Andreeff 1

Louise Andreeff
Mrs. Kirschner
English II Section 2
14 December 2015
Trembling Through the Terror of American Literature
Fear in todays popular literature is expressed through the fight to the death of teenagers
in an arena in novels similar to The Hunger Games. The theme of fear throughout the literary
movements in America during the mid 19th to late 20th centuries appears indirectly through the
plot or the characters emotions, as seen in Naturalism and Realism. On the contrary, in Dark
Romanticism, the theme of fear is clearly emphasized.
Dark Romanticism is direct regarding the theme of fear, as the characters are fearful of
particular events, objects, or people with devilish intentions. Dark Romanticisms theme of fear
is forceful that is designed to instill fear in the characters as well as the reader. Dark Romantic
literature is applauded when the reader is petrified. In Edgar Allan Poes The Pit and the
Pendulum, the narrator fears his near death, as he is strapped to a table with a swinging
pendulum that gradually lowers above him. The creepiness and extremity of his terrorization
highlight an element of Dark Romanticism as it portrays the natural world as evil and hellish.
Before being strapped on the board, the narrator repeatedly faints as he is exploring his dark,
mysterious cell step by step, terrorized by the unknown. This technique of mysteriousness of the
unknown draws the reader in as Dark Romanticism relies on the human psyche to be interested
in fear, tragedy, and pain. In Dark Romanticism, the theme of fear is evident unlike in Naturalism
and Realism.

Andreeff 2
In Realistic literature, there is an underlying theme of fear depending on the characters
situation involving an oppressive other. The characters in Realism resemble the common people
in the middle class, as Realistic writers focus to describe an accurate representation of life
between 1865 and 1910. The characters in the working class fear freedom. They are scared of
leaving common society because it is all they have known. The characters allow society to define
them as if the multitudes of those in the middle class are suppressed by the few in the upper
class power. Exemplified in Davis Life in the Iron-Mills, the narrator describes Mitchell, a
member of the upper class, to be a Man all- knowing, all-seeing, crowned by Nature, reigning,
the keen glance of his eye falling like a scepter on other men (18).
Kate Chopin, a famous Realistic writer, approaches the theme of fear similarly in The
Story of an Hour. Chopins main character, Louise Mallard, rejoices at the news of her
husbands death, as she is free from his oppressiveness. Fear returns to Louise when she realizes
her husband did not die, and it kills her. The fear that she will not be able to live for herself and
the dream that years to come would belong to her absolutely would be shattered (Chopin 2).
She could not withstand another moment of her husband controlling her will, the cause of her
fear. Similar to Realism, Naturalisms theme of fear is conveyed through the effects of the
characters situation.
The theme of fear in Naturalism is expressed through the idea that fear derives from the
uncontrollable. In Naturalism, humans desire to have control is challenged by natures
indifference to humanity. As the principal character in To Build a Fire attempts to make a fire,
snow from the trees topples down, ruining the fire, and lands on the shivering man (London 73).
Nature is greater than humans, which is frightening, as there is no escape to its unpredictable
grasp, unless by death. An element of Naturalism is determinism, the belief that persons are

Andreeff 3
powerless to change their circumstances of their lives. Fear arouses with determinism as humans
lack the control and freedom to change. The main character is defeated by his lack of control as
he, was certain to freeze in his present circumstances, and he should accept it calmly (London
78). He gave up his fight to survive after trying to change his fate by building a fire multiple
times and sprinting to keep his body from freezing. He accepts defeat from nature and dies.
Naturalism stresses the survival of the fittest as nature prevails, a Social Darwinist approach that
is exemplified when the plot ends with the death of the main character like in To Build a Fire.
The extremity and emphasis of fear distinguish Dark Romantic literature from Realism
and Naturalism. The different facets of fear can cause literal horror, fear towards an oppressive
other, or fear in a lack of control with nature acting as the supreme command. Dark Romantic
writer, Edgar Allan Poe, states that Words have no power to impress the mind without the
exquisite horror of their reality meaning that without expressing the fear that is intertwined with
existing in society is like depriving the mind of truth that connects with understanding. The
theme of fear is relevant to Dark Romanticism, Naturalism, and Realism, even though it may not
be the central theme; fear is imperative to portray to the reader a complex understanding of the
characters situation.