INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 960
SPECIFIC FEATURES OF NATURALISM IN LITERATURE
Oktyabrova Feruza Ulugbek kizi
Abstract
:This article is devoted to the specific aspects of the naturalistic literary movement
that emerged at the end of the 19th century. Naturalistic works show how human behavior,
life, and destiny are shaped by external factors — environment, heredity, and society. A
person often seems helpless in front of forces beyond his control. The article analyzes
important aspects of naturalistic literature with examples.
Key words:
Naturalism, determinism, heredity, environment, objectivity, pessimism,lower
class, darwinism, Émile Zola, Frank Norris, Theodore Dreiser, Stephen Crane, Jack London,
Upton Sinclair, animal instinct, social pressure, biological influence, realism, fate, human
behavior
Naturalism is a literary movement that developed and expanded on realism in the late
19th century. While realism sought to portray life as it is, naturalism studied man on a
scientific and deterministic basis, showing him as dependent on heredity, environment, and
social circumstances. This movement was inspired by the ideas of Charles Darwin, Auguste
Comte, and especially Emile Zola. Naturalist writers emphasized that human destiny is
determined by external and internal factors, and that man cannot fully control his own life.
This article will highlight the main features of naturalism - determinism, heredity,
environmental influence, objectivity, pessimistic views, and reflection of the life of the lower
classes.
One of the main aspects of naturalism is the concept of determinism. In naturalistic
works, characters are often depicted as being subject to forces beyond their control. These
forces may be biological instincts, societal pressures, economic circumstances, or
environmental influences. In romantic or realist works, characters often act based on their
own moral judgments and personal values, while in naturalistic literature, their lives are often
determined by external circumstances. In naturalism, determinism is associated with
scientific theories, particularly Darwin's ideas of evolution and "survival of the fittest."
Human actions and decisions are not driven by free will, but by internal and external factors.
For example, in Frank Norris's novel McTeague, the protagonist's crisis is the result of his
animalistic nature and his inability to adapt to social life. His downfall is gradual and
inevitable due to his inability to control himself. Thus, naturalist writers show that people are
trapped in a chain of cause and effect and that they have very limited opportunities for
spiritual or moral growth. In naturalistic literature, heredity, or inheritance, is shown as an
important factor determining the fate of heroes. According to this theory, people inherit not
only physical but also mental characteristics from their ancestors. These hereditary
characteristics shape the behavior of heroes, their place in life, and their fate. In some cases,
this heredity can be negative conditions such as mental illness, a tendency to violence, or
drug addiction. The founder of naturalism, Emile Zola, pays great attention to the issue of
heredity in his series “Rougon-Maccard”. He shows the fate of different generations of one
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 961
family and describes how inherited characteristics affect their lives. Naturalist writers also
argue that no matter how much effort or education a person has, they cannot completely
escape their biological inheritance. In American literature, this idea is also expressed in
Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie, where Carrie experiences the pursuit of wealth as a natural
instinct, which leads her to make morally questionable decisions. Similarly, in Jack London's
The Call of the Wild, Buck the dog is shown reverting to his primitive nature. In this case, it
is argued that the hereditary instincts for survival are stronger than growth. In naturalism, the
role of the environment in shaping human life is important. Naturalist writers often depict
harsh, indifferent, or oppressive conditions, showing how they shape the behavior and fate of
their characters. This environment includes not only the physical setting, but also social
systems, economic structures, and cultural norms. Depictions of urban conditions, especially
poverty, crime, and social inequality, are common in naturalist literature. Writers often depict
poor neighborhoods, factories, or working-class areas, showing how external factors cause
people to suffer. The environment does not support people or provide justice; it acts only as
an indifferent force that causes human suffering. Stephen Crane's Maggie: A Girl of the
Streets illustrates the influence of the environment well. Maggie is born in a poor
neighborhood in New York City and cannot escape her environment. Although he strives to
improve his life, his environment drags him down again, and his tragic end is due to his
social circumstances. Naturalistic literature aims for an objective and analytical approach
which is similar to that of a scientific experiment. Writers typically adopt a dispassionate
narrative style, observing their characters without emotional involvement, sympathy, or
judgment. This style is inspired by scientific methods, in which the observer must record
events as they occur, without regard for moral implications. This objective approach allows
writers to explore taboo subjects such as violence, sex, disease, and drug abuse without
sentimentality. Naturalistic works are often seen as psychological experiments or case studies,
where characters are tested by their own circumstances and internal motivations. The main
goal is to understand how human behavior works, not to glorify or criticize the characters.
This observational style is especially evident in the works of Émile Zola, who likened the
writing process to that of a scientist conducting a scientific experiment. Emile Zola’s idea
was that by controlling the circumstances and observing the characters’ reaction, literature
could reveal universal truths about human nature. The works of Stephen Crane and Frank
Norris, also took a similarly objective approach, with characters often described in
animalistic or biological language, which reinforced the scientific approach.
