Determinism in quicksand
Determinism in quicksandDuring the Harlem Renaissance, many literary works concentrated on celebrating African American heritage. However, many other writers also began concentrating on the darker theme of naturalism. Nella Larsen�s Quicksand illustrates many elements of this movement. These include a biological determinism, where man is conceived of as controlled by his primitive animal instincts and a sociological determinism, whereby the weak are destroyed and the strong survive in a world of struggle and chance. Helga Crane, Larsen�s protagonist in Quicksand, illustrates the elements of both biological and sociological determinism in her inability to suppress her natural animal instinct to flee uncomfortable situations, and to comfortably conform in either of her opposing communities.
Helga cannot suppress her desire to flee from uncomfortable situations in any city that she lives in. In Naxos, she convinces herself that she is leaving a place that has �grown into a machine� (4). Although the conforming nature of the institution contributes to Helga�s desire to leave, she is also stirred with �an overpowering desire for action of some sort� (4). Instead of staying in Naxos and fighting a battle against the institute�s conservative attitudes, Helga chooses to flee an unpleasant reality. This exemplifies the �fight or flight� animal instinct that is said to control behavior in situations that become overwhelming. Instead of fighting, Helga time and time again chooses to leave what becomes unbearable to her. Once the decision is made to leave Naxos, Helga feels �like a person who had been for months fighting the devil and then unexpectedly had turned around and agreed to do his bidding� (5). Helga knows deep down that leaving Naxos is wrong, but the instinct to flee is so strong that she is powerless to deny it.
In New York, Helga is also consumed by the animal instinct of flight. When Dr. Anderson calls on her after a chance meeting at a nightclub, Helga �had no intention of running away, but something, some imp of contumacy, drove her from his presence, though she longed to stay� (51). Once again, Helga succumbs to her overwhelming desire to leave an uncomfortable situation. Later she realizes with a �sense of helplessness and inevitability�that the weapon she had chosen had been a boomerang, for she herself had felt the keen disappointment of the denial� (51). Obviously Helga is denying her attraction to Dr. Anderson and hides it with an uncontrollable �wish to wound� him (51). Clearly, Helga is internally struggling with her sexual desire for Dr. Anderson by disguising it with anger towards him. However, instead of confronting these emotions, Helga again allows her natural instinct of flight to take over in order to deal with the situation.
Helga also illustrates her inability to control the instinct of flight in Copenhagen. During her stay, she is �incited to make an impression� and to �inflame attention and admiration� (74). Helga�s desire...
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