fictionnaturalism

Naturalism in fiction is a literary movement that emerged in the late 19th century, particularly in France, as an extension of realism. It seeks to portray life and human conduct realistically, often focusing on the lives of the lower classes and the impact of heredity and environment on individuals. Naturalistic writers often depicted characters as being at the mercy of forces beyond their control, such as biological drives, societal pressures, and deterministic laws of nature.

Key tenets of naturalism include a scientific approach to storytelling, viewing characters as specimens to be studied objectively. The narrative often emphasizes the darker aspects of life, including poverty, disease, violence, and moral degradation, without overt judgment or sentimentality. Authors aimed to demonstrate how characters' destinies are shaped by their inherent nature and the circumstances into which they are born or thrust, suggesting a lack of free will.

Prominent figures associated with naturalism include Émile Zola in France, who theorized its principles and exemplified them in novels like "Germinal" and "Thérèse Raquin." In the United States, writers such as Stephen Crane, Theodore Dreiser, and Jack London adopted naturalistic approaches. Their works often explored themes of survival, the struggle against overwhelming odds, and the raw, often brutal, realities of existence. Naturalism's influence can be seen in later literary movements and in contemporary explorations of human vulnerability and societal determinism.