Emile ZolaZo·la, Em·ile /ˈzəʊlə, ˈemiːl $ eˈmiːl/ (1840–1902) a French writer who developed the style of literature called naturalism (=showing people and the world exactly as they really are) in novels such as Nana and Germinal, which describe life and society in a very detailed way, and are often about crime, murder, and people who are poor. He is also known for supporting Alfred Dreyfus, and criticizing the people who had sent Dreyfus to prison, by writing the public letter J'accuse.