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Literary naturalism arose in the late 19th century out of the realism movement. ... The forces of nature are capricious in that they are unfathomable to the human mind. Also, nature is clearly indifferent to the plight of human suffering. The force of nature can be likened to a tractor running over an ant. ... Stephen Crane, one of the founders of American naturalism, said in his story “The Open Boat”, “A man said to the universe: "Sir, I exist! ... in Campbell) On the other hand, the forces of society are not as unfathomable as those of nature, but are equally unwavering. An individual’s attempt to change the course of society or to remove himself from society is not hindered by his powerlessness but rather by his fellow mans resistance to change or attempt to hold him within the folds of society respectively. Thus, the naturalist’s protagonist is trapped between the unstoppable force of nature and the immovable object of society (Campbell). Though a major pillar of naturalist writing is the predetermination of a man’s destiny, his inability to change the outcome of the struggle between the monumental forces of nature and society, a contradiction arises when naturalist authors add an individual value to this conflict. Naturalist authors often place the struggle of nature and society within an individual, giving that individual a small control over his destiny.
In “The Road from Colonus” the struggle between nature and society is manifested in the struggle of an elderly but dignified gentleman, Mr. ... He crawls within the tree and finds a shrine to the forces of nature. ... Lucas is forcibly put upon his horse and taken back to society. ...
The struggle of nature and society occurs on two different levels in this story. On the surface, there is the struggle of the natural forces within Mr. ... A schism occurs however because for Oedipus, there was no road from Colonus. He was able to resist the will of society and did as he wished, to die heroically at Colonus. Thus, Forster expands his statement beyond the futileness of exerting ones will in the struggle of nature with society into a statement on the oppressiveness of twentieth century society. ... Lucas initially embodies the social nature of man. ... ” (Forester, 625) He cannot express these wishes however because society expects him to be the senile old man. These values are deeply engrained within him because of his decades of experience as a member of society. ... Lucas is the embodiment of society, this new, more vital Mr. Lucas is an embodiment of nature. ... Lucas opens his eyes in the tree, he becomes a natural creature, capable of fathoming the order of nature and indeed, his own destiny. ... Lucas now understands that nature’s plan is for him to remain in the clearing. His destiny is to die heroically, fighting to the end like he wanted. ... They now take on the personification of the social forces and wish to shove him back into his niche in society, with no regard for the fact that he no longer wants to be in that niche. ... Though he put up some struggle, Mr. Lucas’s will was unable, inevitably, to resist the call of his place in society. When the reader sees him again in England, he has placidly taken up his expected role in society as the infantile old man that he is suppose to be.
Approximate Word count = 2795
Approximate Pages = 11.2
(250 words per page double spaced)
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