Elements of Naturalism in The Old Man and The Sea

Abstract

Every decade has witnessed emergence of varied philosophies that elucidates ways to arrive at the meaning of life. Naturalists too have tried doing the same. The naturalist philosophy pioneered by Emile Zola is based on the proposition that life is an enduring struggle against nature. It further explains how nature influences man's existence, with a meticulous stress on the hostility of nature to man. Determinism is emphasized upon leaving no room for free will of an individual. The philosophy is detrimentally relevant on date too, considering the times now, that increasingly stands witness to the inhuman nature of the human beings. Man’s inherent desire to remain the powerful and overpower the nature with his indomitable spirit continues. The naturalist philosophy, however, negates the free will of man and supports the inherent susceptibility of man to be the victim of heredity and circumstances. “The Old Man and The Sea” by Ernest Hemmingway demonstrates the endless struggle of man against the indomitable nature thereby substantiating the naturalist philosophy. The paper draws attention to the naturalist philosophy propounded in the aforementioned work authored by Ernest Hemmingway