Aspects of the Novel

Oct 14, 2009 Bruce rated it 4 of 5 stars

This fascinating book is a series of lectures (and, taking its tone from that format, is delightfully conversational) that Forster gave at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1927. In his “introductory” he makes this statement, “The final test of a novel (is) our affection for it.” He proposes to discuss several aspects of the novel.

The most common denominator of all novels is this: the novel tells a story. This alone does not make a novel good, but without a story a novel cannot exist. Therefore, ti...more This fascinating book is a series of lectures (and, taking its tone from that format, is delightfully conversational) that Forster gave at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1927. In his “introductory” he makes this statement, “The final test of a novel (is) our affection for it.” He proposes to discuss several aspects of the novel.

The most common denominator of all novels is this: the novel tells a story. This alone does not make a novel good, but without a story a novel cannot exist. Therefore, time is always a crucial element in any novel.

With the introduction of actors, ie characters, into a story, the emphasis shifts to values. And first Forster draws a distinction between history and fiction in the sense that history can only describe external phenomena of the actors, trying to infer feelings and motivations from these observations, whereas the novelist can, if he or she chooses, not only know but also create the actors’ thoughts and feelings. Furthermore, Forster discusses “round” and “flat” characters and the role of each as well as different perspectives of narration, denying that absolute consistency of point of view is either necessary or always desirable.

Forster distinguishes story from plot, the former being a sequence of events, the latter having to do with causality. The former requires of the reader curiosity, the latter intelligence and memory. He also discusses both fantasy and prophesy in literature, and, in an interesting but brief passage, uses the then recently published Ulysses by James Joyce as an example, finding it both inspired and disgusting. By fantasy Forster means not necessarily the supernatural but rather the appearance of the odd, the unexpected. And by prophecy he refers to tone of voice. Whereas fantasy would seem to be involved with particularity, prophecy concerns itself with the universal. Neither need be explicate in the novel, but to some extent they are usually present.

Finally, Forster pattern and rhythm in the novel, and how they foster the novelist’s goal of opening the reader’s sensibilities. “Expansion. That is the idea the novelist must cling to. Not completion. Not rounding off but opening out.” He sees the continuing development of the novel as implying the development of humanity.
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Aug 17, 2008 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not exactly a how-to guide or a critique, Forster very basically explains different aspects of the novel through a series of lectures he gave in the late 1920s. A lot of the books that he refers to I’ve never read and probably never will (Les Faux Monnayeurs, not so much interested in), but he usually includes enough detail of the story or character that you get his point.
The tone is pretty casual, which makes it an easy read and while the aspects he covers are very basic - the story, the plot,...more

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Sep 09, 2011 mp04 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lit-non-fiction

E M Forester is a remarkable man. Astute. And that's what makes Aspects of the Novel so compelling.

The book is a compilation of lectures, delivered in Trinity College, Cambridge in 1927, on what he considers universal aspects of the novel: story, characters, plot, fantasy, prophecy, pattern, and rhythm.
The lectures are unique and insightful. Had I not lost my book immediately after finishing it I would have loved to quote several of his shrewd, profound and appealing conclusions here.
What stil...more E M Forester is a remarkable man. Astute. And that's what makes Aspects of the Novel so compelling.

The book is a compilation of lectures, delivered in Trinity College, Cambridge in 1927, on what he considers universal aspects of the novel: story, characters, plot, fantasy, prophecy, pattern, and rhythm.
The lectures are unique and insightful. Had I not lost my book immediately after finishing it I would have loved to quote several of his shrewd, profound and appealing conclusions here.
What still remains with me is a) his emphasis, that writing novel is an art and can not be contained within the boundaries erected by rules and tricks of the 'craft'. In fact, his criticism for the two other contemporary works: Craft of Fiction and Art of Novel ('Yes, but which novel?,' he asks) in the appendix amused me most. And b) his lucid distinction between, and the explanation of the difference in effects of, a story and a plot (If it is in a story we say “and then?” If it is in a plot we say “why?”). These are extremely valuable lectures for a writer of fiction like me who wants to keep his readers hooked.

