American Naturalism美国文学自然主义

1、American Naturalism Stephen Crane, Theodore Dreiser, Jack London, and others.Naturalism It is a more deliberate kind of realism, involving a view of human beings as passive victims of natural forces and social environment. The naturalist writers attempted to achieve extreme objectivity and frankness

2、, presenting characters of low social and economic classes who were determined by their environment and heredity（遗传）. Representative writers are Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, Jack London and Theodore Dreiser. The Red Badge of Courage by Crane Sister Carrie by DreiserAmerican Naturalism 1. Origin (1)

3、Industrialism: created a large group of very poor people; lived in slums and could not control their lives; self-reliance disappeared in the fast development of economy (2) The Origin of Species (Charles Darwin, 1859) godless world, human beast, the survival of the fittest, cruel natural law corresp

4、ond with cruel social realitiesAmerican Naturalism (3) Herbert Spencer: Social Darwinism (human controlled by heredity and outside social power) (4) Howells “smiling aspect” realism seems too genteel and even false. The term “naturalism” was created by French writer Emile Zola, who influenced of Fre

5、nch naturalism; Tolstoy and Turgenev came to American literature. 2. Naturalism is a pessimistic form of realism, a harsher one, with deterministic view of man and society.American Naturalism 3. Naturalists attempted to achieve extreme objectivity and frankness, presenting characters of low social a

6、nd economic classes who were dominated by their environment and heredity. The world was amoral, and people had no free will. 4. Significance (1) Breaking through some forbidden area in literature (violence, death, sex, etc.) (2) Greatly influencing the 20th century writers such as Hemingway and Faul

7、kner.Stephen Crane (1871- 1900) The Pioneer of American naturalism 1893 Maggie: A Girl of the Streets , the First American book without providing “way out” or moralizing on social injustice (resistance of her slum life and at last suicide) 1894The Red Badge of Courage (Henry Flaming, a young farmer

8、boy, the changes of a young mans psychological state in the Civil War)Stephen Crane 1895 The Black Riders (poem collection) 1897 “The Open Boat”, “The Blue Hotel” 1898 poems: “War Is Kind”, etc. Crane and Emily Dickinson were two forerunners of Imagism. Basic motif: environment and heredity overwhel

9、m menA Man Said to the Universe A man said to the universe: Sir I exist! However, replied the universe, The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation. A Man Saw a Ball of Gold A man saw a ball of gold in the sky; He climbed for it, And eventually he achieved it - It was clay. Now this is the

10、strange part: When the man went to the earth And looked again, Lo, there was the ball of gold. Now this is the strange part: It was a ball of gold. Aye, by the heavens, it was a ball of gold. I Saw a Man I saw a man pursuing the horizon; Round and round they sped. I was disturbed at this; I accosted

11、 the man. (招呼，搭讪 ) It is futile, I said, You can never - You lie, he cried, And ran on. I Walked in a Desert I walked in a desert. And I cried, Ah, God, take me from this place! A voice said, It is no desert. I cried, Well, But - The sand, the heat, the vacant horizon. A voice said, It is no desert.

12、 In the Desert In the desert I saw a creature, naked, bestial, who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, Is it good, friend? It is bitter - bitter, he answered; But I like it Because it is bitter, And because it is my heart. Bestial bestjl adj. 残忍的，野蛮的，缺乏智慧的

13、 The Open Boat Human beings in front of natural disaster Nature and man: indifferent Brotherhood Frank Norris (1870-1902) A leader of the Naturalism movement. Norris believed that a novel should serve a moral purpose. The novel with a purpose, he explained, brings the tragedies and griefs of others

14、to notice and prove(s) that injustice, crime, and inequality do exist. 1899 McTeague , tells how economic circumstances, alcoholism, heredity, and chance compel a man to become a murderer. Wheat trilogy： The Octopus: A Story of California (章鱼 1901): the conflict of power of Nature (the farmers) and

15、the mechanic forces (the railroad), and the farmers are defeated by “inevitable” economic forces The Pit: A Story of Chicago (深渊1902) His characters are often unable to control their own lives. They are moved around by passions or by fate. The whole world, natural and human, is a battlefield between

16、 uncontrollable forces. The Wolf: A Story of Europe (unfinished)Theodore Dreiser (1871 1945) Life (1) Indiana, German-speaking family (2) Extremely poor childhood (3) Worked as a reporter and his first book Sister Carrie was rejected many times (4) In his later life, he turned to Communism.Works (1)

17、 Sister Carrie (Carrie Meeber, Drouet, Hurstwood, Ames; no control of her own life; driving blindly to catch all opportunities to make life better) (2) An American Tragedy , the masterpiece of Dreiser (Clyde Griffiths) (3) Cowperwood trilogy His influence is evident in the works of Sherwood Anderson

18、, Sinclair Lewis and Ernest Hemingway Analysis (1) Social Darwinism (man only drive by desire; only fittest can live in the society) (2) Style: formless, dull, crude(粗糙的 ), solemn and ponderous(笨重的 ), “the worlds worst great writer” (3) Powerful depiction of American social life and moving character

19、sJack London (1876 1916) Life born in San Francisco lived in the lowest part of society in his youth decided to change his life by intellectual effort his works were rejected many times at last succeeded and became a millionaire Fame and upper class life made him feel boring; committed suicideWorks

20、1903 The Call of the Wild (story of Buck,a dog) White Fang (story of a wolf) 1904 The Sea Wolf Martin Eden , autobiographical A solid craftsman, esp. of short stories “Love of life” 3. Analysis (1) Social Darwinism, Neitzchean superman, socialist doctrines of Marx (2) Naturalism mingled with Romanti

21、cism (3) Limitations: formless, clumsy yet vigorous style; stiff and stereotyped characters and dialogues Sympathetic treatment of the convict and tramp, hence called the “spokesman of the working class”O. Henry Original name: William Sidney Porter He was good at writing clever short stories and emp

22、loy New York City as the background. His stories showed his sympathy with the lower class. He always created the special effect described as “tears with smile” for his stories and always with surprising endings. His famous stories include “The Gift of the Magi”, “The Last Leaf” and “The Cop and the

23、Anthem”. His short stories are somewhat like those of French writer Maupassant.E. A. Robinson (1896-1935) 1896 Children of the Night 1910 The Town down the River “Eros Turannos” (means in Greek: Love, the Tyrant) “Richard Cory” “Miniver Cheevy”Richard Cory Whenever Richard Cory went down town, We pe

24、ople on the pavement looked at him: He was a gentleman from sole to crown, Clean favored, and imperially slim.And he was always quietly arrayed, And he was always human when he talked; But still he fluttered pulses when he said, Good-morning, and he glittered when he walked.Notes: “clean favored” ma

25、y imply both that Cory is well groomed and that he is clearly a man of privilege. Conservatively but very well dressed And he was richyes, richer than a king And admirably schooled in every grace: In fine, we thought that he was everything To make us wish that we were in his place. So on we worked,

26、and waited for the light, And went without the meat, and cursed the bread; And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet through his head.Questions: What kind of man is Richard Cory? What kind of man is the speaker? What is the speakers attitude to Richard Cory? What happened t

27、o Richard Cory and why?Miniver Cheevy Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,Grew lean while he assailed the seasons; (猛烈攻击 )He wept that he was ever born,And he had reasons.Miniver loved the days of oldWhen swords were bright and steeds were prancing; (战马, 腾跃 )The vision of a warrior boldWould set him dancing.Miniver sighed for what was not,And dreamed, and rested from his labors;He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,And Priams neighbors. Miniver mourned the