How is the story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London a good example of Naturalism?
Read this article and then tell us what you think.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalism_(literature)
That death is part of nature and man cannot stop it. If man were able to fight death, the man in the story would have been able to rebuild the fire and survive, but nature as fate prevailed by taking his life. This story also shows man's reliance on nature to survive, and nature's independence from man.
Great!
"To Build a Fire" by Jack London is a prime example of Naturalism due to its emphasis on depicting the power of nature and its indifference to human beings. Naturalism is a literary movement that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by a realistic approach to storytelling, where human beings are portrayed as helpless in the face of larger natural forces.
In order to understand how "To Build a Fire" fits into the naturalistic genre, we can look at several narrative elements:
1. Environmental Determinism: The story showcases the power of the natural environment and its impact on human lives. The protagonist, an unnamed man, is hiking alone in the Yukon Territory in extreme cold weather. He underestimates the severity of the freezing conditions and learns the hard way that nature can be unforgiving. The setting of the story plays a crucial role in determining the man's fate, highlighting the insignificance of human agency compared to the overwhelming forces of nature.
2. Survival of the Fittest: The story depicts the struggle for survival in a harsh and unforgiving environment. The man's lack of preparedness and arrogance lead to his downfall. London presents the man as an ordinary individual whose arrogance and lack of respect for nature prevent him from adapting to his surroundings. This portrayal aligns with the naturalistic belief that the environment can overpower human efforts and only the fittest survive.
3. Objective Narration: London employs an objective narrative style, focusing on factual details and external observations rather than delving into the characters' thoughts and emotions. The story unfolds with a detached tone, emphasizing the man's futile attempts to overcome nature's obstacles. This detached perspective reinforces the naturalistic theme of humans as insignificant in the face of nature's power.
To determine how "To Build a Fire" is a good example of naturalism, it is important to refer to the story itself and critically analyze the elements described above. By examining the setting, the survival struggle, and the objective narrator, one can better understand the naturalistic elements in the story and explain how they contribute to its classification as a naturalistic work.