Even though there is a lot learned as a writer and a critic/reader from this book, I have awarded it only three stars for two main reasons:
1. The lectures rely heavily on assuming (or expecting, reasonably so) an audience that has read Tristram Shandy, The Ambassadors by Henry James, Moby Dick, War and Peace,The Bleak House, Meredith's works (all of which I haven't read) and some then famous, now obscure 19th century works. I could not, thus, participate in the many extensive discussions - extensive by the length of the lectures.
2. The lectures on Prophecy and Fantasy, the central common trait in the novels as per the speaker, are outdated. Describing the spiritual elements in fiction through his definitions does not seem to be necessary anymore. Even if you take the time element out, these two lectures still remain vague, and neither readers nor literary critics benefit from them.

It is a series of lectures that literary students won't like to miss. An I-Ching for literary critics and for those of us who are searching religiously for a book of (literary) wisdom.
A piece of advice: be well acquainted with the 19th century works first to make the most of the book.
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Apr 13, 2013 James rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: criticism, literature

In this set of lectures, Forster turns the novel into a living, breathing force, something that can’t be tamped down by simple categorization but instead must be approached cautiously, in full awareness of the essential ambiguities which give the form its vitality.

He begins by situating the novel ontologically somewhere between history and poetry. The novel stands both upon the factual terrain native to history but also borrows from the expansionary, symbolic vistas of poetry to build its own u...more In this set of lectures, Forster turns the novel into a living, breathing force, something that can’t be tamped down by simple categorization but instead must be approached cautiously, in full awareness of the essential ambiguities which give the form its vitality.

He begins by situating the novel ontologically somewhere between history and poetry. The novel stands both upon the factual terrain native to history but also borrows from the expansionary, symbolic vistas of poetry to build its own unique relation to consciousness, one that endeavours to form a coherent world completed by the reader's sympathies.

(Because of the breadth of subject matters covered in the lectures, I only managed to write up brief summaries of each lecture. I would've liked to expand more on these subjects; unfortunately, this was all that I had the time to write about at present. Hopefully it gives a general picture of the subject matters covered without making them seem too boring or matter-of-fact.)

Forster breaks up his lectures into very general subject matters, beginning with story. Story simply refers to what ‘happens’ in a novel. He points to the works of Sir Walter Scott’s as a characteristic example of excessive story, where things constantly happen, sometimes in a fascinating manner, but don't always settle firmly into a narrative arc or meaning. Story is an important part of a novel because it marks sequences of time and also allows for diversions that heighten the sense of contingency.

His next set of lectures focuses on character (or people). Forster makes a very simple but compelling distinction here: that between flat and round character types. Flat characters are those who embody a sort of Kantian maxim (‘I must always appear as though things are fine, and that way keep my father’s secret…etc.’); these types of characters always find their way into a narrative and are important but shouldn’t predominate, as they often do, for instance, in the works of Dickens. Round characters exceed any simple formula, are unpredictable, and live on in our minds after the story has ended, as if they were set free by the conclusion, having become more than they were.

After character, Forster then turns to plot. Plot is different from story because it deals specifically with causation. With story, one event happens and then another follows without a clear causal connection linking them together. With plot, however, one event causes the other, and creates a firm narrative arc. Plot is an important element but if not handled properly can muddle the development of characters or cut out the unexpected and the contingent which contribute importantly to a narrative’s potency and distinctiveness.

After this, Forster discusses Fantasy. Fantasies, he tells us, imply the supernatural. This is problematic because this emergent quality is pitted against a world of causality which it cannot entirely subvert; for this reason, fantasy often relies on stock manipulations and artifices, and yet when done correctly proves powerful and arresting, as is shown in Tristram Shandy and Zuleika Dobson.

