For centuries, philosophers have debated how much truth can be found in the concept of free will. As humans, we tend to favor a point of view that grants us more control, that is, we are able to determine our future through our actions. However, with the movement of literary naturalism came a counterargument: with the forces of economics, biology and psychology, humans find themselves without free will. This concept has been explored in naturalistic writings, including Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and To Build A Fire, both of which explore the extreme control the environment can have over life. Although the texts use contrasting settings, both take place in worlds of severe cruelty closing in on the protagonist. Although both works prove to be exemplary examples of literary naturalism, using similar characterization and thematic techniques, the differences lie in the way natural forces are used to leave the protagonists without control or hope. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayBoth works present a theme of environmental determinism. In Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, protagonist Maggie is surrounded by rampant poverty, crime, and alcoholism. Even though Maggie imagines growing up and leaving the world she knows, it turns out to be impossible. No matter how honest her actions, Maggie's environment stunts her enough that she constantly fights to survive, emotionally and physically. No Character is Forgiven: Jimmie opens the story by getting into a street fight to maintain his reputation, and grows up to become a womanizing drinker like so many of the men around him. The economic environment of poverty stunts the growth of all characters, preventing them from making choices to overcome these difficulties. Similarly, in To Build A Fire, the environment of the Yukon wilderness determines man's destiny, regardless of his autonomous actions. he takes. Throughout history, man must endure horribly harsh winter weather with no respite in sight. Although he is aware of the dangers of the Yukon and does his best to overcome them, man continually falls victim to the ultimately more powerful forces of nature. In one scene, after the man manages to start a fire he desperately needs to survive, snow falls from a tree and extinguishes it. Just like Maggie thinking Pete could be her way out of poverty, the man sees his little fire as a chance to survive in the winter tundra. However, the environment eventually takes control: the moment Pete leaves Maggie, the fire leaves the man. Although both characters struggle to rise above their circumstances, their surroundings ultimately dictate their destiny. Perhaps due to the comparably harsh environments of these stories, the protagonists are characterized by similar methods. Maggie and the man become desensitized to their surroundings, demonstrating the harmful consequences of their surroundings. When Maggie watches Pete leave the bar with Nellie, she doesn't respond by calling him or ranting and raving. Instead, she calmly decides to return home. Maggie has been so badly beaten down by her situation that she is numb to pain and has lost all desire to defend herself. In To Build A Fire, the man is physically numb from the cold. As he tries to light the fire, the match begins to burn his hands. The only reason he notices is due to the smell ofburned flesh; his hands are too numb to feel such pain. The cold environment robbed him of his basic instincts for self-preservation, leaving him as a risk to himself. Both characters are described as victims of a loss of sensation, both emotional and physical. Another similar characterization can be found in the rejection of social norms. Acting out of desperation, both characters are forced into situations that would seem amoral, or at least socially unacceptable. After Maggie is rejected by her family and by Pete, she turns to prostitution. Although morally questionable, this profession seems to be the only way for Maggie to survive. Similarly, in To Build A Fire, the man finds himself increasingly numb and unable to make a fire, coming to the conclusion that he must kill the dog to keep warm. In Western cultures, dogs are seen as beloved pets and companions, and the idea of ​​killing your own dog and inserting its body parts into your body seems horrific. However, man sees it as a solution to the rapid drop in his body temperature. Even if he doesn't kill the dog because his hands are too numb, even contemplating such behavior is socially unacceptable. However, like Maggie, the man is a victim of a desperate environment. A key element of literary naturalism is the use of forces to explain why characters do not have free will. Although Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and To Build A Fire do not use all forces in the same way, both apply the force of biology. Maggie is a pretty child who grows up to be a beautiful woman. Although facial beauty is generally considered a blessing, in its environment of patriarchy and chauvinism, it is a disadvantage. Maggie tends to let herself be coveted by men and she is a victim of their feminizing ways. In To Build A Fire, man suffers from the simple act of being human, the ultimate biological curse. As his feet and hands grow numb, the man is forced to watch as the dog curls up with his fur coat for warmth. No matter how many layers a man wears or how big a fire he can light, his biology requires him to submit to the cold. Despite these similarities, significant differences can be found in the way these two texts explore naturalism. Perhaps the most obvious difference is the choice of setting: while Maggie: A Girl of the Streets takes place in a New York slum, To Build A Fire takes place in the frigid wilderness of the Yukon. Both environments prove harshly antagonistic towards the main characters, although in different ways. Because Maggie lives in a crowded neighborhood, where underemployment and alcoholism are rife, she is primarily damaged by the people around her. Other humans who exemplify the neighborhood's characteristics punish and hurt her, leaving her isolated and desperate. However, in To Build a Fire, man's only companion is the dog. Because of the natural setting of the Yukon, man is not betrayed by humans, but by nature itself. Cold air, snowfall and icy springs prevent him from progressing. In such radically different contexts, these two works show their characters victims of their environment in directly opposite ways. In terms of natural forces asserting their power, these texts take two radically different approaches. Although Maggie: A Girl of the Streets incorporates the biological strength of Maggie's beauty, this is not the central focus. Rather, it is economic forces that dictate..