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Naturalism
Naturalism is a movement that falls under the category of Realism. However, the two are different. Realism focuses more on the fact that characters’ and people’s actions determine their fate, and also views things how they really are. Whereas naturalism focuses on a more negative view of things, and that natural forces have already decided someone’s fate, despite the actions or behaviors they follow through with. -
Naturalism (continued)
Although these works were more prominent in the past, they have lead to the development of the modern movement. It is more common that literary works written in naturalistic forms expose the darker topics in life such as poverty, racism, and illness. While these works are written in a more pessimistic view, naturalists still aim to improve life around the world. -
Naturalism Themes
Fate is inevitable-
Naturalism is very big on this theme because it states that natural forces, such as fate, control a person’s future. No matter what a person does or says, their life is still predetermined by fate and it cannot be avoided.
Survival of the fittest-
Naturalists believe that evolution and nature play a part in a person’s fate, and that the people who are best adapted to their environment will survive the longest. -
Other Naturalistic Beliefs
Naturalists believe that there is no creator, just evolution. They also believe that experiences like pain, beauty, pleasure, and sense of self are not real, they are just physiological reactions, and that humans are not different or better than animals. Finally they believe that man is cruel, egotistical, and selfish, but this is necessary to survive. -
First Nationwide strike/ Railroad strikes
Because of increased work hours and days with decreased pay, people began to go on strike against workplaces. Federal troops began to break up the strikes but at the same time people were destroying property in several cities. State militias were also brought to protect the people attempting to break up the strikes. Because of all of this, people began to hire strikebreakers and companies began to go against the Union. -
Homestead Strike
One of the most productive steel companies, Carnegie Steel Company began to go against Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel workers and the 1889 strike went in the favor of the steel workers with a 3 year contract. These workers believed they were in the clear until 1892 when Andrew Carnegie decided that nothing would stop him from breaking the Union. -
Homestead Strike (continued)
The plant manager, Henry Frick began to change many things such as production demands and when the Union began to disobey and not abide by what they wanted he began to lock them out of the steel company. Although the Union was the minority within the plant, many other workers also joined the strike against Carnegie’s company. After the Union competed with the Pinkerton’s sent out by Frick., the Pinkerton’s then surrendered. Strikebreakers then got the plant running again but hours became longer. -
Books/Works of Literature
1890: How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis
1895: The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
1901: Harriet, The Moses of Her People by Sarah H. Bradford
1903: The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
1904: The History of Standard Oil by Ida Tarbell
1906: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
1914: Family Limitation by Margaret Sanger -
Progressive Movement
People began to want to correct many social and economic issues going on within their society. People had their own opinions on how to do so but they all had one common goal, protect the people, spread economic reform, and protect social welfare. In result, child labor laws became in affect in order to prevent children from working such long hours. -
Period: to
Books/ Works of Literature
1890: How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis
1895: The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
1901: Harriet, The Moses of Her People by Sarah H. Bradford
1903: The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
1904: The History of Standard Oil by Ida Tarbell
1906: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
1914: Family Limitation by Margaret Sanger -
Temperance Movement
People felt as if they should ban alcohol because they said it was destroying the lives of families. The majority of the people that supported this were women. Many people became rich off of buying illegal alcohol and distributing it to people. Later in 1920, Congress passed the 18th Amendment which banned alcohol and the making of it in the United States. -
Authors
Emile Zola: Considered to be the “father of the Naturalism movement” of literature.
Émile-Édouard-Charles-Antoine Zola was born in Paris, France on April 2, 1840.
Novel: L'Assommoir: the seventh novel in Émile Zola's twenty-volume series Les Rougon-Macquart. Usually considered one of Zola's masterpieces- a study of alcoholism and poverty in the working-class
Zola died in Paris on September 28, 1902 of asphyxiation from coal gas resulting from a blocked chimney. -
Authors (continued)
Rachel Carson:
Rachel Louise Carson was an American marine biologist, author, and conservationist whose book Silent Spring and other writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement.
Book: Silent Spring
Born: May 27, 1907 in Springdale, Pennsylvania.
Died: April 14,1964 in Spring, Maryland.