Prophecy is by far the most interesting and penetrating lecture in the whole book. His discussion here focuses on Dosteovsky (who Forster considers one of, if not the, greatest novelists of all time), Melville, D.H. Lawrence and Emily Bronte. Prophetic writing is distinguished from pedantic, or preachy, writing. Forster says that preaching and prophecy have a shared basis in a kind of moral vision: but whereas preaching talks down and teaches too directly, prophecy is more suggestive and expansionary. To make this contrast more vivid, he examines a passage from George Eliot’s Adam Bede and then compares it to a passage from The Brothers Karamazov. In Dosteovsky’s work, all that is said and written points to a larger domain, to somewhere beyond what is depicted: a realm of heightened sympathy, etc. It is this domain that the prophet fixes on and tries to embody in his/her work. And one wonders, given all the power and potential of the novel, whether this quality, as it is embodied in works like BK and Moby Dick, or even in Wuthering Heights and Women in Love, adumbrates a plausible visionary alternative to a traditional religious point of view.

The last lecture on pattern and rhythm is the least successful, touching on, in rough outline, how these elements come to be embodied effectively in the setting of plot and story—offering Henry James up as an example of astute patterning but poor rhythm, and Marcel Proust as an admirable synthesis of both.

In the conclusion, Forster brings up the topic of human nature, very subtly and cleverly aligning the nature of the novel with the presumption of an unchanging human nature, leaving his readers (audience) with the suggestion that our apprehension of what the novel is, like the analysis of human nature, augments and changes it, and quite possibly (and hopefully) makes room for a more expansive vision of what both could be.

Overall, a very insightful book, written by a professional author and not someone steeped in scholarship. As such, he brings with him a lot of humour and clear, vivid examples which help bring to light the most important aspects of one of the greatest artistic forms humanity has yet created. Can’t recommend it too highly.
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Aug 24, 2012 bryan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: lit-crit

Like many exponents of "literary" fiction, Forster has no appreciation for the craft, difficulty, and art of story. Consider this ridiculous observation:

"Curiosity is one of the lowest of the human faculties. You will have noticed in daily life that when people are inquisitive they nearly always have bad memories and are usually stupid at bottom. The man who beings by asking you how many brothers and sisters you have, is never a sympathetic character, and if you meet him in a year’s time he will...more

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Dec 16, 2009 Tony rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: essays

Forster, E(dward). M(organ). ASPECTS OF THE NOVEL. (1927). *****. This is a marvelous book that I wish I had known about when taking courses, years ago, called things like, “The Modern American Novel,” or “Nineteenth Century American Literature,” or “English Literature in the 20th Century,” where the usual program was to read about 100 required books (for each!) and then to write papers with assigned themes. The themes were usually of the sort: “How does Melville compare with GadAbout Gaddis, Th...more Forster, E(dward). M(organ). ASPECTS OF THE NOVEL. (1927). *****. This is a marvelous book that I wish I had known about when taking courses, years ago, called things like, “The Modern American Novel,” or “Nineteenth Century American Literature,” or “English Literature in the 20th Century,” where the usual program was to read about 100 required books (for each!) and then to write papers with assigned themes. The themes were usually of the sort: “How does Melville compare with GadAbout Gaddis, The Flying Fisherman,” or “Color Choices in the novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne.” Forster looks at the novel (actually, at all novels) in terms of a few simple classifications: The Story; People; The Plot; Fantasy; Prophecy, and Pattern and Rhythm. In his section on Story, he states: “We are all like Scheherazade’s husband, in that we want to know what happens next. That is universal and that is why the backbone of a novel has to be a story. Some of us want to know nothing else – there is nothing in us but primeval curiosity, and consequently our other literary judgements are ludicrous. And not the story can be defined. It is a narrative of events arranged in their time sequence – dinner coming after breadfast, Tuesday after Monday, decay after death , and so on. Qua story, it can only have one merit: that of making the audience want to know what happens next. And conversely it can only have one fault: that of making the audience not want to know what happens next.” He goes on,” there is one novelist who has tried to abolish time, and her failure is instructive: Gertrude Stein...She has hoped to emancipate fiction from the tyranny of time and to express in it the life by values only. She fails, because as soon as fiction is competerly delivered from time it cannot express anything at all...” In his section on People (actually there are two sections on People), he outlines: “The main facts in human life are five: birth, food, sleep, love and death. One could increase the number – add breathing for instance – but these five are the most obvious.” He makes the point that birth and death are things that can be written about, but that no novelist has ever experienced them personally. “The treatment of death...is nourished much more on observation , and has a variety about it which suggests that the novelist finds it congenial. He does, for the reason that death ends a book neatly, and for the less obvious reason that working as he does in time he finds it easier to work from the known towards the darkness rather than from the darkness of birth towards the known.” I was particularly interest in his comments on plot. “Let us define a plot. We have defined a story as a narrative of events arranged in their time-sequence. A plot is also a narrative of events, the emphasis falling on causality. ‘The king died and then the queen died’ is a story. ‘The king died, and then the queen died of grief’ is a plot. The time sequence is preserved, but the sense of causality overshadows it.” I could go on quoting excerpts, but I hoe you get the flavor of this series of lectures which were delivered at Trinity College, Cambridge in the spring of 1927. Highly recommended.(less)

