What did naturalists believe?

• A. Human behavior and fate are determined by heredity and environment
• B. Human will is entirely free
• C. Life is random with no determinism
• D. Religion governs actions

Answer: (A)

Naturalists in American literature emphasize determinism—the idea that human behavior and fate are shaped by forces beyond personal control. They argue that heredity provides the raw material of character and instincts, while environment—economic pressure, social conditions, and physical surroundings—sets the stage for how people act and what they become. Characters often appear as victims or products of these forces, with choices limited by biology and circumstance rather than being freely self-directed. This explains why outcomes feel inexorable and individuals struggle against larger forces they cannot fully overcome.

The other views don’t fit naturalism: believing in total free will clashes with the deterministic framework; treating life as random and without any determinism runs counter to the cause-and-effect focus of naturalist thought; and the idea that religion governs actions aligns more with religious or moralistic viewpoints rather than the secular, science-informed perspective of naturalism.