云南师范大学外语学院美国文学课件Chapter Six.pptVIP

Chapter Six Stephen Crane (1871 – 1900) Born in Newark, New Jersey. In 1893, he published at his own expense Maggie: A Girl of the Street, a pioneering work of sociological naturalism. His short stories were collected in The Open Boat and Other Tales of Adventure (1898). Literary term: Naturalism It is a particular school of philosophy that proved to be popular in the late 19th century. It has been in general defined in two words as pessimistic determinism. The naturalistic writers were all determinists in that they believed in the omnipotence of abstract forces. They were pessimistic as far as they believed that men and women, devoid of freedom of choice, were absolutely incapable of shaping their own destinies. They tore the mask of gentility to pieces and wrote about the helplessness of man, his insignificance in a cold and indifferent world, and his lack of dignity in face of the crushing forces of environment and heredity. They reported truthfully and objectively, with a passion for scientific accuracy and overwhelming accumulation of factual detail. The writers included in American Naturalism are Theodore Dreiser, Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, and sometimes, Jack London. Text study: The Open Boat The description of the sea. The characters in the story. Language expression. Colors used in the story. Metaphors used in the story. End of the story. Questions to ponder From naturalistic point of view, what kind of relationship is presented before us between the sea and the four men? Are the four men finally saved? The death of the oiler seems to go opposite to naturalistic point of view “the survival of the fittest”, what can you explain? Which part of the story do you like best? Why? * * *