1 / 11

Naturalism

Naturalism. Patsy Hamby. Influences on Naturalism. Evolutionary theory of Darwinism Survival of the fittest Studies related to social environment Feelings, attitudes of the local community What determines one’s character? What influences one’s actions?. Characteristics.

scott
Download Presentation

Naturalism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Naturalism Patsy Hamby

  2. Influences on Naturalism • Evolutionary theory of Darwinism • Survival of the fittest • Studies related to social environment • Feelings, attitudes of the local community What determines one’s character? What influences one’s actions?

  3. Characteristics • Dark harshness of life • Pessimism • Life is looked upon as a downhill struggle with the only outcome in passiveness or death. • Determinism • No free will; control taken over by nature or fate • Forces beyond man’s control • Nature indifferent to the human struggle

  4. Based on Determinism • Determinism: • Man responds to environmental forces and internal stresses or drives. • Has no control over the environment • Does not understand the environment

  5. Biological Determinism Man is an animal endlessly engaged in a brutal struggle for survival (Darwin)

  6. Psychological Determinism Man cannot control his emotions or actions very easily. Man is an animal driven by fundamental urges --- fear, hunger, etc. (Freud).

  7. Socioeconomic Determinism Man is a victim of his environment because he has little control over the social and economic factors in the environment (Marx).

  8. Mechanical Determinism Technology is growing out of control and will so dehumanize the society. Man will be replaced by machines which can do things better and faster (Newton).

  9. CHARACTERS • In conflict • Man vs nature • At the mercy of nature • Nature always wins • Man vs self • Attempts to control his own fate are futile • No such thing as “free will” • Fighting for survival • Detachment • Nameless characters

  10. Jack London (1876-1916): The Call of the Wild White Fang “To Build a Fire”

  11. Stephen Crane (1871-1900) The Red Badge of Courage “The Open Boat”

More Related