Naturalism
Literary term · say it NATCH-er-uh-liz-um
Naturalism is a literary movement that shows people shaped by forces such as poverty, inherited traits, and their surroundings. It often follows characters whose choices are limited, suggesting that effort or good intentions cannot always overcome the conditions of their lives.
How naturalism appears in stories
Social conditions limit choices
Poverty, work, and social position narrow what characters can do. Their struggles reveal pressures that individual effort cannot easily overcome.
In Germinal, the striking miners face hunger as their wages stop, making it harder to keep resisting the mining company.
In Germinal by Émile Zola
Inherited traits shape behavior
Family traits and bodily drives influence characters' actions. The story treats these pressures as forces that can weaken conscious control.
In Germinal, Étienne fears the violent impulses that drinking brings out in him and connects them with alcoholism in his family.
In Germinal by Émile Zola
Nature sets human limits
Weather, landscape, and physical needs can matter more than courage or plans. Nature offers no special protection to people who struggle against it.
In The Open Boat, four shipwrecked men struggle toward shore in a small boat, but the strong oiler dies during their final attempt to reach land.
In The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
How to spot naturalism
- Look for pressures such as hunger, poverty, inherited traits, or harsh weather.
- Ask how much freedom the characters really have to change their lives.
- Notice when effort and good intentions fail to secure a good outcome.
What is the difference between naturalism and realism?
Realism presents believable everyday life, while naturalism places stronger emphasis on the forces that shape and limit people. Both may describe ordinary work, homes, and relationships closely, but naturalism often connects a character's fate to poverty, inherited traits, or an indifferent environment.
Does naturalism mean writing about nature?
Naturalism does not simply mean writing about the natural world. A naturalist story can take place in a crowded city or a factory. What matters is its attention to pressures beyond a person's control, including social conditions, physical needs, and inherited traits.
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