An Introduction to Christopher An Introduction to Christopher McCandless’ Literary InfluencesMcCandless’ Literary Influences

Topics:Topics:Leo Tolstoy and Realism Leo Tolstoy and Realism

Jack London and NaturalismJack London and NaturalismHenry David Thoreau and TranscendentalismHenry David Thoreau and Transcendentalism

Leo Tolstoy and RealismLeo Tolstoy and Realism Leo Tolstoy Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)(1828-1910)

Tolstoy and RealismTolstoy and Realism

Realism: Realism: – Broadly defined as "the faithful representation Broadly defined as "the faithful representation

of reality“of reality“– Character is more important than action and Character is more important than action and

plot; complex ethical choices are often the plot; complex ethical choices are often the subject. subject.

– Characters appear in their real complexity of Characters appear in their real complexity of temperament and motive; they are in temperament and motive; they are in explicable relation to nature, to each other, to explicable relation to nature, to each other, to their social class, to their own past. their social class, to their own past.

– Class is important; the novel has traditionally Class is important; the novel has traditionally served the interests and aspirations of an served the interests and aspirations of an insurgent middle class. insurgent middle class.

Realism ContinuedRealism Continued

– Events will usually be plausible. Realistic Events will usually be plausible. Realistic novels avoid the sensational, dramatic novels avoid the sensational, dramatic elements of naturalistic novels and romances. elements of naturalistic novels and romances.

– Diction is natural vernacular, not heightened or Diction is natural vernacular, not heightened or poetic; tone may be comic, satiric, or matter-poetic; tone may be comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact. of-fact.

– Objectivity in presentation becomes Objectivity in presentation becomes increasingly important: overt authorial increasingly important: overt authorial comments or intrusions diminish as the century comments or intrusions diminish as the century progresses. progresses.

Leo Tolstoy Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)(1828-1910) Russian author, essayist and moral philosopher Russian author, essayist and moral philosopher

wrote the epic novel wrote the epic novel War and PeaceWar and Peace (1865-69) (1865-69) andand Anna Karenina ( Anna Karenina (1873 to 1877 ) 1873 to 1877 ) ..

Leo Tolstoy ranks as one of the world's great Leo Tolstoy ranks as one of the world's great writers, and his writers, and his War and Peace War and Peace has been called has been called the greatest novel ever written.the greatest novel ever written.

Tolstoy's Tolstoy's War and Peace War and Peace was also the peak of was also the peak of Tolstoy's personal life. Tolstoy's personal life. – His characters represent almost everyone he had ever His characters represent almost everyone he had ever

met, including both sides of his family. met, including both sides of his family.

Tolstoy ContinuedTolstoy Continued

Personal Trials:Personal Trials:– In 1884 relations with his family were In 1884 relations with his family were

increasingly strained. increasingly strained. – The more of a saint he became in the eyes of The more of a saint he became in the eyes of

the world, the more of a devil he seemed to his the world, the more of a devil he seemed to his wife. wife.

– He wanted to give his wealth away, but she He wanted to give his wealth away, but she would not hear of it. An unhappy compromise would not hear of it. An unhappy compromise was reached in 1884, when Tolstoy assigned to was reached in 1884, when Tolstoy assigned to his wife the copyright to all his works before his wife the copyright to all his works before 1881. 1881.

Tolstoy ContinuedTolstoy Continued

His Final Years:His Final Years:– Filled with worldwide acclaim and great Filled with worldwide acclaim and great

unhappiness, as he was caught in the strife unhappiness, as he was caught in the strife between his beliefs, his followers, and his between his beliefs, his followers, and his family. family.

– Church leaders excommunicated him in 1901. Church leaders excommunicated him in 1901. – Unable to deal with the family quarrels, in 1910 Unable to deal with the family quarrels, in 1910

he set out on his last pilgrimage accompanied he set out on his last pilgrimage accompanied by his youngest daughter and his doctor. by his youngest daughter and his doctor.

– The trip proved too much, and he died in The trip proved too much, and he died in Astapovo, Russia, on November 9, 1910. Astapovo, Russia, on November 9, 1910.

