AL+4+naturalism2

1、Naturalism() Economically: IndustrialismRich vs. PoorFinancial Giants vs. An Industrial Proletariate.g. Slums: the New York Bowery (Stephan Crane) Westward Expansion: railroad push the frontier nearer the Pacific coaste.g. Frank Norriss wheat novelsPhilosophically:Individuals deprived of freedomIndi

2、viduals lacking faith in GodA gloomy outlookIn Literature:Realism vs. NaturalismJack London (1876-1916) American writer: produced work that combines powerful realism and humanitarian sentiment. His brief but colorful life: born in San Francisco, California; worked at various odd jobs; rose from the

3、bottom of society; felt his life distasteful and empty; died on his California ranch at 40.His Major WorksThe Call of the Wild (1903) The Sea-Wolf (1904) A novel based on the authors experiences on a seal-hunting shipWhite Fang (1906)Martin Eden (1909) An autobiographical work of fiction about a wri

4、ters lifeFrank Norris (1870-1902) American Novelist born in Chicago; educated at the University of California & Harvard; worked as a newspaper correspondent the Spanish-American War (1898) + the Boer War (1899-1902). His Notable Works: A Naturalistic Writer McTeague 麦克提格麦克提格 “The Epic of Wheat”

5、小麦史诗小麦史诗An Uncompleted Trilogy:depicts the human dramas arising from the raising, selling, and consumption of wheat, Octopus: A Story of California (1901) The Pit : A Story of Chicago (1903) The Wolf : A Story of Europe never composedStephen Crane (1871-1900) American novelist and poet one of the fi

6、rst American exponents of the naturalistic style of writing His Major Works: Maggie, a Girl of the Streets (1893) the 1st uncompromising naturalistic novel in America, depicting the bitter life of slum dwellers. A story of a good womans downfall and destruction in a slum environment. The Red Badge o

7、f Courage (1895) One of the greatest war novels Gained international recognition as a penetrating and realistic psychological study of a young soldier in the American Civil War (1861-1865) Dealt with the theme of the animal man in a cold, manipulating world. “The Open Boat” His best-known short stor

8、y His experience as a correspondent in Cuba + his ship wreck on the way A pioneer in Naturalistic writing A writer noted for his pessimistic and often brutal portrayals of the human condition, which is relieved by poetic charm and a sympathetic understanding of character One of the recognized precur

9、sors of Imagist poetry, along with Emily Dickinson. (“brief, quotable, with their unrhymed, unorthodox conciseness and impressionistic imagery”)Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945)1. Life & personality: P132-135 A youth against the poverty and narrowness. College life: “did not concern ordinary life at

10、all.” Various jobs in Chicago experiences which he later used in his writing. A self-taught newspaper reporter, a journalist and editor for many years before recognized as a novelist. Another controversial figure : Left-oriented. President of American Authors Society (1941)His Style : Crude style: t

11、he guide and pioneer of naturalism, a new way of presenting reality and inspired the writers of the 1920s with courage and insight. His announced intention to report “the coarse and the vulgar and the cruel and the terrible” in life in defiance of the genteel and evasive current literature with whic

12、h he had absolutely no patience and sympathy. His Theoretical Basis: 1. Darwinism; 2. Non- Christian; 3. Human being : Mechanism. His Belief on Life:Pessimism: Life is miserable.Sister Carrie Setting (scene) of the story: Chicago Analysis of main charactersDreisers first novel was about a prostitute

13、 who becomes prospers and flourished Carries image: “A feather in the wind” P139Drouets image: P142-143The tragedy of Hurstwood: between being a man and a beast in his behavior Questions“Clothes make the man” is an epigram often used in English. How does the author express this idea? In what way it

14、is important to the development of the final part of the chapter? In the first chapter, does the author capture your interest so that you want to read the rest of the novel? Explain your answer. In your opinion, who should be blame for Hurstwoods downfall? Dreisers Themes Life is predatory, a “game”

15、 of the lecherous and heartless, a jungle struggle . Man: merely an animal driven by greed and lust in a struggle for existence in which only the “fittest”, the most ruthless, survive. Man: “a waif and an interloper in Nature,” “a wisp in the wind of social forces” . A warm heart: sympathies always with the oppressed and the weak. Even his famous determinism is essentially sentimental at root. A conviction that man is the end and measure of all things