War brought a need for honest reflection on society, prompting writers to move away from Romantic idealism.

• Rise of the middle class: The growing influence of middle-class life inspired stories about realistic economic and social challenges.

Realism

Major Authors and Works:

• Mark Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – A realistic portrayal of life on the Mississippi River.

• Henry James: The Portrait of a Lady – Examines social class and personal choice.

• Kate Chopin: “The Story of an Hour” – Explores emotions and societal expectations of women.

Naturalism 

Definition:

• An extension of Realism that emphasizes determinism, the impact of nature vs. human struggle, and the application of scientific principles to literature.

• Often depicts humans as products of their environment, heredity, and social conditions.

Naturalism

Historical Context:

• Darwin’s Influence: Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859) introduced ideas of evolution and natural selection, which influenced Naturalist views of human existence as shaped by biology and environment.

• Industrial Revolution: Harsh working conditions, poverty, and urbanization highlighted human vulnerability to larger forces.

• Advances in psychology and sociology: Writers were inspired to explore the impact of societal structures on individual lives.

Naturalism

Key Characteristics:

• Determinism: Characters are often controlled by forces beyond their control, such as fate, heredity, or environment.

• Nature as an antagonist: The natural world is frequently portrayed as indifferent or even hostile to human life.

• Focus on survival: Stories highlight primal struggles and often end in tragedy.

• Scientific objectivity: Inspired by Darwinism and the scientific method, Naturalist works examine human behavior and outcomes like experiments.

• Bleak tone: Often pessimistic, with an emphasis on suffering and the inevitability of outcomes.

Naturalism

Determinism is the philosophical concept that every event, including human actions, is determined by prior causes. It suggests that everything in the universe follows a chain of cause and effect, leaving no room for randomness or free will in decision-making.

In literature, particularly in Naturalism, determinism is a central theme. It often portrays characters as being shaped or controlled by forces beyond their control, such as:

• Nature: Harsh environments or natural laws.

• Heredity: Traits and tendencies passed down from ancestors.

• Society: Economic or social pressures that dictate a character's options.

• Fate: A sense that outcomes are inevitable, regardless of human effort.

Naturalism

Major Authors and Works:

• Jack London: “To Build a Fire” – Explores man’s struggle against nature and his own limitations.

• Stephen Crane: “The Open Boat” – Examines the indifference of nature and the vulnerability of humans.