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Aug 31, 2008 Daniel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: montrose-book-guy, books-about-books, 2008

E.M. Forster's "Aspects of the Novel," originally a series of lectures delivered at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1927, is a conversational, insightful discussion of plot, characters, rhythm and other components of the novel. Forster's humility -- mocking his own abilities as a critic, poking fun at his attachment to the book "The Swiss Family Robinson," and occasionally alluding to the ramshackle nature of the lectures -- is particularly winning.

The lectures purposely avoid looking at the deve...more

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Jul 04, 2011 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: forster, writing-info

Delightful read, (feel as though I am listening to Forster lecture!) "Books have to be read . . . It is the only way of discovering what they contain." His lectures focus on story, people, the plot, fantasy, prophecy and pattern & rhythm. He talks in great detail about round and flat characters, stating that Dickens characters are flat (including David Copperfield) and points out his favorite round characters by Austen, Eliot, Trollope, Melville, Woolfe and Hemingway (only his male character...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Ben rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

E.M. Forster's Aspects of the Novel reads like a great conversation about books over tea. I recommend it to anybody who likes rhetorical devices and subtly shifting opinions.

One take away lesson: the Fantastic - Prophetic Axis... i.e. the fantastic asks something extra of the reader and the prophetic asks something extra of the character... discuss.

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Apr 16, 2013 Bill rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: writing-how-to

Charming Lectures From Another Era

Forster, E.M. (1927). Aspects of the Novel. New York: Harcourt.

This slim classic is often recommended to people interested in novel writing and reading. It is the transcript of a set of nine lectures Forster gave at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1927 and as such it has an easy to read, conversational tone. Customs and language were different 80 years ago so the lectures have a charming anachronistic flavor. Example:

“The novelist, we are beginning to see, has a v...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non, fiction, narrative, theory, writing, phd

If you've been working your way through academic papers, college textbooks, etc, then you will truly love reading this clearly written book on how the inner technical aspects of how novels are created. For anyone curious as to how writers go about their work, or if you're just looking for inspiration from a seasoned author, I highly recommend reading Aspects of the Novel. You may not agree with all of the statements but I'm sure they will be illuminating and help you formulate your own opinion o...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Gwen rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: psuedoscholars, Forster completists

Shelves: non-fiction

While I suppose it was worthwhile to read the various opinions of E.M. Forster on the old great authors of English literature, I don't really feel that he had very much unique to say about the actual aspects of novel writing.

I think that the most unique, interesting statement in the entire book was in the introduction at Ch 1. Forster feels that authors should not be judged by the chronological categorization of literature over time, but rather be viewed as though they were all simultaneously cr...more While I suppose it was worthwhile to read the various opinions of E.M. Forster on the old great authors of English literature, I don't really feel that he had very much unique to say about the actual aspects of novel writing.

I think that the most unique, interesting statement in the entire book was in the introduction at Ch 1. Forster feels that authors should not be judged by the chronological categorization of literature over time, but rather be viewed as though they were all simultaneously creating their works at the same time in one big room. As I have been spending a lot of time lately skipping around within the literary canon, filling in books on my list that I have not yet read but not really sticking to the timeline of when the works were created, I can appreciate this idea. I can see how the English language has changed over time, but change in the usage of words aside, the art of storytelling itself really has not changed very much.

