Naturalism by Garland Naturalism is a literary movement that encapsulates the struggles of the common population. Hamlin Garland presents an excellent example of Naturalist literature in his short story “Under the Lion’s Paw”, published in 1889. In this short story, many of Dr. Stephen doCarmo’s characteristics of Naturalism are visible. Dr. doCarmo describes three broad characteristics of Naturalism: individuals are subjected to larger uncontainable forces, political undertones are prevalent within the work, and the subject matter of the work appeals to the middle-class. “Under the Lion’s Paw” possesses all three of these characteristics and radiates naturalism. Dr. doCarmo’s first and most important characteristic of a naturalist work, as well as what he refers to as Naturalism’s central belief, is that “individual human beings are at the mercy of uncontrollable larger forces that originate both inside and outside them” (doCarmo). Mr. Haskins is subjected to a larger force in the environment, “He’s been eat up ’n’ drove out by grasshoppers” (Garland 755). This environmental catastrophe diminishes Mr. Haskins livelihood and leads to another uncontrollable force as described by doCarmo: “‘animal’ drives, such as the need for food, sex, shelter” (doCarmo). Garland also acknowledges these “animal” drives: “There is no despair so deep as the despair of a homeless man or woman. To roam the roads of the country or the streets of the city, to feel there is no rood of ground on which the feet can rest, to halt weary and hungry outside lighted windows and hear laughter and song within—these are the hungers and rebellions that drive men to crime and women to shame” (Garland 760). Mr. Haskins and his family have lost their source of revenue and have been driven from their home by hunger. Politically this story possesses an aspect of enduring retributions