Nature is not animated. It is composed of a multitude of living components, yet nature itself is no more alive than a rock or a grain of salt. The natural world is therefore powerless to exercise control over the experiences and interactions that individuals have with it. The naturalist school of literature and thought supports this assertion. Nature writers Stephen Crane and Jack London, as well as director Joe Carnahan, provide clear examples of naturalism in their work. Their respective works “The Open Boat”, “To Build a Fire” and The Gray all employ the notion of a universe indifferent to the fate of its constituents to reinforce the naturalistic vein that runs through each piece. influences nature, it does not hear the cries of the pitiful; the answer to these arguments is not within the competence of nature. In The Open Boat, the men are certain that they will not allow themselves to be hit by the sea: “[the sea] cannot drown me. She doesn’t dare drown me…” (Crane 609) they think. Four of them survive but Billie the tanker, who no doubt had similar thoughts while drifting among the swells, is not so lucky. Billie's death shows that any of these five men could have died; there is no particular reason why it is Billie and no reason why it is not anyone else. Similarly, in The Grey, John Ottway, as he stumbles alone and aimlessly through the wilderness, cries out to God or the governing forces of Earth to do something about his situation. There is, in accordance with naturalism, no answer. He takes matters into his own hands and heads straight for the wolves' den. Here he dies, and nature has done nothing to place him in this position. Nature neither enhances nor overwhelms......middle of paper......lasting functions in order to mourn the death of this man. The wind continues to blow furiously and the cold remains subarctic despite the fact that the survivors of the plane crash are not equipped. Nature does not reflect the dismay of men; he ignores their dilemma and doesn't care. The affairs of human beings in no way harm or benefit nature or the universe as a whole. Ultimately, human actions and states cannot affect nature. No one can do anything to win nature's favor or hatred. Nature's apathy towards humanity is constant. Naturalism is based on this belief, as are the naturalist works “The Open Boat, “Building a Fire” and The Grey”. The nonchalance of the universe is a theme present in each of the aforementioned creations and is a theme that connects all the naturalistic works.Works CitedRagtime by EL Doctorow