- Rejection of the idealized, larger-than-life hero of Romantic literature
- Detailed depiction of ordinary characters and realistic events
- Emphasis on characters from cities and lower classes
- Avoidance of the exotic, sensational, and overly dramatic
- Use of everyday speech patterns to reveal class distinctions
- Focus on the ethical struggles and social issues of real-life situations
Characteristics of Naturalist Literature:
- Attempt to analyze human behavior objectively, as a scientist would
- Belief that human behavior is determined by heredity and environment
- Sense that human beings cannot control their own destinies
- Sense of life as a losing battle against an uncaring universe
Ambrose Bierce, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"
- Read biographical background on Bierce and Literary Focus: Point of View (488-9)
- Read the short story (490-6)
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