Naturalism Test

Question 1

Who wrote “The Call of the Wild”?

Answer 1

Jack London

Question 2

Who wrote “Of Mice and Men”?

Answer 2

John Steinbeck

Question 3

Who wrote “The Open Boat”?

Answer 3

Stephen Crane

Question 4

Who wrote “Ethan Frome”?

Answer 4

Edith Wharton

Question 5

started writing at the age of 4

Answer 5

Stephen Crane

Question 6

Who was part of the Gold Rush?

Answer 6

Jack London

Question 7

Who endorsed suits and grape juice?

Answer 7

Jack London

Question 8

Who was born in New Jersey?

Answer 8

Stephen Crane

Question 9

Sometimes wrote under the name John Smith

Answer 9

Stephen Crane

Question 10

wrote 1000 words a day

Answer 10

Jack London

Question 11

define determinism

Answer 11

The belief that characters do not have free will; external and internal forces control their behavior. characters attempting to exercise free will are derailed by forces beyond their control

Question 12

describe the characters of naturalism

Answer 12

characters are dominated by external or internal forces. Internal passions overcome rational behavior. they don’t have free will. they are at the mercy of biological and socioeconomic forces. Things happen to them as if they were puppets whose movements are entirely determined by forces beyond their control. They are generally commonplace and unheroic

Question 13

explain the use of water as a symbol in “Mysteries of Heroism”

Answer 13

water represents life. Collins risks his life to get water and then he gives it to a dying soldier which is pointless. Crane is saying that war is pointless. Blood of soldiers is spilled to try to reach goals through violence. The Lieutenants spill the water carelessly that Collins tried so hard to obtain. This points out how careless leaders are with the lives of those in war.

Question 14

Explain how “To Build a Fire” is the truest Naturalist story ever written

Answer 14

London shows that nature is not out to get man but is essentially unconcerned with his existence. If the man had not been there it would have been just as cold. The man was just unprepared.

Question 15

Infer why the man in “To Build a Fire” has no name

Answer 15

London is showing how the man is not important enough to bare a name. his death is insignificant and so he is.

Question 16

What heavily influenced Naturalist writers?

Answer 16

emergent scientific theories of the time: Darwin’s theory of evolution. Conflict is often “man against nature” or “man against himself”, survival of the fittest is often a theme

Question 17

What did Naturalism develop from?

Answer 17

it developed out of realism

Question 18

3 things that characters are dominated by

Answer 18

environmental conditions (storm, lost at sea), social conditions (born into poverty), chance/fate (character’s child suddenly stricken with typhoid fever, and internal passions (lust, greed, desire for dominance or pleasure

Question 19

2 internal passions that drive characters

Answer 19

lust, greed, desire for dominance or pleasure

Question 20

Who is credited with establishing Naturalism?

Answer 20

Stephen Crane

Question 21

3 things that characterized Crane’s style

Answer 21

his style is often characterized by his vivid intensity and distinctive use of dialects and irony, his commons themes involve fear, spiritual crisis, and social isolation.

Question 22

What is the main theme in “Mysteries of Heroism”?

Answer 22

Heroism (Collins had an idea of what heroism is but he learns quickly that his assumptions have been wrong. He finds himself unafraid but aware that he is not a hero. Collins does perform a heroic deed only to find that it is not a huge gesture that will change the outcome of the war, but a simple gesture to the fallen soldier.)

Question 23

2 things that are unconcerned about the man in “To Build a Fire”

Answer 23

the dog and the weather

Question 24

3 things the dog understands the danger of in “To Build a Fire”

Answer 24

the cold, the risk of crossing the spring, he knows not to get too close to the fire

Question 25

2 numbers that are important in “To Build a Fire”

Answer 25

temperature is 50 or 75 degrees below 0. the number of matches is 70