FUNDAMENTALS OF NOVEL

NATURE: Unlike drama which is a performative art meant to be acted out, novel exemplifies a narrative art that is specifically written with the view to be read. As such, there are three characteristics that define its essential nature. Firstly, it recounts a narrative that is fundamentally imaginative in character. Even if the narrative is derived from real life incidents, it ought to be presented as a figment of the author’s imagination. Secondly, the imaginary narrative that the novel relates is to be done through the medium of prose. This is basically the aspect that differentiates a novel from that of an epic or a ballad, both of which also relate a narrative but in poetry. Thirdly, the length of the novelistic narrative is required to be of a certain word limit, the generally stipulated norm being 50,000 or more. This final aspect though may seem arbitrary is indeed vital in that it is how a novel is normally discriminated from other forms of prose narratives such as short stories, novella and novelettes. A novel thus could be ultimately defined as a fictitious narrative in prose of 50,000 words or more in length.

 

CONSTITUENTS: There are five basic elements that go into the making of a novel. These are plot that denotes the logic or order in which the events or incidents in a novel are arranged, character that signifies the human agencies that act out these events, milieu that refers to the context or situation in which the incidents occur, point of view that epitomizes the perspective from which the events are narrated and finally, dialogue that typifies the interactions between characters. It is important to remember that though it is possible to speak of these elements in separate terms, which is in fact how they have been dealt with in the ensuing discussion, they represent in earnest mutually contingent factors that constitute a unified whole.

PLOT: In considering plot the first of the elements, it is vital that we fully understand that it is not the same as that of a story. Even though the two terms are often employed interchangeably, the fact is they are disparate from each other. Story for instance refers to the arrangement of events in a chronological sequence, where the aspect of temporality takes precedence. It simply answers the question what happens next. Plot on the other hand exemplifies the arrangement of incidents in accordance with a rational sequence, in which the logic of causality takes priority. It addresses the question why something happens. Thus, unlike in a story, it is not required that events or incidents in a plot be organized in a linear order, but could be shuffled back and forth through use of such techniques as flashback. Plot in a novel invariably falls into two types, organic and episodic. An organic plot is one in which the events are vitally interlinked to one another so as to form an integral unity that is oriented towards developing a central theme or idea. An episodic plot conversely suggests a narrative framework in which the incidents are loosely interlinked to each other, where the interconnection fundamentally hinges on the presence or recurrence of the same central character. Oliver Twist and Pickwick Papers both novels by the English author Charles Dickens could be regarded as instances of organic and episodic plots respectively.

CHARACTER: In taking stock of character, the second of the elements, it is possible to differentiate between two basic types, round and flat. Round characters represent three dimensional individuals who resemble real life people. Their personality is complex in that it is defined by many different traits, which can undergo change or evolve in the course of the narrative. In short, round characters are multifaceted and dynamic. Flat characters on the contrary are one dimensional individuals, whose entire personality is defined by a single trait. Consequently, far from resembling real life people, they exemplify types or cardboard personas that are specifically created by the novelist to perform a set role in the narrative. Typically flat characters are static in nature, remaining the same throughout. In a novel, all major characters tend to be round, with flat characters invariably filling out minor roles.

MILIEU: With regard to milieu, it is required that we clearly understand that it is not the same as that of a setting. It is noteworthy that in common usage, it is actually the latter term that is often used by many to designate this third element involved in the making of a novel. However, it is a wrong usage for the simple reason that a setting is relatively limited in scope. To explain, setting merely epitomizes the physical landscape against which the events in a plot unravel. Conversely, milieu exemplifies the overall context of the plot, which encompasses a whole range of aspects to consider such as the mannerisms, customs, traditions that informs the lives of the characters involved. A milieu thus epitomizes a much bigger framework than setting. Milieu in a novel characteristically falls into two types, material and social. The former refers to a type in which the milieu merely serves the purpose of acting as a passive physical background to the plot, providing nothing more than a concrete environment for the events in it. The latter however implies a type of milieu that plays an active role in the plot, imparting a critical social message besides fulfilling its obligation as a backdrop to the incidents. The milieu that one typically comes across in the novels of Jane Austen could be cited as classic instances for a material milieu, while those found in the popular novels of Charles Dickens for that of a social milieu.

POINT OF VIEW: In talking about point of view, the fourth of the elements, there are basically two types that we need to look into. The first known as the autobiographical or the first person represents a narrative standpoint in which the plot is recounted from the perspective of one or more characters actively involved in the actual action of the plot. It is therefore related in direct speech, with the personal pronoun ‘I’ serving as the principal identity marker. The second type called the omniscient or the third person indicates a standpoint in which the narrative is recounted from the perspective of an outsider, who is not a participant in the action of the plot but is privy to all its happenings. It is therefore typically told in indirect speech, and is also sometimes labelled the God’s view point. Both these points of view have their relative advantages and limitations. In the first person for instance it is possible to impart a comparatively more personal account of the events than in the third person. However, in the third person it is possible to narrate events more extensively as the narrator could be in many places at the same time. It is important to remember that the two perspectives must not be regarded hierarchically, and their choice in a novel is basically a matter of preference.

DIALOGUE: Focusing our attention on the last of the basic elements, there are apparently two principles that govern the effectiveness of dialogues in a novel. These may be respectively dubbed the organic and the consistency imperative. According to the imperative we call organic, dialogues in the plot of a novel are strictly required to be warranted by the action or the situation in the plot, so that they constitute an integral part of the overall unity of the work. It is therefore significant to remember that dialogues must be avoided at all cost if they exemplify a superfluous entity that do not contribute to the flow of the narrative. According to the imperative labelled consistency, dialogues must be forged in such a way so as to be consistent with the situation in which they occur, and the personalities of the characters that utter them. This second principal is what we may rightfully describe as the novelistic counterpart of the idea of decorum in drama, which demands that style in a play must suit the subject dealt with, the characters social standing and in general the mood and tone that inform the scene. It is however necessary to bear in mind that over and beyond these twin principles, dialogues in a novel are in general required to be easy, fresh, and most of all, interesting, so that they attract the attention of the reader.

 

TYPES: Novel as a literary form could be broadly divided into two basic types, novels of action and novels of character. In the former, the plot is typically fast paced with the emphasis laid on the rapid movement of events, while in the latter, it is somewhat slow moving with priority placed on an in-depth development of the personalities of the characters involved. Another way of explaining it would be to say that in novels of action, the plot is typically horizontal in nature in that it makes for racy reading, where as in the novels of character, the plot is rather vertical in scope in that intensification of the emotional states of mind experienced by the characters is given primacy. It is noteworthy that the division of the novel form into those of action and character is by no means definitive. After all, it is perfectly possible for certain parts in a novel of action to dwell more on insights into the characters mental states than moving the incidents forward, and certain parts of a novel of character to place more attention on the actual incident rather than the personality of the individuals involved in them.