Edith Wharton is different from the other two authors discussed here in that she used urban settings as opposed the natural ones. Her setting again differed from other naturalist writers, who as Campbell explains, are typically lower class ("Naturalism in American Literature"). She used her experience among high society in Boston, New York, and Paris to create realistic settings and scenarios The text explains that "the extent to which human behavior is shaped by the forces of environment and breeding is a major motif in Wharton's narratives..." (McQuade 1748). She showed the effect of environment, other than nature, on human behavior. Her story "The Other Two" tells the story of a woman whose third husband meets and bonds with her previous two husbands, despite her efforts to dissuade any bond. At the end, all she can do is simply pour them tea because she "as a twice-divorced, dependent woman with a child [she] is ill-equipped to resist this triumvirate." (Kiran-Raw). This shows the naturalist ideas applied to society. Her station in life is beyond her control and she can't act in a way that could hurt her situation. She is forced, by society and her self, to accept what is happening around her. Wharton is an extremely important writer in American literature. Her works are excellent examples of the variations of naturalism and how naturalist themes fit into different environments, but all share the same general idea.
