Frank Norris

Date of Birth: March 5, 1870

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: October 25, 1902

Biography

Frank Norris, born Benjamin Franklin Norris Jr., was an influential American novelist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, celebrated for his naturalistic writing style. Norris was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his family moved to San Francisco when he was 14. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, but left without a degree; later, he studied at Harvard University for a year. His experiences and observations of life in San Francisco and the surrounding areas greatly influenced his writing. Norris’s literary career was marked by his commitment to realism and his focus on the darker aspects of human nature and society. His most famous works include “McTeague” (1899), a grim tale of greed and obsession, and “The Octopus” (1901), the first part of an unfinished trilogy exploring the conflict between agriculture and the railroads in California. He also worked as a journalist and editor, contributing to various magazines. Tragically, Norris’s promising career was cut short when he died at the age of 32 from peritonitis, following a burst appendix. Despite his brief career, his works have endured and continue to be studied for their powerful depictions of social issues and human behavior.

5 Interesting Facts about Frank Norris

1. Frank Norris’s novel “The Octopus” was inspired by the Mussel Slough Tragedy, a conflict between farmers and the Southern Pacific Railroad in California.

2. He was a key figure in the American literary movement known as Naturalism, which emphasized a deterministic view of human life.

3. Norris initially studied painting in Paris at the Académie Julian before turning his focus to writing.

4. His novel “McTeague” was adapted into the silent film “Greed” (1924) by director Erich von Stroheim, which is considered a classic.

5. Norris worked as a war correspondent in South Africa during the Second Boer War.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Frank Norris

1. “The People have a right to the good things of the world.”

2. “I never truckled; I never took off the hat to Fashion and held it out for pennies.”

3. “The function of the novelist is not to preach but to observe.”

4. “The world is a vast, illogical, uncharted, and unexplored jungle.”

5. “The power of the press is very great, but not so great as the power of the spoken word.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Frank Norris did not achieve substantial wealth during his lifetime, as he passed away at a relatively young age and before his work could bring significant financial success.