As for the other chapters, however, the idea he was trying to express can be summed up neatly in just a sentence or two, if the meaning of the chapter is to be understood at all.

Ch 2 & 5 (Story and Plot): A story is a sequence of events which runs through time, from points A to B and onwards. You do not need to relate the events to each other to have a story. A plot is a series of events which tie together to express cause and effect, and the events should all tie together in resolution.
Ch 3 & 4 (People): A story contains flat, undeveloped characters which are most useful to add comedy. Well-rounded characters are needed to express serious drama, but a plot works well when using a combination of both.
Ch 6 & 7 (Fantasy and Prophecy): I'm still not entirely certain what he was trying to express here. His idea of "fantasy" seems to correspond to the postmodern idea of "magical realism", and his idea of "prophecy" seems to indicate a greater moral message that is learned by the protagonist but can be appreciated by the audience as well, but I'm not entirely certain about this. I think these chapters could have been better clarified by more than just the examples he chose.
Ch 8 (Pattern and Rhythm): The change that takes place within a well-written novel has a certain symmetry from beginning to end, but sticking too closely to that framework can make a work dull. Rhythm refers to items or lines of text that reappear within the story which tie unrelated events together.

I can't help but feel like I know most of this information already, and Forster is difficult to read at times, so I felt like I really had to tease out what little information there was by rereading paragraphs at times. Obviously, I still don't understand what he was trying to say with the chapter on Prophecy and just barely understood the one on Fantasy. What is left after the main points are examples of various (mostly English) authors and his opinions as to whether one author is good at accomplishing his point or another is bad at doing so. However, I have yet to read a number of the books he references, so I can only follow along from the descriptions he gives of what the plot is about. Perhaps I would enjoy this book more after a course of reading all the authors and works he mentions and becoming less of a "psuedoscholar."(less)

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May 15, 2013 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, earl-grey-scented-englishness, nonfiction-or-just-not-fiction

I was inspired to finally sit down and read this when, in the midst of my latest Isherwood read, I determined with glee that I was two degrees separated from Forster. And, yes, I'm the odd one out for several reasons, but E. M. Forster-->Christopher Isherwood-->Edmund White-->Me is a pretty exciting lineup to be part of.

How great would it have been to have been present at these lectures? Or, maybe not. Because today I can dogear pages and make notes in the margins and type up this revie...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Deborah Cater rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Aspects of the Novel is based on a series of lectures that Forster gave in 1927 and examines (as the name would suggest) the different aspects of the novel. Moving away from a chronological view of novels Forster considers, story, plot, characterisation, pattern and rhythm, fantasy and prophecy.

Forster's wit shines through and had me laughing out loud at some of his observations. Some may consider him a snob, but I fear that they are the people who are unable to face their own shortcomings (I n...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Nicholas Montemarano rated it 4 of 5 stars

Impressive how this book holds up so many years after its publication in 1927. Forster is instructive about the novel, sure, but even more enjoyable is his remarkable sense of humor. As much as I admire James Wood's "How Fiction Works" (an update of sorts on Forster), I enjoyed reading "Aspects of the Novel" more.

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Jul 14, 2012 Megan Anderson rated it 3 of 5 stars

his is a strangely written little book, compiled from a lecture series by E. M. Forester on the art of the novel. A good read for those who want a different way to look critically at literature.

While I didn’t agree with everything Forester had to say about what makes literature great, I really liked that he had a different way of breaking down the aspects of a novel. He’s really trying to pinpoint what makes a novel great. Instead of focusing on the normal things we learn in English class (plot,...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Josh rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this on the beach at Brighton. The pier was just down a way. I think the stones there have fossils in them. I was reading a lot of the Bloomsbury folk at the time, and I think we drove near the house where they used to meet. It's weird to read something and look out over the land and think that it was written near there. They saw those same things. I guess I have that a little bit in New Zealand, when I read New Zealand authors. I can really slot into the mood of the landscape here, but i...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Tyra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This book is billed as a classic and I must agree to an extent. Forster said many things about the structure of a novel that I found interesting and helpful. As a writer, I will return to its pages for guidance again. It was Forster's literary examples when explaining a novel's aspects that I found difficult.

