Blind Fate In Mcteague And Sister Carrie: Social Determinism

Social Determinism and Blind Fate in McTeague and Sister Carrie In the nineteenth century, many writers were influenced by several theories. One of these theories is the theory of social determinism. Social determinism is a belief in the central nature of people whose society has a strong effect to shape their characters according to their needs. Frank Norris and Theodore Dreiser, considered as Naturalist writers, have employed the theory of determinism in their works. Both of them argue that people have shaped by certain social forces, and these social forces play an important role to control people’s fate. Frank Norris’s McTeague is set in San Francisco, California, in poor neighborhoods populated by lower-class and middle class residents. It is about McTeague who is much in love with Trina and wants to marry her. At the

Society has a strong effect on McTeague and Hurstwood and forces them to think only about their needs. McTeague and Hurstwood follow their passion for getting what they do not have. For example, McTeague is a former miner who works as a dentist in a cheap hired room on Polk Street in San Francisco. He has no license or degree, but he is a successful dentist. Before McTeague and Trina get married, Trina’s lottery ticket won five thousand dollars. McTeague becomes only concerned about getting that money, and his motive is to buy a new house. Unfortunately, Trina refuses to give him any penny from her money, so McTeague’s behavior begins to change. McTeague says, "Miser, nasty little old miser. You’re worse than old Zerkow, always nagging about money, money, and you got five thousand dollars. You got more, an’ you live in that stinking hole of a room, and you won’t drink any decent beer." McTeague meets Trina by chance, but the chance that is making a man of him and a woman of Trina is preparing their