NARRATIVE AND STYLISTIC PATTERNS

IN THE EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY
ENGLISH NOVEL
I. LITERATURE AND REALITY
Mimesis
Plato
Mimesis = imitation/copy of reality
direct imitation of speech (dialogue)/ vs./
indirect imitation of reality (summarising
narration)

Copies of reality, mere substitutes for the things
themselves may, unfortunately, be false or illusory
substitutes that stir up antisocial emotions (violence or
weakness) and they may represent bad persons and
actions, encouraging imitation of evil.
(Mitchell, 1995: 14-15)
Mimesis
Aristotle
Mimesis related to truth and likelihood (not to
truth/falsehood) Mimesis = a representational
model of reality (not a mere, perfect imitation/copy
of reality).
The understanding of a piece of writing fictional
or non-fictional can only be explained in terms of
our existing model(s) of reality that are
influenced by:
the structure of fact, explanation, supposition,
which draws on our already existing knowledge ;
the plausibility of the report, i.e. the possibility of
making plausible connections between one act and
another. (Leech, 1992: 154)
Mimesis
the written text = a representational model which may turn
out to be more or less faithful to the represented reality

Model of reality
Message
Model of reality
Message
Semantic level

Syntactic level

Graphological level
Semantic level

Syntactic level

Graphological level
Writer
encodes
Reader
decodes
Text
Types of fiction
Mimetic literature is based on the idea that the
literary work is highly dependent upon the outer
reality to be represented as faithfully as
possible.
Paramimetic literature: The external reality is
ignored, even surpassed by the work that creates its
own referent; otherwise, the fictional universe is
created as an allegorical or metaphorical model
of some empirical relationships.
Antimimetic literature puts forth a definite break
with the empirical reality which is replaced by
language as the substance to be moulded by
the literary work, thus creating a new, different
model of reality. (Zgorzelski, 1984: 302-306)
Realism
in the narrow sense: Realism = an artistic
movement spreading throughout Europe especially
during the latter half of the nineteenth century
(emphasis on telling the truth about ordinary life,
about heroes and heroines determined by their social
environment).
in the broader sense: Realism = a technique, a
mode of discourse (The degree of realism of a
piece of fiction is definitely influenced by the
purpose of the writer and the effect on the reader.
Leech, 1992: 152)
Symbolism
the impulse to specify details that can be interpreted
as standing for something beyond themselves,
something universally important in the human
condition. In this sense, the message itself, in
literature, becomes a code, a symbolic structure. In
the generic framework of a dramatization of general
human conflicts, each character, place, incident could
be elaborated in such a way as to be
representative, to some extent, of a type or
category of human experience. (Leech, 1992:
155-56)
Verisimilitude
the impulse towards individuality verisimilitude or
the illusion of reality, i.e., the sense of being in
the presence of actual individual things, events,
people, and places. (Leech, 1992: 156)
Tzvetan Todorov (1974) Verisimilitude defined by:
the relationship of fiction to the contemporary reality
to be represented, i.e., to the extra-linguistic
material;
the relationship to the rules that govern the literary
discourse itself, i.e., the acknowledged aesthetic
codes.
Symbolism and verisimilitude need not be
mutually exclusive. The contribution of the specific
detail may be both symbolic and realistic. (Leech,
1992: 156-57)
Credibility. Consistency
Credibility: the likelihood, hence believability, of
the fiction as a potential reality, given that we apply
our expectations and influences about the real world
to fictional happenings. (Leech, 1992: 157)