In Forster's explanation of Pattern and Rhythm, for example, he used the literary examples of Thais by Anatole France and Roman Pictures by Percy Lubbock to describe the two patterns in nove...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Deonne Kahler rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've always written non-fiction, and since I have an idea for a novel that won't go away, thought it would be good to shift gears and read about writing fiction.

This is a series of lectures Forster gave at Cambridge in 1927. He discusses what he considers the seven aspects of a novel - story, people, plot, fantasy, prophecy, pattern, and rhythm - in a clear and amusing way.

He uses examples from classic texts (e.g. "Moby Dick" and "Adam Bede"), and shares his opinions about all of them. Recommen...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Lynne Favreau rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is a collection of lectures given at Harvard in 1927. Forster discusses the novel’s aspects such as story, people, plot, fantasy, prophecy, patter and rhythm, which is great to read so long as you aren’t looking for a how-to-book. It has plenty of advice, offering up personal likes and dislikes from literature. A few things stood out as really important ideas to keep in mind: “The novel tells a story” is as basic as it gets, but the reminder stopped me in my tracks and had me rethinkin...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Gwen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfictions

This is a series of lectures given at Harvard in 1927, and it isn't about the development of the novel through time but more about a philosophy of what a novel is and what constitutes one. It is not a how-to book either, although the insights Forster gives into the novel are great to keep in mind when reading a novel and trying to understand it. (I know I'm going to try keeping it in mind when attempting book reviews.)

This book is divided into sections, each dealing with a different aspect. Thes...more This is a series of lectures given at Harvard in 1927, and it isn't about the development of the novel through time but more about a philosophy of what a novel is and what constitutes one. It is not a how-to book either, although the insights Forster gives into the novel are great to keep in mind when reading a novel and trying to understand it. (I know I'm going to try keeping it in mind when attempting book reviews.)

This book is divided into sections, each dealing with a different aspect. These aspects are Story, People, Plot, Fantasy, Prophecy, and Pattern and Rhythm.

Story is a sequence of events and can be described as the answer to the question "what then?" Forster's example is Walter Scott, who he dislikes but who, he admits, can tell a story with the best of them. (By contrast, his love for and defense of The Swiss Family Robinson is adorable.) Plot is like Story, a sequence of events, but Plot is concerned with causality. This happened, then that happened on account of it. Story satisfies curiosity (it tells you what happened), but Plot is concerned with intelligence and memory (it tells you why it happened).

People are the characters, and they are divided into two types: flat and round. Flat characters can usually be summed up in a sentence and never change, while round characters are more complicated than that. Forster makes an interesting point that all of the characters in Dickens are flat, which I'd never considered before, but it does make sense, although I do wonder how Scrooge from A Christmas Carol would fit into that, since he does change. Forster also makes a distinction between people in books and people in real life. People in real life are unknowable and don't live quite so much in their emotions, whereas people in books are eminently knowable and their emotions carry the day.

Fantasy is the suggestion that the supernatural is somehow involved in a novel but without ever explicitly saying so. It asks that one believe and accept the impossible. Prophecy, by contrast, asks for seriousness, not realism per se, but that one believe in the vision set forth by the author. Dostoevsky, for instance, is a master of vision. He is a prophet, as opposed to merely being a preacher. Admittedly, these are the hardest sections to get into, but if you give them a little thought and time to digest, they do start to make sense.

Pattern is what allows one to see any given book as a whole. It lends beauty and completeness to a novel, although if an author is devoted solely to pattern, as Forster states is the case with Henry James, then the novel can suffer on account of it. Rhythm, on the other hand, does not give a book one complete shape, but it does hold a work together, functioning as "interior stitching" according to Forster. Certain motifs appear and reappear, giving unity to a work without contributing to any one fixed overall idea. Pattern is concerned with the outside appearance of a novel; Rhythm is concerned with what goes on within.

