The literary movement known as naturalism grew out of realism in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The movement was largely influenced by the theories of Émile Zola in Europe and Frank Norris in America.
Like realism, naturalism defined itself in contrast to romanticism. However, naturalism distinguished itself through adopting an attitude of determinism, i.e. an individual human's actions and beliefs are determined by the natural forces that created the conditions for the individual's life. While realism saw human fate as related to the way people reacted to situations, Naturalism was skeptical of the concept of free will, opting instead to see human lives as being largely governed by factors outside their control.
Though naturalism is often difficult to distinguish from realism, a naturalist story or novel will focus on the environment surrounding its characters. The environment—physical and social—influences the characters' minds in ways they may not be aware of.
Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat" is considered a pioneering work of naturalism for its depiction of humans in a situation that leads them to confront nature's indifference and the illusion of a higher power.
