Émile Zola

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mile-zola

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Émile Zola born?April 2, 1840
2. When did Émile Zola die?September 29, 1902 (age 62)
3. Where was Émile Zola born?Paris, France
4. Who was Émile Zola?Émile Zola was a famous French writer born in 1840. He wrote many books that showed real life and helped people think about fairness.
5. What is naturalism?Naturalism is a style of writing that shows life like a science experiment. It describes people and their surroundings in a very realistic way.

Naturalism: A literary movement that sought to depict life objectively, emphasizing heredity, environment, and scientific determinism.
J'Accuse...!: An influential open letter published by Zola in 1898, denouncing the injustice of the Dreyfus Affair and accusing government officials.
Second Empire: The period of French history from 1852 to 1870, ruled by Emperor Napoleon III, during which Zola's 'Rougon-Macquart' series is set.