Preview

Zola's Naturalism

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
470 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Zola's Naturalism
Many critics fail to make a distinction between "realism" and "naturalism." Certainly, the distinction does not involve a major critical view. Realism might be most simply explained as an attempt to present life with a large degree of verisimilitude. As a movement, realism preceded naturalism, and the latter movement is essentially an attempt to carry the position of the realist to a further degree. Sometimes naturalism is called "stark realism."

The naturalist thought that the realist had not treated all aspects of life and was determined to show everything connected with life. The naturalist also accused the realist of failing to depict things which are unpleasant, ugly, or sordid. Consequently, the naturalist often concentrates to a greater extent on those aspects of life which are of dubious value, and seldom does it depict the higher nature of humanity.

In theory, the naturalist saw humanity trapped by forces which it could not control. Humanity is caught in a hostile universe and there is no chance for it to escape. When humanity realizes its trap or if it attempts to escape, it is usually reduced to the level of an animal. In general, the naturalistic philosophy might be called pessimistic determinism — that is, humans are totally unable to control their own destinies.

With this philosophy, the naturalist will often use the image of humanity trapped in some type of cage or in some type of circumstances which could be symbolically viewed as a net or cage. Then the dominant image will often involve a person as some sort of animal. The naturalist uses this animal imagery to reinforce the position that people cannot control their urges and are ultimately reduced to bestiality. The French Zola and the American Frank Norris are the most famous for their uses of animal imagery to depict the lack of nobility in humanity.

The naturalist, wishing to capture verisimilitude to the nth degree, would often belabor his descriptions. Many times, this type of

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In reference to literary movements, naturalism and realism are quite similar but have clear differences to each other. Realism refers to writings that are based off the “real world” and the way a human in the real world would usually live their life. Naturalism is in a way a branch of realism and the stark difference between the two is that literary naturalist deemed that nature – things out of human control – determine humans/characters circumstances.…

    • 1170 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Night by Elie Wiesel a memoir about his time in the Holocaust concentration camps Elie used animal imagery. Animal imagery is when someone uses animal instincts and behavior to define the characteristics of a human. Using animal imagery, he accomplished multiple things. One of them is showing how the prisoners act and how this experience has changed them and made them animal-like. Most people know how animals act. An by using animal imagery the author gives the reader a greater understanding of the situation. There is evidence backed by many examples in Elie’s writing.…

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Since the beginning of time, man has always relied on a close relationship with nature. It…

    • 658 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ap Biology Chapter 4-6

    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Short Essay: Why are the anthropic principle characteristics that are unessential for biological life more difficult for a naturalist to explain than the anthropic principle characteristics that are essential for biological life?…

    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    8. realism The style of art and literature that seeks to depict the physical world and human life with scientific objectivity and detached observation.…

    • 653 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Both realism and naturalism share the same domain of the haves and have- nots. Realism…

    • 471 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Intro to Huck Fin

    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Realist-preceding this era was the Romantic era--we saw the individual as a God--that all the potential in the world is wrapped up in each one of us--very optimistic…

    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Comparing Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melville's Writings Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melville focused their writings on how man was affected by nature. They translated their philosophies though both the portrayal of their protagonist and their own self exploration. In Moby Dick, Melville writes about Ahab's physical and metaphysical struggle over the great white whale, Moby Dick, symbolic of man's struggle against the overwhelming forces of nature. Ahab's quest is reported and experienced through the eyes of Ishmael.…

    • 1726 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Realism --> looks at real situations and relations; explores the poetic dimension including the symbolism of the play.…

    • 5150 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Naturalism is a very intense style of literature that an author can use. With naturalism, the author is trying to convey knowledge acquired through the senses and experiences they them selves have been through. In the novel of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, he portrays elements of naturalism through his very own sights and experiences. During the depression John Steinbeck got a first hand dose of what it meant to deal with sordid aspects of life. Just like his book, he portrays his accounts using highly realistic settings, and brutal characters with foul mouths that deal with depressing issues of life. In the real world things happen, but in the world of Mice and Men, nothing ever seems to happen the way the characters hope.…

    • 716 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Inalienable Rights of Nature The poem “When Serpents Bargain for the Right to Squirm” by E. E. Cummings concerns the will and motivation behind human action and how it affects the nature of man in its animalistic state. Cummings introduces a number of characters from nature. The characters are about to engage in an action, which would otherwise be natural, but is hampered through the nuisance of some human ridiculousness. The serpent has the natural ability to squirm and move about the earth, but when it barters for this inalienable right it seems absurd.…

    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Abstract: By analyzing the basic naturalistic features, namely the controlling power of environment and heredity, it is expected that the naturalistic tendency, at least naturalistic features of the novel can be revealed and some enlightenments on the world view of the contemporary can be gained. The early part of the thesis provides a frame by giving the research background and synopsis, while the later sections aim at approaching the conclusion at the efforts of unveiling the naturalistic features in the novel. Key words: naturalistic perspective; naturalistic tendency; Enlightenments on world view…

    • 1880 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Naturalism showed a slice of life as it really is, without putting up a show for the audience you see a gritty unpleasant side of life which pays very close attention to detail and behavior, often including…

    • 463 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Maggie & Sister Carrie

    • 1071 Words
    • 5 Pages

    - Naturalists “studied human beings” as “ruled by their instincts and passions as well as the ways in which the characters’ lives were ruled by forces of heredity (erblichkeit) and environment” (Campbell).…

    • 1071 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The relationship between humans and nature has been interactive, chaotic, and complex. From a many human viewpoints, nature can be considered as both a source of everyday needs, and an adversary, a rather indefinite force which we interact with. Many people today consider themselves a separate entity, existing completely outside, if not above nature, especially in western cultures. Yet, nature was not always perceived as such. Over the centuries, people have thought of nature in a number of different ways, depending on their connection to nature at the time.…

    • 923 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays