The-law-of-life

Thelawoflife-----JackLondonWhatarethenaturalisticviewsrevealedbyJackLondoninthisstory?Whatisnaturalism?1.TimeItwasaliterarymovementfromthe1880sto1930s,anoutgrowthofliteraryrealism.Butitwasmorepessimistic.2.MainTheoreticalsources•CharlesDarwin'stheoryofevolution:“ontheoriginofspecies”•HerbertSpencer’sSocialDarwinism“survivalofthefittest”3.Threemajorconceptsofliterarynaturalism:1)Humansarecontrolledanddeterminedbylawsofheredityandenvironment.2)Theuniverseiscold,godless,indifferentandhostiletohumandesires.3)Naturalistsfocusonthedominantforcesofnatureinstoppinghumandesires,inkeepinghumansfromaccomplishingtheirdreams.Threemajordefiningcharacteristics1)Determinism2)Pessimism3)Nature’s/environment’sindifference&HumanstruggleagainstnatureInpessimistictoneHumanaredeterminedbyexternalfactorsThenaturalisticviewsin“thelawoflife”1)Thechoiceofmaterial:•Inthesceneofprimitivelife,itcreatedthegloomyandpessimisticatmosphere.•AnancientIndiantribe;woods;snow;moose&wolves2)thethesisofthestory:thelawoflife“Itwasthelawofallflesh.Naturewasnotkindlytotheflesh.Shehadnoconcernforthatconcretethingcalledtheindividual.Herinterestlayinthespecies,therace…ButonetaskdidNaturesettheindividual.Didhenotperformit,hedied.Didheperformit,itwasallthesame,hedied.”(page2,para4)Tribesmen’sstruggleagainstnaturemooseagainstwolvesNoconcernforindividual•“Theyweregone.Theyhadpassedoutofhislife,andhefacedthelastbitterhouralone.”(p1,p3)----Koskoosh•“Amaidenwasagoodcreaturetolookupon,full-breastedandstrong,withspringtoherstepandlightinhereyes…Butalittlewhile,onthefirstpinchoffamineorthefirstlongtrail,andshewouldbeleft,evenashehadbeenleft,inthesnow,withalittlepileofwood.Suchwasthelaw.”(p2,p4)•“Hehadlosthismotherinthatfamine.”(p3,p2)•“…crushingtwodeepintothesnow.Itwasplainthekillwasathand,fortheirbrothershadleftthemuntouched.Twomorestandswerehurriedpast,briefintime-lengthandveryclosetogether.”(p4,p2)•Notobedient:“Herethegreatanimalhadfoughtdesperately.Twicehadhebeendraggeddown,asthesnowattested,andtwicehadheshakenhisassailantsclearandgainedfootingoncemore.Hehaddonehistasklongsince,butnonethelesswaslifedeartohim.”(p4,p1)•Obedient:“Againhesawthelaststandoftheoldbullmoose,andKoskooshdroppedhisheadwearilyuponhisknees.Whatdiditmatterafterall?Wasitnotthelawoflife?”(lasttwosentences)3)Writingtechniques:Objective,alienatednarration&flashbacksLittleKoo-tee:“Itwoulddiesoon,perhaps,andtheywouldburnaholethroughthefrozentundraandpilerocksabovetokeepthewolverinesaway.Well,whatdiditmatter?Afewyearsatbest,andasmanyanemptybellyasafullone.Andintheend,Deathwaited,ever-hungryandhungriestofthemall.”(p1,p2)•Themissionary’sdeath:“ButhechilledhislungsonthedividebytheMayo,andthedogsafterwardsnosedthestonesawayandfoughtoverhisbones.”(p3,p1)•Zing-ha’sdeath:“Zing-ha,wholaterbecamethecraftiestofhunters,andwho,intheend,fellthroughanair-holeontheYukon.Theyfoundhim,amonthafterward,justashehadcrawledhalfwayoutandfrozenstifftotheice.”(p3,p3)Thanksforlistening!