Naturalism Questions
Bring on the tough stuff. There's not just one right answer.
- Naturalism developed out of Realism, and shares many characteristics in common with it. How can we draw a distinction between the two movements? Are all Naturalist writers Realists?
- Naturalism as a movement was very heavily influenced by scientific developments. What does this suggest about the relationship between literature and science? Are literature and science two separate fields, or can we think of them as interconnected?
- Naturalism first developed in Europe and then spread to the U.S. Can we identify any contrasts between Naturalism as it developed in these two places? How does American Naturalism compare (and contrast) with European Naturalism?
- The novel was the preferred genre of Naturalist writers. Why do you think this was the case? What about the novel as a literary form lent itself to the aims and goals of the Naturalists?
- Poverty is a major theme in Naturalist fiction. Why do you think Naturalist writers were so interested in writing about poor characters and about contexts of extreme poverty?
- Naturalist fiction often depicts people as having no ability to overcome their circumstances or to change their destinies. Is Naturalist fiction too pessimistic?
- Can we study society in the same way that we can study the natural world? What are some parallels and contrasts between "social" environments and "natural" environments?
- Does Naturalism's emphasis on the idea that we are products of our environment allow us, as readers, to evade social responsibility? That is, if we are shaped by our environment, but are powerless to shape our environment in turn, does that mean that we can't change the societies in which we live?
- Survival is a big theme in Naturalist fiction. Why do you think that is?
- Why do you think that Naturalist fiction is often narrated from a detached, clinical narrative voice?