Frank Norris was an American writer from Chicago. He spent some time in Paris as a young man, where he read (yup) Émile Zola. Zola's books influenced him, as well as Darwin's theories on evolution.

Norris was one of the writers who brought Naturalism to America. Like other Naturalists, he was interested in the way that environment shapes character, specifically within the American context.

McTeague (1899)

McTeague, the protagonist of Norris' novel, comes from a poor background. He manages to escape his poverty by practicing as a quack dentist. Through his friend Marcus he meets Trina, whom he falls in love with and marries. That doesn't sit very well with Marcus, who's also in love with Trina. Dum dum dum.

Once McTeague marries Trina, the problems really start. McTeague loses his job. They have no money—except some that Trina won in a lottery. In order to get his hands on the money, McTeague kills his wife. Oh, that's a good call, McTeague.

And things just spiral further downward from there. We find all the ingredients of a Naturalist novel here: pessimism, determinism, and the struggle for survival, among other themes.

The Octopus: A Story of California (1901)

As the title informs us (thanks, Norris!) this novel is set in California. It deals with a fight between wheat farmers and a railway company intent taking on taking over their land to build a new railway. Wait—what? We thought it would be about a giant octopus wreaking havoc on San Francisco, Godzilla-style.

Like Norris' other novels, this book looks at the way in which social environment and economic factors impact individuals. The farmers in the novel don't have much control over their fate. Things, as we might imagine, don't end up so well for them.

Chew On This

Frank Norris' McTeague is a classic Naturalist tale about human greed, corruption and the struggle for survival. Delve into the novel here. 

Frank Norris' The Octopus: A Story of California deals with how people's lives are influenced by forces beyond their control.