Consistency: an unfamiliar reality which obeys its
own set of laws is more credible than one which does
not. (Leech, 1992: 158)
Consider the following excerpt and discuss it in terms of
the type of literature it is representative for. Add to your
comments remarks regarding the type/ function of details
in the framework of the kind of realism that it illustrates:
a) In search of a place proper for this, I found a little plain on the side of a rising hill,
whose front towards this little plain was steep as a house-side, so that nothing
could come down upon me from the top. On the one side of the rock there was a
hollow place, worn a little way in, like the entrance or door of a cave but there
was not really any cave or way into the rock at all.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I resolved to pitch
my tent. This plain was not above a hundred yards broad, and about twice as
long, and lay like a green before my door; and, at the end of it, descended
irregularly every way down into the low ground by the seaside. It was on the
N.N.W. side of the hill; so that it was sheltered from the heat every day, till it
came to a W. and by S. sun, or thereabouts, which, in those countries, is near
the setting.
Before I set up my tent I drew a half-circle before the hollow place, which
took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter from the rock, and twenty yards in
its diameter from its beginning and ending.
In this half-circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes, driving them into the
ground till they stood very firm like piles, the biggest end being out of the ground
above five feet and a half, and sharpened on the top. The two rows did not stand
above six inches from one another.
(Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, 1994: 62)
Consider the following excerpt and discuss it in terms of
the type of literature it is representative for. Add to your
comments remarks regarding the type/ function of details
in the framework of the kind of realism that it illustrates:
b) The last of these voyages not proving very fortunate, I grew weary of the sea,
and intended to stay at home with my wife and family. I removed from the
Old Jewry to Fetter Lane, and from thence to Wapping, hoping to get business
among the sailors; but it would not turn to account. After three years
expectation that things would mend, I accepted an advantageous offer from
Captain William Prichard, master of the Antelope, who was making a voyage
to the South Sea. We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699, and our voyage was
at first very prosperous.

() we were driven by a violent storm to the north-west of Van Diemens
Land. By an observation, we found ourselves in the latitude of 30 degrees 2
minutes south. Twelve of our crew were dead by immoderate labour and ill
food; the rest were in a very weak condition. On the 5th of November, which
was the beginning of summer in those parts, the weather being very hazy, the
seamen spied a rock within half a cables length of the ship; but the wind was
so strong, that we were driven directly upon it, and immediately split. []
Consider the following excerpt and discuss it in terms of
the type of literature it is representative for. Add to your
comments remarks regarding the type/ function of details
in the framework of the kind of realism that it illustrates:
The Country round appeared like a continued Garden, and the inclosed Fields,
which were generally Forty Foot square, resembled so many Beds of Flowers.
These Fields were intermingled with Woods of half a Stang, and the tallest
Trees, as I could judge, appeared to be seven Foot high. I viewed the Town
on my left Hand, which looked like the painted Scene of a City in a Theatre.
[...] The Emperor was already descended from the Tower, and advancing on
Horse-back towards me, which had like to have cost him dear; for the Beast,
though very well trained, yet wholly unused to such a Sight, which appeared
as if a Mountain moved before him, he reared up on his hinder Feet: But that
Prince, who is an excellent Horse-man, kept his Seat, till his Attendants ran in,
and held the Bridle, while his Majesty had time to dismount. When he
alighted, he surveyed me round with great Admiration, but kept without the
length of my Chain. He ordered his Cooks and Butlers, who were already
prepared, to give me Victuals and Drink, which they pushed forward in a sort
of Vehicles upon Wheels till I could reach them. I took these Vehicles, and
soon emptied them all; twenty of them were filled with Meat, and ten with
Liquor; each of the former afforded me two or three good Mouthfuls, and I
emptied the Liquor of ten Vessels, which was contained in earthen Vials, into
one Vehicle, drinking it off at a Draught; and so I did with the rest.
(Jonathan Swift, Gullivers Travels, 1998: 6, 15, 16)
Consider the following excerpt and discuss it in terms of
the type of literature it is representative for. Add to your
comments remarks regarding the type/ function of details
in the framework of the kind of realism that it illustrates:
c) Now to any one else I will undertake to prove, that all the oaths and
imprecations which we have been puffing off upon the world for these two
hundred and fifty years last past as originals except St. Paul's thumb God's
flesh and God's fish, which were oaths monarchical, and, considering who
made them, not much amiss; and as kings oaths, 'tis not much matter
whether they were fish or flesh; - else I say, there is not an oath, or at least a
curse amongst them, which has not been copied over and over again out of
Ernulphus a thousand times: but, like all other copies, how infinitely short of
the force and spirit of the original! it is thought to be no bad oath and by
itself passes very well 'G-d damn you.' Set it beside Ernulphus's 'God
almighty the Father damn you God the Son damn you God the Holy Ghost
damn you' you see 'tis nothing. There is an orientality in his, we cannot rise
up to: besides, he is more copious in his invention possess'd more of the
excellencies of a swearer had such a thorough knowledge of the human
frame, its membranes, nerves, ligaments, knittings of the joints, and
articulations, - that when Ernulphus cursed no part escaped him. 'Tis true
there is something of a hardness in his manner and, as in Michael Angelo, a
want of grace but then there is such a greatness of gusto!
(Laurence Sterne, Tristram Shandy, 1997: 149)