Studying the Novel is a best-selling introductory guide to the novel, short story and novella covering all the essential concepts and approaches for students of English, either on short courses or at degree level. It is widely-acclaimed for its erudite yet accessible style and judicious selection of literary extracts.


The book begins with an introduction to the history and structure of the novel and then moves on to define the novel's essential components. The history and development of the novel is examined and concludes with a discussion of its continued relevancy today. Separate chapters cover the short story and the novella in order to give adequate coverage to these popular forms. The theoretical approaches of 'realism', 'modernism' and 'postmodernism' are outlined with reference to popular works to demonstrate how theory can be applied. Cyberfiction and interactive/collaborative fiction are explored followed by a chapter on analysing fiction - here the standard components of the novel are covered: narrative technique; character; plot; structure; setting; theme; symbol and image and speech and dialogue. Critical approaches and screen adaptations are also looked at.

Practical advice is included throughout but one chapter entirely is devoted to how to take notes, what to note, using critics, using the internet and how to tackle essays and exams effectively.

New to this edition is the inclusion of more contemporary fiction, such as Jeanette Winterson. Semi-fictional/factional work, such as holocaust writing is analysed and new developments in narrative theory have been added. A timeline of novels offers an at-a-glance overview of the historical development of literature.