Jack London and NaturalismJack London and Naturalism Jack London (1876-1916)Jack London (1876-1916)

Jack London and NaturalismJack London and Naturalism

Naturalism:Naturalism:– a type of literature that attempts to a type of literature that attempts to

apply scientific principles of objectivity apply scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to its study of human and detachment to its study of human beings. beings.

– Unlike realism, naturalism implies a Unlike realism, naturalism implies a philosophical position; characters can be philosophical position; characters can be studied through their relationships to studied through their relationships to their surroundings. their surroundings.

Naturalism ContinuedNaturalism Continued Naturalistic writers studied human beings Naturalistic writers studied human beings

governed by their instincts and passions as well governed by their instincts and passions as well as the forces of heredity and environment. as the forces of heredity and environment.

Characters are frequently but not invariably ill-Characters are frequently but not invariably ill-educated or lower-class characters whose lives educated or lower-class characters whose lives are governed by the forces of heredity, instinct, are governed by the forces of heredity, instinct, and passion. and passion.

Their attempts at exercising free will or choice Their attempts at exercising free will or choice are powerless by forces beyond their control; are powerless by forces beyond their control; social Darwinism and other theories help to social Darwinism and other theories help to explain their fates to the reader explain their fates to the reader

Jack London(1876-1916) Jack London(1876-1916) Novel Novel The Call of the WildThe Call of the Wild believed to have been believed to have been

the biggest impact on McCandless the biggest impact on McCandless The Call of the Wild:The Call of the Wild:

– London intended to write about a dog who merely London intended to write about a dog who merely reverts to the wildreverts to the wild

– He states that he unconsciously wrote “the human He states that he unconsciously wrote “the human allegory in the dog's life-and-death struggle to adapt allegory in the dog's life-and-death struggle to adapt himself to a hostile environment.” himself to a hostile environment.”

Born in San Francisco Born in San Francisco He was raised through infancy by an ex-slave, He was raised through infancy by an ex-slave,

Virginia Prentiss, who would remain a major Virginia Prentiss, who would remain a major maternal figure while the boy grew up. maternal figure while the boy grew up.

London ContinuedLondon Continued As an adolescent, London worked at various hard As an adolescent, London worked at various hard

labor jobs, pirated for oysters on San Francisco labor jobs, pirated for oysters on San Francisco Bay, served on a fish patrol to capture poachers, Bay, served on a fish patrol to capture poachers, sailed the Pacific on a sealing ship, joined Kelly's sailed the Pacific on a sealing ship, joined Kelly's Army of unemployed working men, hoboed Army of unemployed working men, hoboed around the country, and returned to attend high around the country, and returned to attend high school at age 19.school at age 19.

Always a prolific reader, he consciously chose to Always a prolific reader, he consciously chose to become a writer as an escape from the horrific become a writer as an escape from the horrific prospects of a life as a factory worker. prospects of a life as a factory worker.

London was among the most publicized figures of London was among the most publicized figures of his day, and he used this pulpit to endorse his his day, and he used this pulpit to endorse his support of socialism, women's suffrage, and support of socialism, women's suffrage, and eventually, prohibition eventually, prohibition

London ContinuedLondon Continued

Complicated figure:Complicated figure:– Clearly accepted the Social Darwinism and Clearly accepted the Social Darwinism and

scientific racism prevalent at this time scientific racism prevalent at this time – Yet troubled that the "inevitable white man" Yet troubled that the "inevitable white man"

would destroy the rich cultures of various would destroy the rich cultures of various native groups he had encountered.native groups he had encountered.

– Supported women's suffrage and created some Supported women's suffrage and created some of the most independent and strong female of the most independent and strong female characters in American fiction,characters in American fiction,

– Yet he was patriarchal toward his two wives Yet he was patriarchal toward his two wives and daughters. and daughters.

London continuedLondon continued

Complicated figure continued:Complicated figure continued:– His socialism was fervent.His socialism was fervent.– But countered by his strong drive But countered by his strong drive

toward individualism and capitalist toward individualism and capitalist success. success.

Thoreau and TranscendentalismThoreau and TranscendentalismHenry David Thoreau (1817-1862)Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Transcendentalists and Transcendentalists and historical context: historical context:

The Transcendentalists were a generation of well-The Transcendentalists were a generation of well-educated people who lived around the time of the educated people who lived around the time of the Civil War—a time of division.Civil War—a time of division.

