Naturalism

A Death in the Woods

"I will be a servant to words

alone." – Sherwood Anderson

What do you think?

That in the beginning when the world was young there were a

great many thoughts but no such thing as truth. Man made the

truths himself and each truth was a composite of a great many

vague thoughts. All about in the world were truths and they were

all beautiful.

- Sherwood Anderson

Make-up work: For each of the following

statements tell me whether you

agree/disagree with the statement in 2-3

sentences each.

1. Some people will just never make something of themselves.

2. Often times the truth is just plain ugly.

3. If people don’t stand up for themselves, it is their own fault and they just shouldn’t complain.

4. Our animal instinct will always rule our lives – no matter how hard we try to hide it.matter how hard we try to hide it.

5. My environment affects me no matter how hard I try to prevent it.

6. We will never be a violence free society.

7. Sometimes we must take part in degrading behavior simply to survive.

8. Human beings are a mess of emotions and those emotions are at war with each other.

Naturalism is a study

of . . .•the unsuccessful

•the deprived•the deprived

•and the inarticulate

Why is this important?

A Naturalist believes that a character is

fundamentally an animal, without free will.

To a Naturalistic writer, a character can be

explained in terms of the forces, usually

heredity and environment, which operate on him/her.

"Realism is a manner and method of composition by which the author

describes normal, average life, in an accurate, truthful way."

"Naturalism is a manner and method

of composition by which the author

portrays 'life as it is' in accordance with

the philosophic theory of determinism."

As in Darwin's theory, only those who

are genetically suited to their

environment will survive and prosper—

a principle most often expressed as

"the survival of the fittest."

Naturalism in

American Literature

A man said to the universe:

“Sir, I exist!”

However, replied the universe.

“The fact has not created in me a sense of obligation.”

- Stephen Crane

What do you think about . . .

� Survival

� Determinism

� Violence

What is their role in

society? Are these

“things”

commonplace or � Violence

� Taboo

Taboo = forbidden to be used,

mentioned, or approached because of

social or cultural rather than legal

prohibitions

commonplace or

rare?

Naturalism

� A type of literature that attempts to apply

scientific principles of objectivity and

detachment to its study of human beings.detachment to its study of human beings.

Since human beings are “human beasts”

characters can be studied through their

relationships to their surroundings.

Naturalism

Human beings are governed by their instincts and passions as well as

heredity and environmentheredity and environment

Subject matter deals with those raw and unpleasant experiences which reduce characters to “degrading” behavior in

the struggle to survive.

Naturalism - Characters

� Ill-educated or lower-class

� Lives are governed by the forces of heredity, instinct, and passionheredity, instinct, and passion

� Attempts at exercising free will or choice are ruined by forces beyond their control

Naturalism -Techniques and plot

� “Clinical, panoramic, slice of life”of life”

� “Chronicle of despair”

Naturalism -Themes

� Survival, determinism, violence, taboo

Taboo = forbidden to be used, mentioned, or approached because of social or cultural approached because of social or cultural

rather than legal prohibitions

� The “brute within” each individual, comprised of strong and often warring emotions, passions.

Conflict is often: man v nature or man v himself

Naturalism -Themes

� Nature as an indifferent force acting on the lives of human beings

� The forces of heredity and � The forces of heredity and environment as they affect and afflict individual lives

� An indifferent, deterministic universe. Often seen are the futile attempts of human beings to exercise free will

“All men lead their lives behind a wall of “All men lead their lives behind a wall of “All men lead their lives behind a wall of “All men lead their lives behind a wall of misunderstanding they have themselves built, misunderstanding they have themselves built, misunderstanding they have themselves built, misunderstanding they have themselves built,

and most men die in silence and unnoticed and most men die in silence and unnoticed and most men die in silence and unnoticed and most men die in silence and unnoticed behind the walls. Now and then a man, cut off behind the walls. Now and then a man, cut off behind the walls. Now and then a man, cut off behind the walls. Now and then a man, cut off

from his fellows by the peculiarities of his from his fellows by the peculiarities of his from his fellows by the peculiarities of his from his fellows by the peculiarities of his from his fellows by the peculiarities of his from his fellows by the peculiarities of his from his fellows by the peculiarities of his from his fellows by the peculiarities of his nature, becomes absorbed in doing something nature, becomes absorbed in doing something nature, becomes absorbed in doing something nature, becomes absorbed in doing something that is personal, useful and beautiful. Word of that is personal, useful and beautiful. Word of that is personal, useful and beautiful. Word of that is personal, useful and beautiful. Word of

his activities is carried over the walls.” his activities is carried over the walls.” his activities is carried over the walls.” his activities is carried over the walls.” ---- Sherwood AndersonSherwood AndersonSherwood AndersonSherwood Anderson

What do you think?

Write down five words

for each of the for each of the

pictures you see . . .

What do you think? – Choose one of these as

a journal and respond as to whether you

agree or disagree in 5-7 sentences. Do not

rewrite the quote – just put which number

you are responding to!

1. The strongest guard is placed at the gateway to nothing, because the condition of emptiness is nothing, because the condition of emptiness is too shameful to be divulged. - F. SCOTT FITZGERALD, Tender is the Night

2. It is easier for a patient to remember trauma than to remember nothing happening when it might have happened. - D. W. WINNICOTT (1974)

“A Death in the Woods”

Read the story – for each of the five

sections please write a one sentence

summary or draw a picture that

symbolically represents the section. symbolically represents the section.

You can do this underneath your

journal! Think carefully and ensure that

you truly represent what that specific

section is addressing!