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Foreshadowing
Genre
Explanation and Analysis:
The short story “The Californian’s Tale” is an example of Naturalist literature. Naturalism as a literary movement was centered on communicating the pessimistic idea that people’s fates are controlled by forces outside their control, such as oppressive and rigid class structures, harmful families into which they are born, or even natural forces like extreme weather. Because of this, the characters in Naturalist literature often find themselves seeking change or progress, only to find themselves forced back to where they started, or even to end the story worse off (financially, emotionally, or otherwise).
Related Themes:
