...A novel is a long prose narrative that describes fictional characters and events, usually in the form of a sequential story. The genre has historical roots in antiquity and the fields ofmedieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter, an Italian word used to describe short stories, supplied the present generic English term in the 18th century. Further definition of the genre is historically difficult. The construction of the narrative, theplot, the relation to reality, the characterization, and the use of language are usually discussed to show a novel's artistic merits. Most of these requirements were introduced to literary prose in the 16th and 17th centuries, in order to give fiction a justification outside the field of factual history. ------------------------------------------------- Definition[edit] Gerard ter Borch, young man reading a book c.1680, the format is that of a French period novel. | Madame de Pompadourspending her afternoon with a book, 1756 – religious and scientific reading has a differenticonography. | The fictional narrative, the novel's distinct "literary" prose, specific media requirements (the use of paper and print), a characteristic subject matter that creates intimacy, and length can be seen as features that developed with the Western (and modern) market of fiction. The separation of the field of literary fiction from the field of historical narrative fueled the evolution of these features in the last 400 years...
Words: 1331 - Pages: 6
...Converso’s in Historical Perspective, written by Renee Levine Melammed. It is divided into eight different chapters that deal with the complicated relationship between Christians, Converso’s, and the Jews of the Iberian Peninsula. The plan of forced conversions in 1391 was indeed successful, but nobody was prepared for the aftermath of what transpired. How to deal with the massive influx of converts into Christianity was an enormous problem, and the question of identity became the central area of concern. As one will see, religious incentive was the dominant motivator for forcible conversion that ultimately led to the problematic question of identity amongst the...
Words: 1361 - Pages: 6
...Alternate History, History and Historical Elements in “Flight” Flight the novel by Sherman Alexie itself is a travel through time. Although the novelist makes references to historical events in the book, this work cannot be called as historical fiction. Rather it falls into the category of Alternate history. It belongs to the genre where the author alters events that really happened in the past and sets his plot in the resulting changes. In the case of Flight, the novel can be called speculative fiction with a heavy dose of history and historical elements. In this narrative of Zits’ story, the author makes the protagonist jump into different historical identities. Zits does this as he travels through time and revisits history. Zits understanding of violence changes as he travels through these different...
Words: 1924 - Pages: 8
...Introduction How exciting it is to open the bible to the book of Exodus and read the narrative of the fulfillment of God’s promise in the rescue of the Israelites from captivity in Egypt—the call of Moses, the plagues, and the dramatic manifestation of God on Mt. Sinai. Though the book of Exodus is most famous for the revelation of the Ten Commandments contained in Chapter 20, it remains vague in terms of where the biblical account actually occurred, and yet we cannot begin to fully understand the Old Testament if we look at it as merely a piece of great literature, or as some have suggested nothing more than interesting legend, or the elaboration of superior ideals. … The Book of Exodus is a narrative of the sacred history of Israel from the sojourn in Egypt to the completion of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. The term Exodus comes from the Greek terminology and literally means “going out,” an appropriate title for the book that narrates how under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites escaped from Egyptian persecution and began their journey back to the Promised Land. To be certain, all human history is the scope of God’s sovereignty. God became especially involved in the lives of a relatively unknown people, culminating a historical event that changed biblical history and altered the course of their lives and culture. When we seek to understand the meaning of our individual life events, we don’t actually begin with birth or infancy, even though a biographical account...
Words: 2839 - Pages: 12
...literature produced by Koreans, mostly in the Korean language and sometimes in Classical Chinese. For much of Korea's 1,500 years of literary history, it was written in Hanja. It is commonly divided into classical and modern periods, although this distinction is sometimes unclear. Korea is home to the world's first metal and copper type, world's earliest known printed document and the world's first featural script. ------------------------------------------------- General overview In general, the written arts have a tradition in epigraphic inscriptions on stones, in early tombs, and on rarely found bamboo pieces that formed early books. Repeated invasions and sacking of the east and west capitals, as well as the difficulty in preserving written texts on bamboo, make works before 1000 rare. Those works were entirely written in Chinese characters, the language of scholars, but of course incorporated Korean words and mindset. Medieval scholars in Korea learned and employed written Chinese as western schoolmen learned Latin: as a lingua franca for the region. It helped cultural exchanges extensively. Notable examples of historical records are very well documented from early times, and as well Korean books with movable type, often imperial encyclopedias or historical records, were circulated as early as the 7th century during the Three Kingdoms era from printing wood-blocks; and in the Goryeo era the world's first metal type, and books printed by metal type, most probably of copper...
