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Naturalism american literature
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D.H. Lawrence was a very notable writer in his prime and although he was not known for being an active practitioner of naturalism during the literary period of naturalism, Lawrence used this type of literary work exceptionally well. D.H. Lawrence used the characters, themes and motifs throughout The Rainbow, and Lady Chatterley’s Lover to exemplify the themes, motifs and characterization techniques used by many authors during the naturalism period.
D.H. Lawrence exemplified the main themes of the naturalism literary period throughout many of his novels, one especially including his short novel The Rainbow. The second tension of naturalism involves the fact that the characters are controlled by some other force, such as; environment, heredity, chance or instinct. Early in the novel, it is clear to the reader that Tom Brangwen is “unable to controvert even the most stupid argument so that he would admit things that he did not in the least believe,” then, Tom Brangwen’s thirst for power drove him to a place that ended with him falling in love for a Polish single mother of a daughter, Anna. This exemplifies the tension of naturalism that involves the fact that the characters are controlled by some other force, this force being heredity and instinct. Tom Brangwen’s heredity and instinct led him to lead a quest for power that ultimately landed him into a place that a man must learn the qualities it takes to become a man, and fast, this place is being in love with a woman and caring for a child. The definition of the naturalism movement is a literary movement that used detailed realism to suggest that used detailed realism to suggest that social conditions, heredity, and environment had inescapable force in shaping human character. ...
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...istic works of literature. Ultimately Lady Chatterley’s Lover was much more controversial than The Rainbow but both pieces of literary work illuminate the key themes and motifs of works of literature during the naturalism literary period.
D.H. Lawrence was an amazing short story writer and authors after him were able to learn from his successions, and also his faults to become better authors themselves. D.H. Lawrence used the characters, themes and motifs throughout The Rainbow, and Lady Chatterley’s Lover to exemplify the themes, motifs and characterization techniques used by many authors during the naturalism period.
Works Cited
"Naturalism in American Literature." Naturalism in American Literature. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.
"'The Rainbow' Review." About.com Classic Literature. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.
In the human nature, naive ignorance of the world's imperfections eventually yields to the recognition that the world does contain hatred and violence. John Knowles places his novel A Separate Peace in situations which necessitate this emotional transformation. The characters become increasingly aware of the nature of the world. In addition, symbols help show the interrelation of ideas and events as they appear in Gene's subconscious mind. In this novel, setting, character, and symbols develop the theme of loss of innocence.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic The Scarlet Letter, nature plays a very important and symbolic role. Hawthorne uses nature to convey the mood of a scene, to describe characters, and to link the natural elements with human nature. Many of the passages that have to do with nature accomplish more than one of these ideas. All throughout the book, nature is incorporated into the story line. The deep symbolism conveyed by certain aspects of nature helps the reader gain a deeper understanding of the plight and inner emotions of the characters in the novel.
Wright, Richard. "The Man Who Was Almost a Man." Literature and the Writing Process. Ed.
Osgood, Samuel. “Nature.” The Western Messenger. (1837): 385-93. Rpt. in Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Laurie Lanzen Harris. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1981. 275.
...dsworth is describing nature. The imagination is a way to help recreate certain moments, and it is a way to reevaluate things that have passed to learn and perceive the world. Indeed the Romantic period learned about and looked at life in a beautiful and priceless way.
The famous French philosopher Rousseau and its setting in the Romantic Era seem also to have influenced the themes in the book with its focus on the necessity of emotion and the importance of protecting nature, something which could actually be seen as the main ?message? of the book. Her book is a warning against the ?over-reaching? of man and she uses the Gothic style to shock 19th Century readers.
The Romantic period was an entirely unique era in American history that produced new life philosophies through the focus of nature and exploration resulting in the evolution of the American Dream. Consequently, some of the world’s greatest advancements in arts and literature were accomplished during this time period. Authors such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, James Fennimore Cooper, and Oliver Wendell Holmes sparked the imagination of American audiences through newfound literature such as lyrical poetry, myths, legends, folklore, and the new American novel. Romantic age writers emphasized nature, especially in poetry, as an inspiration for imagination and emotion. The American Dream during the Romantic era was to lead a life of emotion and intuition over reasoning through exploration of the countryside and the recognition of natural beauty displayed by imaginative literature that reflected this American Dream.
