Examples Of Man's Struggle Versus Nature's Forces example essay topic

Naturalism is best defined as nature's indifference toward the trials of humanity, and it is also used to illustrate an individual's relationship with nature. "The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane and "To Build a Fire" by Jack London, are two works highly noted as examples of man's struggle versus nature's forces. Crane writes in a more philosophical story line, using natural elements that define character. London however, applies the scientific method to a life and death struggle, revealing a frightening truth about human reason to that of the primal instinct of a lesser creature (the sled dog). By using these purposes the reader focuses his or her attention on key elements of the narrative, such as character, setting, conflict and theme. This gives the authors a stronger base in drawing very respectable conclusions.

In both "The Open Boat" and "To Build a Fire", the authors use purpose to make a point about man's rule in nature. "The Open Boat" opens with four men known as the captain, the oiler, the correspondent, and the cook, stranded in an ocean in a small dinghy. Based on a true experience Crane had on the morning of January 2, 1897, off the coast of Florida. To help bring out characteristics of his characters, Crane presents a design of the actual events of the shipwreck. More so of a mental journey as well as a physical one, where the correspondent changes from the observer to the participant. Crane shows his readers a Universe totally unconcerned with the affairs of mankind".

[The waves were] just as nervously anxious to do something effective in the way of swamping boats" (Crane 1230). The characters come face to face with this Universe, and are nearly overcome by nature's lack of concern. Through persistence and cooperation is how these men attempt to survive. The correspondent's moral maturity shows the story's naturalism and realism, the oiler's sudden death also brings out naturalism. The story depicts the world, mainly the toughest of man, such as the oiler, who is physically and morally the superior of the other members does not survive. Nature is a very dominant force in "The Open Boat"; the four men have to fight together to overcome these forces.

Many feel that they became frustrated with nature, however, they were also able to use and learn from nature and the events played out in the story. Nature calls all the shots and makes most of the decisions in this story. Crane writes, "When it occurs to a man that nature does not regard him as important, and that she feels she would not maim the universe by disposing of him, he at first wishes to throw bricks at the temple, and he hates deeply the fact that there are no bricks and no temples. Any visible expression of nature would surely be pelleted with his jeers" (Crane 1240). Such a quote would make a person want to find out his or her own reason for existing in a universe. Through it all man comes to know "the pathos of his situation" (1240), and is reminded-as if it is nature's duty to remind him-of his place in the universal scheme.

The virtues of bravery, fortitude and integrity shown by the characters, possess no meaning in a universe that denies the importance of man. This story objectively shows the absurdity that belongs to any encounter amongst death. It takes over a man's thoughts, feelings and brings the world to know of man's existence (151). Crane's purpose in placing these men in the dingy is to possibly answer the main question asked throughout the story, If I am going to be drowned-If I am going to be drowned, Why, in the name of the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life? (1237) William Bys she Stein suggests that, "man cannot constrict a rational, picture of the world out of his own experience.

He knows that only that he is the victim of forces beyond his control that he suffers without apparent justification that he confronts the reality of nothingness". His opinion is one side of the way the story can be understood. Unlike realism, which is about literary technique, naturalism implies a more philosophical position. Naturalistic writers, since human beings are, according to Emile Zola, "human beasts", allow their characters to be studied through their relationships to their surroundings (Campbell). She also notes in her article that writers of naturalistic works tend to use more of " a version of the scientific method to write their novels" (Campbell). "To Build a Fire" by Jack London, works as a cruel contrast between the kind of knowledge the "unnamed" hero possesses and the kind he needs, an inconsistency that costs him his life.

In the first few paragraphs of the story, London makes the narrator changes his language to give nature a human face. The man does not think of himself as human. This inconsistent discrepancy illustrates his prideful dishonesty with himself, and his "assumed" distance from nature. Symbolically nature exhibits a sense of justice (Jeanne Rees man). Naturalists like Crane and London, use strong characterization to give the "human beasts" with the ability to understand " the pathos" of humans. This allows the characters to bring the tragedy into a better understanding.

Crane uses the correspondent with the eminent danger of waves and shows his potential failure to reach the safety of the beach, by using the "pathos of his situation" (Crane 1240). Nature being beyond man's control failure comes as quickly as the next wave. Once again the reader can see the correspondent reflect on the struggle to survive. "The boat was headed for the beach. The correspondent wondered if none ascended the tall wind-tower, and if then they never looked seaward...

It is perhaps, plausible that a man in this situation, impressed with the unconcern of the universe, should see the innumerable flaws of his life... and wish for another chance" (1242). Using these symbolic naturalistic forces such as the waves, the shark, the gulls that lay cold, may have been to simply inspire the philosophical reflection he wanted his readers to feel (Stein 151). The naturalists wanted to understand the "laws" behind the forces that run the man's world, each studied individuals who acted on instinct (1). Crane with is philosophical purpose is equivalent to London's scientific observation of the lesson that reason is over the instinct of lesser animals. "When the man had finished... the dog was disappointed and yearned back toward the fire... but the dog knew all its ancestry knew... it knew that is was not good to walk abroad in such fearful cold" (London 1264). "To Build a Fire" has a nonstop narrative drive; only occasionally does London allow his readers into the man's mind, who does not have a name in the story.

Showing that London really has no concern for him as a unique person. Naturalists sometimes use the harder language to draw attention to the plot-driven stories. London also shows time after time how the man has no free will and how fate is already mapped out for him. London uses the man as the symbolic character, the man symbolizes people who believe they are greater than thou and need no assistance. He chooses an ordinary man of normal capabilities and puts him in an environmental setting that he could adapt to. The man's sled dog is in a more natural setting because nature provided him to exist in an artic environment (according to Darwin's theory of natural selection).

One of the main reasons the man feels out of his "element" is the fact that he ignores his elders, the man from Sulphur Creek advised him not to travel alone, but yet he continues. Later he begins to question whether the "old-timer" was correct in his advice. "Perhaps the old-timer was right... if only he had a trail mate he would have been in no danger now" (London 1266). The man has a problem with his superiority being that it lies in the fact that he is crippled by arrogance and blinded by his belief that he is superior to anything nature may throw at him. London also uses the theme of a rugged individualism to show that we do not need to be alone. London allows his readers to believe that no matter how invincible we think we are, the worst can happen.

Jack London and Stephen Crane had a very strong purpose when writing his stories. Crane dealt with the more philosophical viewpoint on man's place in the universe. London on the other hand, pits "superiority" of reason against the "inferior" of a lesser animal. Both of these authors however, used each purpose to make a strong point about man's place in nature. Allowing the readers to understand that, reason is of no importance unless nature allows man to survive.