Under the Lion’s Paw

1
Under the Lions Paw

• Naturalism Unit

2
Background

• Hamlin Garland was born in 1860 and moved at age
  8 from Wisconsin to the windswept Iowa prairie.
• During his early life he worked dawn to dusk on
  his familys farm.

3
(No Transcript)
4
Living in the most primitive conditions alone
and often without enough water.  They braved
weather that showed its extreme more often than
its average.
The homesteaders endured the extreme conditions
of the high plains.   
5
In hail, blizzards and dust storms, and
temperatures from -50 to 115, they persevered in
tarpapers shacks, surviving from year to year by
only the narrowest of margins.
6
Background

• What are Good Samaritan themes?
• Land speculation
• Buying land at low prices and holding until it
  could be resold at higher prices

7
Concepts Relating to Naturalism

• Who / What are farmers at the mercy of?
• Does Haskins control his own destiny?
• Contrast Council and Butler in their relationship
  to Haskins
• Human condition vs. Human nature
• How much should we trust other people?

8
Emergence of Naturalism

• An extension of Realism
• Peoples actions and beliefs did not result from
  free will
• Arbitrary outside forces of heredity and
  environment
• Human behavior based on instinct
• Humans as pawns manipulated by cruel indifferent
  forces

9
Quiz Clues

• Who are the main characters, and what motivates
  each one?
• What role does the land play in this story?
• Know what land speculation is.
• What choices does Haskins have?
• Whats ironic about Haskins actions?

10
Quiz Clues

• What kind of religion does Council have?
• What is an appropriate theme?
• How is this story a good example of Naturalism or
  Realism?
• What influences the story more? Human nature or
  nature itself?

11
Under the Lions Paw Vocabulary

• Premonitory
• Deprecating
• Jovially
• Sallow
• Pathetic
• Eaves
• Cronies
• Torpidity

• Spasmodic
• Multitudinous
• Bounteous
• Briers
• Galleys
• Insinuating
• Solemn
• Speculation

12
Emergence of Realism

• Drew portraits from real-life
• Shocked readers with grim depictions
• A realistic use of dialects and local color
• Use of satire or irony often present
• Breakdown of traditional values
• Misery of the poor or urban America