During the late eighteen hundreds, many new views were becoming everyday social norms. Many people were accepting Charles Darwin's theory also know as Social Darwinism. This theory provides an explanation to survival and social classes. The people of this time period also found sado-masochistic relations as normal. Frank Norris used multiple characters in the novel McTeague, to accurately portray the negativity these specific social norms created which occurred during the time period that the novel was written.
Many critics agree that Frank Norris’ novel, McTeague, provided the reader with a great insight to the everyday lives of those living in the late eighteen hundreds. Critics praised the author's ability to create characters whose …show more content…
It was only six years after this murder that Frank Norris came out with his novel, McTeague. Like the murder case of Sarah Collins, Frank Norris’ novel was also a prime example of the effects Social Darwinism could have on one’s society. Norris showed that Social Darwinism was not entirely negative and could do some good such as in his characters like Old Grannis and Miss Baker. He was able to do this through his characters personalities and the outcomes of each individual's life. At the same time, he was able to reveal the true evil in this theory by turning some of the novels harmless characters into the …show more content…
Throughout his life, he saw these social norms and used his writing to portray the way he interpreted these views. Each character meant their fate whether it was good or bad as an effect of these late eighteenth century ways of thinking. Norris was able to show what the people of his time period originally viewed as normal as something with unthought of consequences. These consequences provided readers with a new way to understand their own
Many critics agree that Frank Norris’ novel, McTeague, provided the reader with a great insight to the everyday lives of those living in the late eighteen hundreds. Critics praised the author's ability to create characters whose …show more content…
It was only six years after this murder that Frank Norris came out with his novel, McTeague. Like the murder case of Sarah Collins, Frank Norris’ novel was also a prime example of the effects Social Darwinism could have on one’s society. Norris showed that Social Darwinism was not entirely negative and could do some good such as in his characters like Old Grannis and Miss Baker. He was able to do this through his characters personalities and the outcomes of each individual's life. At the same time, he was able to reveal the true evil in this theory by turning some of the novels harmless characters into the …show more content…
Throughout his life, he saw these social norms and used his writing to portray the way he interpreted these views. Each character meant their fate whether it was good or bad as an effect of these late eighteenth century ways of thinking. Norris was able to show what the people of his time period originally viewed as normal as something with unthought of consequences. These consequences provided readers with a new way to understand their own