Naturalism is inherently pessimistic, portraying life as being governed by uncontrollable
forces. Therefore, the fate of heroes in naturalistic literature is often tragic. They usually do
not achieve salvation, happiness, or justice. Instead, they suffer, weaken, or die under the
influence of their own weaknesses or circumstances. This tragic view represents life as being
governed not by moral laws or divine justice, but by blind, indifferent forces.
This pessimism is especially expressed in the stories of Jack London, in which nature is
depicted as harsh and indifferent. In To Build a Fire, the protagonist overestimates his own
power, misjudges nature, and loses his life in the icy wilderness. There is no moral lesson or
consolation, only cold realism. Meanwhile, in Dreiser's An American Tragedy, the
protagonist, Clyde Griffiths, is driven to despair by his own desires and the social pressures
surrounding him. He tries to elevate his background, but makes poor decisions and falls
victim to his own desires and the pressures of society. The novel ends with his death, which
reinforces the despair that underlies the naturalistic philosophy. Naturalistic literature usually
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 962
focuses on the lowest classes of society—the working class, the poor, the marginalized, and
the downtrodden. Such characters are chosen not to arouse sympathy, but to show how their
lives are shaped by forces beyond their control. Naturalistic writers believe that it is the
struggles of the lower classes that reveal the most stark and revealing truths about human life.
Unlike Romantic or Victorian literature, which often portrays idealized heroes or middle-
class problems, naturalistic writers portray the lives of people who are struggling, suffering
from famine, crime, or drug addiction. Through such characters, they seek to portray the
difficult, realistic, and painful aspects of life without idealism. This approach is particularly
seen in Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. It depicts the harsh and brutal working conditions of
immigrants in the Chicago meatpacking industry. The protagonist, Jurgis Rudkus, is
subjected to oppression, poverty, and tragedy. Sinclair intended to show how the capitalist
system dehumanizes the working class.
In naturalist literature people are often compared to animals because of their basic instincts.
Characters are frequently described in terms of their physical instincts, desires, or survival
behaviors. This reflects the influence of Darwinian theory, which suggested that human
beings are not separate from nature but part of a continuous evolutionary chain. In such
works, people act more on instinct—for example, hunger, sexual desire, fear, or aggression.
Animalistic feelings, rather than reason, influence their decisions. In McTeague, Norris
repeatedly compares the protagonist to an animal, highlighting his brute strength and lack of
self-awareness. This animalistic imagery emphasizes the raw, instinctive nature of human
behavior in naturalist fiction.
Though naturalism is rooted in realism, it often uses symbolism and metaphor to deepen the
meaning of the narrative. The natural environment, animals, objects, or even social systems
can serve as symbols for the larger forces that control human life. These symbols are not used
to romanticize the story but to illustrate the impersonal and often destructive power of fate,
nature, or society. For example, in The Octopus, the railroad system is a symbol of industrial
capitalism, which oppresses and prevents isolated farmers from resisting. In The Pit, the grain
market is depicted as a symbol of economic chaos and forces beyond human control. Such
images express the main ideas of naturalism more clearly and effectively. Naturalistic
literature does not aim to teach a specific lesson or show good and bad people. The characters
are presented as ordinary people - they have their flaws, mistakes, and conflicts. They do not
always turn out to be good or bad. This means that people cannot be judged solely by moral
rules, especially if they act under the influence of their environment. In such literature,
writers raise difficult topics, but they do not judge on them. For example, if a character
commits a crime, it is not because of evil, but because of life's difficulties or inner desires.
This style makes naturalistic works close to life and deeply thought-provoking. The reader
thinks about questions such as what justice is, whether a person can make free choices or not.
Naturalism in literature presents human life in a very open and sometimes sad way. It
has important features: the predetermination of human fate (determinism), hereditary
characteristics, environmental influences, impartial observation, despair, and writing about
the lives of poor people. Through these things, naturalist writers show that people cannot
change their destiny. They believe that people are governed not by their own decisions, but
by their place of birth, environment, and biological characteristics. Therefore, human life in
their works is not beautiful, but full of unpleasant truths. Naturalism encourages the reader to
look at the difficult realities of life and understand that human will is not always strong.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 963
References:
1. Pizer, Donald. (1995). The Cambridge Companion to American Realism and Naturalism:
Howells to London. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. Zola, Émile. (1880). The Experimental Novel and Other Essays. Translated by Belle M.
Sherman. New York: Cassell.
3. Norris, Frank. (1899). McTeague: A Story of San Francisco. New York: Doubleday &
McClure Co.
4. Norris, Frank. (1901). The Octopus: A Story of California. New York: Doubleday, Page
& Company.
5. Crane, Stephen. (1893). Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. New York: D. Appleton and
Company.
6. Zola, Émile. (1885). Germinal. Paris: Charpentier.
