Themes in Literature: Nature and Naturalism

Turn in Essay 1 Role will be recorded by your essays. If you are here today, but are not turning in an essay, please let me know. DON’T turn in your Reading Response yet. Keep ahold of them until the end of class because we might use them for discussion.

Discussion Set #1 "To Build a Fire" (online reading) "Traveling through the Dark“ p. 635

Quickwrite Questions: Two of these pieces we read for today, the short story "To Build a Fire" (the online reading) and the poem "Traveling through the Dark“ have some similarities. What connections can you see between them? Write about a time when you have been "exposed to the elements" or otherwise experienced the power of nature. Did it influence the way you think about nature? Can you relate your experience to one of the works we read for today?

Background information on Jack London Jack London spent time on the very creek that was the man's destination “To Build a Fire” in November of 1897, hoping to find gold during the Klondike Gold Rush, which began with the discovery of gold in the Klondike (an area in Alaska) in 1896. Many men rushed north thinking to find gold and make their fortunes and found cold, bitter weather and inhospitable terrain they weren't prepared for instead.

Miners climbing Chilkoot Pass

Jack London and Naturalism London belonged to the “Naturalist” school of writers. "Naturalism assumes that humans have little if any control over what happens. Rather, things happen to people, who are at the mercy of a variety of external and internal forces…" from The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms Another characteristic of Naturalist writing is its lack of commentary on the events of the story. How is “To Build a Fire” a “Naturalist” story? Do you think that “Traveling Through the Dark” fits this definition as well?

Jack London and Naturalism Naturalism is related to the idea of “determinism.” From the Stanford Philosophy Encyclopedia: "Causal determinism is, roughly speaking, the idea that every event is necessitated by antecedent events and conditions together with the laws of nature." In other words, this is the idea that every event happens because it must. How does this apply to human thought and action in the works we read for today?

Brief Detour: Revisiting POV What is the point of view in “To Build a Fire”? I found this awesome flow chart to help determine POV in any story and thought I should share it with you!

Questions to Consider: In “To Build a Fire,” is the man's fate inevitable? What events let up to his certain demise? At what point was his fate sealed? In “Traveling Through the Dark” what events necessitate (cause to be necessary) the speaker’s actions at the end of the poem? Does the necessity of these actions detract from the emotional “punch” of the poem, or does it add to it?

Nature and Romanticism in "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud“ p. 630 This poem’s view of nature: Nature is sublime. (Awe-inspiring.) Nature is a source of inspiration and comfort. (Wordsworth wrote in his preface to Lyrical Poetry that his definition of poetry was "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.") What else can you say about Wordsworth's view of nature after reading this poem?

Faith and Doubt in "Dover Beach” p. 656 In this poem: Nature, especially the sea, is a metaphor. What does it stand for? Do you think that this poem is ultimately pessimistic? About faith? About life? Why or why not? Why do you make of the allusion to Sophocles in lines 15-20? Why do you think he includes this? What else can we say about Arnold's use of nature in this poem?

Nature as a source of self-knowledge? In all of these works, the speaker or main character experiences an epiphany, a moment of realization. What does each of these characters know at the end of the work that they did not know at the beginning? What did they have to go through to get there?

Attitudes Towards Nature If you had to describe these authors' attitudes toward nature, what would you say about each of them? In “How to Build a Fire”, how does the relationship between the man and the dog change over the course of the short story, and what do you think that says about London’s attitude towards “human” intelligence?

Langston Hughes: “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” p. 686 Our friend Langston again! How is this poem similar to “Negro”? Why does this poem focus on a geographical feature? How does that give focus to the poem? Can this poem meant to be seen as a companion to “Negro”? How so? How do we know? What evidence do you see for this?

Mary Oliver “Wild Geese” p. 634 This poem expresses a view of nature that is a little different than the other’s we have looked at. This poem expresses nature and humanity as one. Where do we find evidence of this in this poem? This poem views the relationship between humanity and nature as one of inspiration, oneness, and healing. That although we rush around and worry and think of ourselves as so separate and isolated from the world, we are part of a greater whole, and that realizing that, noticing nature and seeing ourselves as a part of it and not apart from it, we can heal.

Robert Frost: “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” p. 680 This is probably one of the most famous nature poems in the world, but is it really about nature? Many people argue it is not. What is it about? Anyone want to give us their interpretation of this poem? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfOxdZfo0gs

From Last Week: Strange Love We didn’t have time to get to it in class, but last week when we discussed our “Strange Love Pomes” I gave you all a challenge for extra credit to write a love poem with as many gross words/images as you could. Did anyone do this? Would you like to share it with us? 

Next Week’s Theme: War Tuesday, March 25 Topics: Themes Across Genres: War Homework Due: Read Short Story: Tim O’Brian’s “The Things They Carried” p. 269-281 Read Poem: Denise Levertov “What Were They Like?” (handout) NOTE: both of these works are about the same war—make sure you understand which one. Thursday, March 27 Topics: War Poetry Homework Due:  Read Poems: Richard Lovelace “To Lucasta: Going to the Wars” p. 527, Wilfred Owen “Dulce et Decorum Est” p. 642, Yusef Komunyakaa “Facing It”, Wislawa Szymborska “The End and the Beginning” p. 648