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Essay: Realism or Naturalism Assignment
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PLAYING WITH A WOODEN SWORD
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Playing With a Wooden Sword: A Naturalism Literary Analysis
Hannah Steiner
English 202: American Literature II
Professor Musgrove
September 12, 2022
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Essay: Realism or Naturalism Assignment
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Playing With a Wooden Sword: A Naturalism Literary Analysis
Throughout history, literature has been considered something that provokes emotion in
the reader. This concept, highlighted in the literary style of romanticism, was challenged at the
turn of the nineteenth century when prominent scientific figures such as Charles Darwin
presented ideas that changed how people viewed nature and circumstance. Two reactive literary
styles emerged from this change: realism and naturalism. These movements strived to create
stories centered around minor characters and everyday actions. Unlike realism, one can identify
naturalism by its representation of the individual, historical influences, and deterministic
philosophy through a more exaggerated lens (Baggett, 2014). These critical points of naturalism
are exemplified in “Chickamauga” by Ambrose Bierce. Naturalism, defined by the indifference
of nature and circumstances to human life through the struggle between humanity and the
universe, is demonstrated in “Chickamauga” by Ambrose Bierce in the exaggerated battle
between the boy and nature, the indifference of nature to human struggle, and the effect of
determinism.
One characteristic of naturalism exemplified in “Chickamauga” is the exaggerated battle
between boy and nature. As addressed in the lecture “Naturalism in American Literature,” the
literary style of naturalism makes a point of an individual’s passion for dominance (Baggett,
2014). In the short story “Chickamauga,” a boy is confronted by a river while playing. Although
he is concerned by the rapid waters of the victor, he is an intrepid victor with a spirit that he shall
not let anything deny (Bierce, 2022/1927). After crossing the river, the boy discovers a second
foe: a rabbit. The story describes this creature as a formidable enemy that causes the boy to run
in terror (Bierce, 2022/1927). This exaggeration of the hostility of nature towards the young
child shows characteristics of naturalism because naturalism often exaggerates the conflict
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Essay: Realism or Naturalism Assignment
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between humanity and nature (Baggett, 2014). In addition to this emphasis on the theme of man
versus nature, naturalism also accentuates the indifference of nature.
In many naturalistic literary works, nature is indifferent toward human life and humanity’s
struggle (Baggett, 2014). After fleeing from the rabbit, the boy cries himself to sleep in the
forest. While the boy cries, the birds continue to sing as the squirrels run, unaware and
unaffected (Bierce, 2022/1927, pg. 48). One can trace the source of nature’s indifference to
human life can back to the necessity of humanity to fight to survive the universe (Baggett, 2014).
As an individual constantly fights in opposition to nature, nature is indifferent to the outcome
and unsympathetic toward the individual’s suffering.
Finally, the most prominent characteristic of naturalism is the effect of determinism seen
throughout. Determinism is the idea that an individual is simply a machine influenced by forces
such as environmental and hereditary factors around them (Baggett, 2014). In “Chickamauga,”
psychological and environmental factors influence the boy’s actions. After crossing the river, the
boy embraces the human passion for challenge and lust for war by continuing on his journey
despite his logic telling him to return home (Bierce, 2022/1927). The story insinuates that it is
because of the psychological president of men before him that the boy does so. In addition to
psychological factors, biological and environmental circumstances influence the boy. He flees
from the rabbit and gets lost as a result. The boy cries himself to sleep and, because he is deaf,
misses the battle that rages on around him. Unaware of what just occurred, the boy leads
hundreds of dying soldiers around with his wooden sword because it is in his childish nature to
do so. Finally, because he leads the men throughout the forest, he comes across his house
burning and his dead mother next to it. Determinism states that he is a victim of fate and that
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these choices do not result from free will (Baggett, 2014). This underlying theme of determinism
is a prominent contributor to the naturalistic style of this story.
In summary, naturalism, defined by the indifference of nature to humanity and their
struggle to survive against it, is exemplified throughout “Chickamauga” by Ambrose Bierce in
the exaggerated battle between the boy and nature, the indifference of nature to human struggle,
and the effect of determinism. The emerging styles of the late nineteenth century sought to
observe seemingly uneducated and unimportant characters doing everyday things. Uniquely,
naturalism furthers this theme goal by including dramatic twists to these daily adventures. After
all, at its core, the short story “Chickamauga” is simply about a boy playing with his wooden
sword.
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References
Baggett, M. (2014). English 202, Week two, Lecture two: Naturalism in American Literature
[Video]. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University online. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
Bierce, A. (2022). Chickamauga. In . Modern In the Midst of Life: Tales of Soldiers and Civilians
Library.
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/NHAXZK544635710/GCCO?u=vic_liberty&sid=lms-
GCCO&pg=12305051&xid=8125d4fc (Original work published 1927)