Mainly New Englanders who wanted to create a Mainly New Englanders who wanted to create a uniquely American body of literature.uniquely American body of literature.

Set out to create writing that was clearly different Set out to create writing that was clearly different from any European nation.from any European nation.

The Transcendentalists can be understood in one The Transcendentalists can be understood in one sense by their context -- by what they were sense by their context -- by what they were rebelling against, what they saw as the current rebelling against, what they saw as the current situation and therefore as what they were trying situation and therefore as what they were trying to be different from.to be different from.

Transcendentalists and Transcendentalists and spiritual context:spiritual context:

New Biblical Criticism due to literary New Biblical Criticism due to literary analysis led to analysis led to – New questions about the old New questions about the old

assumptions of religionassumptions of religion– Age of Enlightenment, based on Age of Enlightenment, based on

experimentation and logical thinking, experimentation and logical thinking, had come to new rational conclusions of had come to new rational conclusions of the natural world the natural world

These new rational conclusions were These new rational conclusions were not enoughnot enough

Transcendentalists and social Transcendentalists and social issuesissues

Most were involved in social reform Most were involved in social reform movements: anti-slavery and civil movements: anti-slavery and civil rightsrights

At the level of the human soul, ALL At the level of the human soul, ALL people had access to divine people had access to divine inspiration and sought and loved inspiration and sought and loved freedom and knowledge and truth.freedom and knowledge and truth.

Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau

The second son and third child of John The second son and third child of John Thoreau, whose father Jean had emigrated Thoreau, whose father Jean had emigrated to America from the Isle of Jersey about to America from the Isle of Jersey about the time of the American Revolution.the time of the American Revolution.

Grew up in Concord, Massachusetts, home Grew up in Concord, Massachusetts, home to Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo to Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emerson,

Attended Harvard College in nearby from Attended Harvard College in nearby from 1833 to 18371833 to 1837

Thoreau ContinuedThoreau Continued

For the remainder of his life he spent in his For the remainder of his life he spent in his home community, whose flora and fauna home community, whose flora and fauna he explored with a microscopic eye, he explored with a microscopic eye, recording his observationsrecording his observations

Early interpreters of Thoreau thought of Early interpreters of Thoreau thought of him as a naturalist, due to his him as a naturalist, due to his observations of botanical phenomena and observations of botanical phenomena and the amount of time roaming the environs the amount of time roaming the environs of Concord with spyglass, notebook, and of Concord with spyglass, notebook, and pencil, recording the seasonal changes pencil, recording the seasonal changes and life cycles of hundreds of plants. and life cycles of hundreds of plants.

Emerson’s Influence on ThoreauEmerson’s Influence on Thoreau

Emerson had counseled his Emerson had counseled his generation to look generation to look throughthrough the the transparency of nature in order to transparency of nature in order to grasp the essential spirituality of the grasp the essential spirituality of the universe universe

Thoreau, of all Emerson’s followers, Thoreau, of all Emerson’s followers, acted upon Emerson’s teachings acted upon Emerson’s teachings most consistently. most consistently.

Thoreau and Thoreau and WaldenWalden

Walden- Walden- one of the most influential one of the most influential books of the nineteenth centurybooks of the nineteenth century

Thoreau retired for two years, two Thoreau retired for two years, two months, and two days in 1845, 1846, months, and two days in 1845, 1846, and 1847 to Walden Pond:and 1847 to Walden Pond:– he built a hut and studied nature to he built a hut and studied nature to

discover what she had to teach of moral discover what she had to teach of moral and spiritual truthand spiritual truth

Thoreau’s Response to Thoreau’s Response to Transcendental premisesTranscendental premises

led him to take a negative view of the led him to take a negative view of the dominant values of pre–Civil-War America.dominant values of pre–Civil-War America.

He wrote disparagingly of the destruction He wrote disparagingly of the destruction of the natural environment, of which of the natural environment, of which human beings were an integral part.human beings were an integral part.

He deplored the implications of the rise of He deplored the implications of the rise of industrialism, with its emphasis upon industrialism, with its emphasis upon materialistic values. materialistic values.

He condemned the institution of black He condemned the institution of black slavery and the government which slavery and the government which fostered and perpetuated the institution. fostered and perpetuated the institution.