Final answer:
The story 'Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow' is analyzed through a naturalistic perspective where nature primarily represents the societal and innate elements of the characters' environment, leading to their struggles and the plot's progression towards a decline.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question at hand explores the themes and plot devices used in the story "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" through the lens of naturalism. In the context of this story, nature is not portrayed in the traditional sense of forests, rivers, and wildlife, but rather as the innate characteristics and the societal environment that the characters are embedded within. The query addresses the relationship between human beings and the concept of nature, implying that there might be a debate or confusion about what nature entails in this narrative.
As presented in naturalistic fiction, nature is often depicted as indifferent or hostile, which influences the characters and shapes their destinies, leading to a plot of decline. The characters usually face dramatic external conflicts involving character vs. environment or character vs. society. These conflicts are essential for understanding the story's structure and the main character's conflict. Moreover, the story might showcase how the characters are victims of their circumstances, including hereditary traits and grim social environments.
The natural world's portrayal can reflect various themes such as survival, determinism, and the struggle against external pressures. It can also reveal how the characters perceive their environment and contribute to the development of the plot and the characters' interactions with each other and their surroundings. Thus, the understanding of nature is a complex issue within the story, potentially affecting its characters and the unfolding of events.