Narrative techniques and their role in literature

Narrator

In many ways, the literary movements and philosophies of determinism and individualism are opposites of one another. Determinism is one of the facets of Naturalism, and is based on the idea that things happen due to causes and effects largely out of the control of people and that choice is ultimately an illusion. Individualism, however, is widely based on the idea of free will and the fact that people can take action to control their surroundings and their fates in life. Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie provides an excellent example of determinist literature and is based on the critical ideas of amorality and environmental factors controlling a person's fate, while Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an example of individualism and illustrates the idea that a person can take action to make his or her own fate.

Dreiser's work chronicles the rise to wealth and social prominence of Carrie Meeber and the fall from wealth and social prominence of George Hurstwood. Meeber's ascent is typical of many determinist principles -- she does not necessarily take action that improves her fate, an unusual series of events actually produces this effect for her. Additionally, she is considerably amoral -- especially for the time period in which Dreiser's work was first published -- and engages in extramarital sex which happens to aid her rise to wealth and power. Still, environmental factors that are outside of her control largely help her to become rich and powerful. For instance, she happens to meet a benefactor in Charles Drouet who considerably assists her move from a small town to metropolitan Chicago and provides financial necessities for her to become empowered and financially stable. Granted, she does accept his gifts (such as when he provides her a coat and a hat during harsh winter conditions) (Dreiser), but she does not actively seek them, which is highly indicative of determinism. This fact, along with Meeber's immorality and dissatisfaction with the material trappings of wealth, helps to characterize this novel as distinctly determinist.

There are a number of specific characteristics of Huckleberry Finn, however, that is responsible for the categorization of this book as part of the individualist tradition. The environmental factors that are so dominant in Dreiser's novel, for instance, are much more changeable in Twain's work. The basic premise of the story is that the titular character and a slave known as Jim are both attempting to jointly runaway -- Finn from his abusive, alcoholic father, and Jim from his slave master who is threatening to sell Jim and relocate him from his family. In this respect, the very plot upon which this story is set is deeply steeped in individualism. Both Jim and Finn are attempting to assert their own wills to overcome the fate that life had produced for them. Finn could have merely chose to accept the fact that his father kidnapped him and would come home to beat him every night (Twain, 1884). Jim could have simply done nothing and been sold away from his family. Instead, both of these characters are acting according to their own volition to attempt to improve their lives. The end of story particularly reinforces its individualist tendencies. Jim is ultimately freed from slavery and set to pursue life as he pleases, and Huck chooses to move out West to do the same.