Aspects of the contemporary novel

Abstract

Narration is, in itself, a fundamental feature of man's innate capability of expressing himself. It is, perhaps, the real essence and the sole mode of communication. The most elementary sentence formulated by a child is constituted of the basic components which in the long run define a novel in all its complexities. The subject, the verb and the object, for instance, have already been identified with the protagonist, the plot and the relationship between the former and the latter respectively. In other words, whenever a man portrays a human situation verbally, he manifests himself not only as a narrator, but as a potential novelist. This is why modern literature abounds with novelists who started their career as journalists. It is equally important to stress that a novel is not pure narration but, as EM. Forster points out, "we shall all agree that the fundamental aspect of the novel is its story-telling aspect." The act of representation is, therefore, the substantial core which differentiates literature, and the novel in particular, from common experience, which is thereby re-elaborated and reshaped in terms of creative strategy.