Words: 2248 - Pages: 9
...The personal account, Memoirs of a Jewish Extremist by Yossi Klein Halevi captures the emotions of a Holocaust survivor in a way that other historical sources are not able to. The memoir is about Halevi’s story growing up as the son of a Holocaust survivor in Brooklyn in the 1960’s-70s. When reading this memoir it is important to understand, memoirs are primary sources that follow a single person’s first-hand account and focuses on a specific event or experience, not their entire life. Other historical sources are usually broader and depict a period of time rather than singular personal stories. A memoir is limited as a primary source; Memoirs are limited to only one individual's point of view, rather than an analysis of many people's perspectives...
Words: 981 - Pages: 4
...Dublin City Council unveiled a banner celebrating 1916 which depicts supposed faces of the rising in the figures of Charles Stewart Parnell, John Redmond, Daniel O'Connell and Henry Grattan. One may be forgiven for believing these men are so called heroes of the struggle for Irish independence when in fact none of them took part in the rising and John Redmond adamantly condemned it. This can be seen as an example of blatant historical revisionism and one which was innocently defended by the council who stated that these figures were “as much a part of the historical narrative of Irish nationalism as anyone else”.6 Putting such an extreme emphasis on the rising now allows people to ignore the problems of the present, such as the fact that we have no government and that Ireland is still divided. Collective memory can also be blurred as the event was one hundred years ago and those who were directly involved with it are now dead. As such, people are encouraged to fondly reflect and create false memories and nostalgia. The narrative of Ireland that we are being presented with is one which is nationalist with reflections on the rising being used to solidify and encourage this. Essentially commemoration is welcome but only as long as it creates profit as can be seen in the tourist spin and invitation in relation to 1916, if it poses a...
Words: 2401 - Pages: 10
...Each discipline offers a new lens through which to study the stories in The Arabian Nights. History the predominant discipline that I will utilize for this question. History is essential to answering this question because it is where the vast majority of information necessary for analysis and contextualization of stories will come from. An understanding of the historic framework that stories reside in is what will allow for accurate and insightful analysis. For example, understanding the historical use of certain words through linguistics can reveal a new meaning to a story. In the case of the Arabian Nights, due to its translation, certain meanings have been neglected (Colla, 2013). In addition to the linguistics, understanding the religious context of the Arabian Nights will support analysis of the text in both Arabic and global frameworks (al-Musawi, 2009; Colla, 2013; Makdisi & Nussbaum, 2008; Mernissi, 1991). Sociology and anthropology similarly add to analysis of stories and the cultures that are told in them. Studying societies and the people in them will aid in gauging what analysis or translations could be more accurate. These disciplines will also give me the tools to understand the history of these stories in relation...
Words: 1060 - Pages: 5
...such as essays or poetry; Literature as a proper noun refers to a whole body of literary work, world-wide or relating to a specific culture... * lit·er·a·ture n. 1. The body of written works of a language, period, or culture. 2. Imaginative or creative writing, especially of recognized artistic value:"Literature must be an analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity" 3. The art or occupation of a literary writer. 4. The body of written work produced by scholars or researchers in a given field: medical literature. 5. Printed material: All the available collected literature on the subject. 6. Music: All the compositions of a certain kind or for a specific instrument or ensemble: the symphonic literature. Good literature has something important to say about life. If we take the time to read and understand the literature, it should help us to learn more about life. It may be that we do not agree with what the writer says. Nevertheless, the act of studying it will have made us think more carefully about the topic on which the writer focuses. The word genre in literature means a type or style of writing: * Fantasy * Romance * Science Fiction * Mystery * Horror * Historical Fiction...
Words: 1319 - Pages: 6
...held sway over more than eighty-five percent of the rest of the globe by the time of the First World War, having consolidated power and control over several centuries. One of the ways by which colonialism maintained power was by writing its own histories. These histories were conceived within grand narratives of progress, expansion and enlightenment. Inevitably, they both systematically and accidentally recast, ignored and silenced other competing histories from the places and cultures with which they came into contact. Post - colonial studies has consequently set itself the task of examining and challenging those narratives, developing other ways of telling histories, and re – evaluating other ways of remembering. If post- colonial literature means the interrogation of the subaltern to the “center”, no other book is representative of the post-colonial theory and practice as Amitav Ghosh’s The Glass Palace. The novel won the 2001 Frankfurt e – book Award of fifty thousand dollars Grand Prize for Fiction. Abreast of the contemporary academic debates about colonialism and culture, Ghosh is well-equipped in challenging the institutionalized perspectives of the colonial history. He is certain of his human and historical insights. He belongs to a nation that was once conquered and ruled by Imperial...