The connection between Romanticism and nature was said by Marjorie McAtee, to have strengthened with the idealism of folk cultures and customs. Many romantic artists, writers, and philosophers believed in the natural world as a source of strong emotions and philosophies. The artists and philosophers of the romantic period also accentuated the magnificence and loveliness of nature and the power of the natural world (McAtee, Marjorie, and W. Everett. WiseGeek. Conjecture, 03 Mar. 2014. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.) . Mary Shelly and many other writers like William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge were romantic writers who were apprehensive toward nature, human feelings, compassion for mankind, and rebellious against society. Romanticism, which originated in the 18th century, is something that emphasized motivation as well as imagination (Adjective Clause). In Frankenstein, Shelley cautions that the initiation of science and natural rational searching is not only ineffectual, but unsafe. In endeavoring to discover the mysteries of life, Frankenstein assumes that he ...
Blake, Wordsworth, and Keats all represent the Romantic style of literature with their unorthodox themes of nature, art, and life; and how those three points can be tied together and used for creative purposes among humankind. Art and life are counterparts; one is lacking without the other. The Romantic period was about passion; finding inspiration and beauty in things people see every day. Wordsworth found childhood memories in a familiar landscape, Blake found himself captivated by the mysteries of how the majestic tiger was created, and Keats’ urn triggered him to put his inquiries of it into poetry. Each man expressed his individual view within their works; and like many of their Romantic contemporaries, their ideas ran against the flow of their time’s societal beliefs.
During the March 1986 edition of the Journal of Modern Literature, Lee Clark Mitchell of Princeton University opens his article “‘Keeping His Head’: Repetition and Responsibility in London’s ‘To Build a Fire’” by critiquing naturalism’s style of storytelling. Mitchell claims naturalism as a slow, dull, and plain way of capturing an audience; and Jack London is the epitome of this description. Mitchell states, “[London’s] very methods of composition prompt a certain skepticism; the speed with which he wrote, his suspiciously childish plots…have all convinced readers to ignore the technical aspects of h...
"Romanticism." A Guide to the Study of Literature: A Companion Text for Core Studies 6,
Naturalism is about bringing humans into the “natural world”. We, as humans, are seen as aspects of nature collectively not separate like they once were. “Naturalism holds that everything we are and do is connected to the rest of the world and derived from conditions that precede us and surround us. Each of us is an unfolding natural process, and every aspect of that process is caused, and is a cause itself ” (“A Guide for Naturalism”). Humans are like “animals” they contain the same drives that animals have. They are just plain “natural”. Many authors express naturalism in their writings such as Kate Chopin. She expresses a naturalistic view on sexual drives which classify her as a naturalistic writer.
Originating in Europe in the late 18th century, the Romanticism Era characterized an interest in nature and emphasized the individuals emotion and imagination. The sudden change in attitudes formed an age of classicism and rebellion against established social rules and conventions. Praising imagination over reason, emotions over logic and intuition over science, this made way for a vast body of literature of great sensibility and passion. The variety of this impressive romanticism literature can be focused on by specific authors, works of literature, and how romanticism influenced their writing.
Many authors are recognized by a reoccurring theme found throughout their works. The author D.H. Lawrence can be classified into this group. He is well known for his reoccurring theme that romantic love is psychologically redeeming. He wrote “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter” , a short story that exemplifies this theme quite accurately, in 1922 (Sagar 12). Through excellent use of symbolism in “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter”, Lawrence renders his theme of romantic love being psychologically redeeming through the emotional development of the two main characters, Mabel and Dr. Fergusson.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is considered to be a work of romanticism. Romanticism, a movement in art and literature throughout the 19th century, is a collection of ideas or values including individualism, imaginative idealization of childhood, families, love, nature, and the past (Craig White). Hawthorne uses strong feelings, interest in the common man and childhood, celebration of the individual, awe of nature, and importance of imagination throughout his novel to add interest and individuality to the story.