Naturalism in Literature

Naturalism in literature was a branch of Realism, that began from 1865-1900. Let's
see more about this important era in literature, through the following write-up...
"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary
competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the
deserts that our lives have already become." - C.S. Lewis, a British novelist and
scholar.

The definition states that, 'Naturalism in literature was a literary movement, that
began in the late nineteenth century (1865-1900) in film, art, literature and theater
that portrays common values of an ordinary individual.' Naturalism was a literary
movement that suggested the involvement of environment, heredity and social
conditions in shaping the human character. Naturalism or literary naturalism,
originated as a French movement, where the naturalistic writers were influenced by
the theory of evolution of Charles Darwin and the ideas of Hippolyte Taine, a
philosopher. Naturalistic writers wrote stories that adopted the perspective that a
person's character is determined by one's lineage and environment. The term
'naturalism' was coined by Emile Zola, an influential French writer. He was also an
important contributor towards the development of theatrical naturalism. Some other
famous writers associated with naturalism are Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, Jack
London and Theodore Dreiser.

Features of Naturalism
There are four main characteristics of naturalism. They are listed as under
The main characteristic of literary naturalism is pessimism, where a character tends
to repeat a phrase having a pessimistic outlook, which sometimes emphasizes the
inevitability and quality of death.
Detachment from the main story is another characteristic of literary naturalism. The
author tries to maintain an objective tone and sometimes achieves detachment or
change by introducing nameless characters. This focuses mainly on the plot and
character rather than focusing on the character only. This method was more common
among modernist writers like Ernest Hemingway.
In determinism, which is the third characteristic of naturalism, the notion that
individual characters have a direct influence on their lives is replaced by a focus on
fate or nature and is the opposite of the belief of free will. The author makes the
reader believe that the fate of the character has already been predetermined by
certain factors, specially environmental factors and he can do nothing to change it.
One common characteristic of literary naturalism is the surprising twist at the end of
the plot. There is a strong sense in the naturalist stories and novels that nature is not
affected by human struggle. The key themes, survival, determinism, violence, and
taboo, have been ideally portrayed in all the works of this literature genre.

Realism vs Naturalism in Literature

Though naturalism and realism are inter-related, they are two different genres of
literature. Here are a few differences between realism and naturalism:
The history of naturalism can be traced back to the nineteenth century where this
movement was supposed to be the extreme form of realism. As compared to
romanticism and realism, naturalism is a more recent movement in the literary cycle.
Naturalism in Literature

The focus of realism is on literary technique, whereas naturalism connotes a

philosophical pessimism, where writers apply scientific method to their writings and
depict human beings as an objective and impartial character.
Realism portrays things the way they might appear to be, while naturalism shows a
deterministic view of a person's life and actions. This can be seen in Stephen Crane's
The Open Boat and The Blue Hotel
Realism shows that a person's decision is based upon his response to the situation,
whereas naturalism concludes that a person's decision is predetermined by natural
forces that make him act in a certain way.

Some Naturalist Writers and their Works

There are many renowned writers who have created mesmerizing novels, short
stories and the like using this writing style. Given below are a few authors and their
famous masterpieces, for which they are quite well-known in the world of literary art.
Ambrose Bierce - The Fiend's Delight (novella), Cobwebs from an Empty Skull (short
story collection)
Abraham Cahan - The Making of an American Citizen
Don DeLillo - Americana (novel), The Angel Esmeralda: Nine Stories (short story
collection), The Engineer of Moonlight (play)
Ernest Hemingway - "Indian Camp, The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, The
Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber
E. W. Howe - The Story of a Country Town, The Mystery of the Locks, The Moonlight
Boy
Edith Wharton - The House of Mirth
Edward Eggleston - The Hoosier School-Master
Ellen Glasgow - Barren Ground
Frank Norris - McTeague , The Octopus: A Story of California, and The Pit
Hamlin Garland - Rose of Dutcher's Coolly
Harold Frederic - The Damnation of Theron Ware
Harriet Arnow - The Dollmaker
Henry Blake Fuller - The Cliff-Dwellers
Hubert Selby, Jr. - Last Exit to Brooklyn and Requiem for a Dream
Jack London - Call of the Wild and White Fang (novels), To Build a Fire, An Odyssey
of the North, and Love of Life (short stories)
James T. Farrell - Studs Lonigan
John Dos Passos - U.S.A. Trilogy, The 2nd Parallel and The Big Money
John Steinbeck - The Grapes of Wrath
Joseph Kirkland - Zury: The Meanest Man in Spring County, The McVeys, The
Captain of Company K
Joyce Carol Oates - Black Water, What I Lived For, Blonde
Kate Chopin - The Awakening
Nelson Algren - The Man with the Golden Arm
Norman Mailer - The Naked and the Dead
Paul Laurence Dunbar - The Sport of the Gods
Rebecca Harding Davis - Life in the Iron Mills (novella)
Richard Wright - Native Son, Black Boy
Naturalism in Literature

Robert Herrick - The Memoirs of an American Citizen

Saul Bellow - The Adventures of Augie March
Sherwood Anderson - Winesburg, Ohio, Many Marriages
Stephen Crane - Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, The Red Badge of Courage and
George's Mother
Theodore Dreiser - Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy
William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying and Light in August
William Styron - Lie Down in Darkness
Upton Sinclair - The Jungle
Naturalism is a literary movement that is derived from Realism, which not only
depicts real life but also probes deeper to seek the characteristic reminiscent of
Romanticism. Naturalism in the world of literature has an identity of its own due to the
philosophical inclination in its naturalistic writings.