John Steinbeck (1902-1968) was an award-winning American author who published novels, short stories, screenplays, and travelogues. Steinbeck's very detailed and in-depth writing style helped enable him to produce moving works of literature. By focusing on the cruelty and despair of the world, Steinbeck can be recognized as a naturalist writer because he illustrated these ideas in many of his works. Growing up in a fertile valley, Steinbeck “developed a deep appreciation of the environment” (Shillinglaw); fueling his desire to accurately depict the struggles of everyday life. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck uses naturalistic literary philosophy to examine how heredity, environment, and circumstance influence the lives of human beings. John Steinbeck often depicted the harsh reality of everyday life which shapes the characters; this categorizes his writings (stuff deleted/rearranged here) as naturalistic. Beginning in the late 19th century in Europe, naturalism attempted to “describe life accurately” (Walcutt 43). Furthermore, “[Naturalism] attempts to apply the scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to its study of human beings” (Campbell). Although similar to realism, naturalism expands on realism in that the author of a naturalistic work will attempt to convey a thought or idea. Naturalistic literature often depicts violence, feelings of hopelessness, a controlling force, and characters of low socioeconomic status. Two French authors, Émile Zola and Gustave Flaubert, “believed that the author should erase himself entirely from his material and simply report without feeling or moralizing” (Walcutt 43). They became the driving force behind naturalism, writing about the ugly side of life on topics like ... middle of paper ...... spawned relatively few imitators" and "reinforces its isolated position while highlighting the fact that the novel contains characters who differ little from the most negative Mexican stereotypes” (Tortilla Flat: Critical Review and Critical Reception). Thomas Fensch, in an introduction to the novel, noted that readers of Tortilla Flat "did not fully appreciate [the paisanos'] convoluted logic and morality." Many considered them tramps. . . and that stung Steinbeck” (Fensch x). Through his novel Tortilla Flat, Steinbeck conveys naturalist philosophy. Nature writers often attempt to describe the uncontrollable forces that govern an individual's life and offer the reader a scientific approach to explaining human behavior. Tortilla Flat will remain a classic of English literature written by one of the most important authors of the 20th century.