Words: 3415 - Pages: 14
...ἱστορία - historia, meaning "inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation"[2]) is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians. It is a field of research which uses a narrative to examine and analyse the sequence of events, and it sometimes attempts to investigate objectively the patterns of cause and effect that determine events.[3][4] Historians debate the nature of history and its usefulness. This includes discussing the study of the discipline as an end in itself and as a way of providing "perspective" on the problems of the present.[3][5][6][7] The stories common to a particular culture, but not supported by external sources (such as the legends surrounding King Arthur) are usually classified as cultural heritage rather than the "disinterested investigation" needed by the discipline of history.[8][9] Events of the past prior to written record are considered prehistory. Amongst scholars, the 5th-century BC Greek historian Herodotus is considered to be the "father of history", and, along with his contemporary Thucydides, forms the foundations for the modern study of history. Their influence, along with other historical traditions in other parts of their world, have spawned many different interpretations of the nature of history which has evolved over the centuries and are continuing to change. The modern study...
Words: 7792 - Pages: 32
...of “sayings from chairman God,” as though he looked down on us from heaven and said: “hey you down there, learn these truths. Number 1, there is no God but One, and I am he. Number 2, I am the Creator of all things, including humankind” – and so on, all the way through proposition number 7,777 and imperative number 7777. 5. Know the kinds of “communication” mentioned that God uses to convey his Word. Narrative history, genealogies, chronicles, laws of all kinds, poetry of all kinds, proverbs, prophetic oracles, riddles, drama, biographical sketches, parables, letters, sermons, and apocalypses. 6. “To interpret properly the “then and there” of the biblical texts, you must…” not only know some general rules that apply to all the words of the Bible, but you also need to learn the special rules that apply to each of these literary forms (genres). 7. Know and be able to discuss the two types of ‘context’ mentioned in the reading. Why are these items important? Historical Context: Differs from book to book and has to do with several things: the time and culture of the author and his readers, that is the geographical, topographical, and political factors that are relevant to the authors setting;...
Words: 3801 - Pages: 16
...Literary Standards Universality Literature - appeals to everyone, regardless of culture, race, sex, and time which are all considered significant. Artistry Literature has an aesthetic appeal and thus possesses a sense of beauty. Intellectual Value It stimulate critical thinking that enriches mental processes of abstract and reasoning, making man realize the fundamental of truths of life and its nature. Suggestiveness It unravels man’s emotional power to define symbolism, nuances, implied meanings, images and messages, giving and evoking visions above and beyond the plane of ordinary life and experience. Spiritual Value Literature elevates the spirit and the soul and thus has the power to motivate and to inspire. Permanence Literature endures across time and draws out the time factor: Timeliness – occurring at a particular time. Timelessness – remaining invariable throughout time Importance of Literature • •Studying literature is like looking at the mirror of life where man’s experiences, his innermost feelings and thoughts are reflected. • Through literature, we learn the culture of people across time and space•We understand not only the past life of a nation but also its present. • Moreover, we become familiar not only with the culture of neighboring countries but also with that of others living very far from us Literary Approaches Literary Approaches Moral or Humanistic Approach • Literature is viewed to discuss man and its nature. • It presents...
Words: 917 - Pages: 4
...writings of Mary Wollstonecraft by Steven Blakemore, Maria J. Falco, Cindy L. Griffin, and Vivian Jones. Three of the four authors take a feminist approach: Falco provides a collection of feminist critiques of Wollstonecraft’s work; Griffin asserts that Wollstonecraft is the first author to write about an alienation from the perspective of women’s issues and rights; and Jones’s essay comments on the sexualizing of the historical narrative by Helen Maria Williams and Mary Wollstonecraft. Blakemore provides a different approach, examining Miltonic references in Vindications of the rights of woman. References (Blakemore S 1992 Rebellious reading: the doubleness of Wollstonecraft's subversion of Paradise Lost)Blakemore, S. (1992). Rebellious reading: the doubleness of Wollstonecraft's subversion of Paradise lost. Texas Studies in Literature and Language, 34, 451-80. Blakemore’s article is a close reading of the Miltonic references in Wollstonecraft’s Vindication of the rights of woman. His argument centers on the proposition that during the revolutionary period writers attempted to subvert texts which “stressed the satanic dangers of epistemological curiosity” (p. 451). However, he feels that Wollstonecraft’s use of Milton rebounds on her in such a way as to render the technique virtually useless. The focus of this argument is Wollstonecraft’s refiguring of Eve as a feminist rebel and of Satan as a revolutionary liberator (p. 452). Blakemore believes that Wollstonecraft sees...
Words: 1330 - Pages: 6
...Review: The Historical Austen Galperin, William. The Historical Austen. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 2002. William Galperin’s 2002 work, The Historical Austen, offers a dichotomous approach to understanding both Jane Austen in history, as well as, in literature. Austen’s history remains troubled by a lack of sources for her personal narrative, however, Galperin strives to find her contributions to writing and Austenite studies’ historicity to find his own “probable” Jane. (7) He does this through literary trends, aesthetic trends, and social trends in support of his thesis arguing for widespread understanding of Austen’s dynamic oppositional style, which would correspond with contemporary opinions despite many other scholars’...
Words: 1508 - Pages: 7
