Question

1. read this passage from jack londons short story \the law of life.\

he did not complain. it was the way of life, and it was just. he had been born close to the earth, close to the earth had he lived, and the law thereof was not new to him. it was the law of all flesh. nature was not kindly to the flesh. she had no concern for that concrete thing called the individual. her interest lay in the species, the race.

what principle of naturalism is found in this excerpt?

the universe is an uncaring, unfeeling force.
the universe is full of those who care for others.
nature ensures that both life and death are fair.
the force of nature is ever present in the world.

Explanation:

Analyze the passage

Using the Textual Evidence knowledge point
The passage from Jack London's "The Law of Life" states: "Nature was not kindly to the flesh. She had no concern for that concrete thing called the individual. Her interest lay in the species, the race." This explicitly shows that nature is indifferent to individual human lives.

Connect to Naturalism

Using the Literary Naturalism knowledge point
A core tenet of Naturalism is cosmic indifference—the idea that the universe and nature are uncaring, mechanistic forces that operate without regard for human suffering, desires, or individual existence.

Evaluate the options

Using the Literary Naturalism and Textual Evidence knowledge points

• Option 1 ("The universe is an uncaring, unfeeling force") directly matches the text's assertion that nature has "no concern for... the individual."
• Option 2 is contradicted by the harsh tone of the passage.
• Option 3 is incorrect because the text states nature is "not kindly," meaning it does not operate on human concepts of fairness.
• Option 4 is too generic and does not capture the specific indifferent quality emphasized in the excerpt.

Answer:

• (A) The universe is an uncaring, unfeeling force. (Correct answer)
• (B) The universe is full of those who care for others.
• (C) Nature ensures that both life and death are fair.
• (D) The force of nature is ever present in the world.