Juxtaposition Of Determinism And Free Will In Edith Wharton's Fiction

Edith Wharton was the greatest woman writer in the early twentieth century. Many of Wharton's writings are interpreted through the perspectives of feminism, her outlook on war, marriage, art and architecture, wealth, fashion, European customs, the use of language, and of course, her connection to Henry James. However, few critics have paid enough attentions to social and environment determinism elements in her fiction. There are indeed some criticisms that touch on the factors of naturalism in some of her works, but they are mostly limited to the analyses of The House of Mirth, Ethan Frome, two of her representing works. They tend to neglect the same naturalistic technique and determinism ideology in The Age of Innocence. Furthermore,.seldom of those critics has noticed and systematically researched the distinct features of naturalism in her writing.This thesis tries to explore the factors of determinism in two representing masterpieces of Edith Wharton, i.e., The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence; to analyze her characteristic understanding of the relationship between the universe and the individual; and get a better knowledge of her views on the individual's self-transcendence through free will. The thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter one gives a brief introduction of the writer in discussion, her two masterpieces, and the rationale to be used in this thesis. Chapter two first gives brief introductions to several literary terms, including Darwinism and Social Darwinism, naturalism, as well as determinism, then tries to figure out their influence on Edith Wharton and her writing. Chapter three analyze in details the elements of determinism in these two novels. It shows the harsh reality caused by heredity and environments take overall control of the characters without mercy. Chapter four first gives a general introduction to free will, then provides the Maslow's theory of Hierarchy of Needs, and finally traces the cases of self-transcendence of her four characters, i.e., Nettie, Lily, Ellen and Newland, respectively. Chapter five is the conclusion of this thesis. Man can gain strength, achieve self-transcendence and actualize the value of life if only he has faith, hope, the courage to face challenges, and actively adjusts himself and meets the expectations on himself.