Vandover And The Brute by Frank Norris

A young, promising artist of refined upbringing gradually succumbs to a savage, primitive side — an internal “brute” that drives him to drink, violence, and moral degradation — ultimately wrecking his relationships, creative ambitions, and social standing. The novel traces his slow collapse from cultivated ideals into base instinct, exploring the tragic consequences when civilized self-control yields to raw impulse.

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