The beast within

Zolian determinism occurs along different axes. One is time, as when a character’s behavior is determined by predispositions inherited from past generations. Another is space, as when an environment seems to determine or announce the behavior of the characters it surrounds.

Now let’s think the two axes together, since the spatial relationship between characters and their environments can change over time. Consider the profound interrelation between characters and their surroundings in Zola’s The Beast Within. The novel’s various environments intimately permeate the characters’ lives. Conversely, the characters’ experiences appear projected onto and inscribed in the very fabric of their physical environments. And all of this often plays out over time.

Drawing specific examples from The Beast Within, trace one example of the correspondence between character and environment throughout the novel. Does the correspondence build or evolve? What techniques does Zola employ to establish and foreground it? How, in short, does Zola stage the interrelation between the human and the inanimate?

You might choose to follow one character’s interrelation with different environments, or one environment’s interrelation with multiple characters. Or you might stick to a single character’s developing interrelation with a single environment.

Whatever you choose, be sure to discuss the textual results produced. What purpose does this correspondence between characters and their environment serve for Zola? What kinds of features, structures, patterns, or tensions does it create in the text?

There is no right or wrong answer here. The important thing is that you develop an original and overarching argument, citing salient textual evidence and thinking creatively about various aspects of the work (form, language, theme, structure, symbolism, plot, historical context, etc.) that could enrich your analysis.

The paper should be 4-5 pages long (double-spaced, 12-pt font, 1-inch margins).