Naturalism is a type of literature that applies scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to study human beings. It emphasizes the more brutal aspects of existence compared to realism, which depicts life as lived. Naturalism features characters governed by heredity, instinct, and passion, set in urban environments, with plots depicting the panoramic drama of degeneration and themes of survival against nature as an indifferent force that brings out the "brute within" man through strong emotions and conflict.