Although it sounds like dry subject matter, Forster is perceptive and to the point, not to mention wickedly funny. There are a dozen if not more quotable passages, the best being, "the final test of a novel will be our affection for it, as it is the test of our friends, of anything else which we cannot define." Makes me wish I could have attended these lectures.(less)

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Mar 16, 2011 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: unemployment_read

"If God could tell the story of the Universe, the Universe would become fictitious." pg-56

E.M. Forster brings a depth to literary criticism which is unique and moving. Based on a series of lectures, Forster covers seven elements of fiction; story, people, plot, fantasy, prophecy, pattern and rhythm. Though I haven't read the majority of the works that Forster uses in his examples, I was very moved by the first few lectures and his comments on "people" in specific. He brings a philosophical lens...more

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Nov 14, 2010 Michael Ryan rated it 2 of 5 stars

I like E.M. Forster novels in the same way I like fancy restaurants.

I appreciate them, but more often than not they are outside of my comfort zone, I don't really fit in with them, and I think they are overpriced and overrated.

Reading this book you get the sense that E.M. Forster is a bit of an opinionated prick. The saving grace here is that he definitely has the skills to back up being an opinionated prick. But I found the book useless as a guide to writing or as a portal into the mind of th...more

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May 18, 2010 Jessica Colund added it

For the first 30 pages, I was surprisingly annoyed with Forster. But for the rest of the book, I wished I were sitting in an Oxford pub with him, having a lively exchange of ideas. I certainly don’t agree with all of his opinions (such as when he completely disregards novelists’ sociocultural situations—though he describes his idea beautifully: “Empires fall, votes are accorded, but to those people writing in the circular room it is the feel of the pen between their fingers that matters most”),...more

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Jan 21, 2010 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having read a number of these types of books by now, what strikes one first is the fact that we live in a very different time than E. M. Forster did. Mind you, these were oral, casual lectures about the novel, not held to the same standards of stylistic discipline that literary criticism is, but still, the way Forster is fast and loose with his opinions is striking. Tolstoy is simply the best novelist and War & Peace, the best novel ever. Period. There are only four “prophetic” novelists to...more Having read a number of these types of books by now, what strikes one first is the fact that we live in a very different time than E. M. Forster did. Mind you, these were oral, casual lectures about the novel, not held to the same standards of stylistic discipline that literary criticism is, but still, the way Forster is fast and loose with his opinions is striking. Tolstoy is simply the best novelist and War & Peace, the best novel ever. Period. There are only four “prophetic” novelists to ever exist. Period. He makes quite a few of these bold claims. Which can be refreshing, actually: having experienced academia in an era of post-modernism sans canon, it’s nice to have an opinion with which to at least disagree.

The second noticeable element is how dated his examples are. More than half the novels I’ve never heard of, let alone read. An example is always a little more effective when you actually know what the author is referencing. It just goes to show how much literature is left in the ashbin of time and memory.

That said, the actual meat of the book is half great, half worthless. The chapters on story, character, and especially plot, are all excellent. For instance, it’s wonderful to hear how much he denigrates story! It’s very invigorating to hear of story as a necessary evil rather than the holy grail of all narrative, as proposed by many a writing professor. And I love how he separates plot from story: plot as story elements motivated by character and as leading to precise meaning. Story: “The king died and then the queen died.” Plot: “The king died and then the queen died of grief.”

“Fantasy” & “Prophecy” are almost not worth reading—Forster is so vague as to what they mean as to be unintelligible and completely unuseful. And “Pattern & Rhythm” is a fine chapter but not particularly memorable.

In short, read the chapters on story, plot, & character and stop there. I plan on reading “How Fiction Works” soon so I’ll let you know how the contemporary compares to the classic.
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Nov 01, 2009 Matthew rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: writing, non-fiction, criticism

A rather interesting read, whether you read or write novels. The early chapters on the more traditional aspects -- story, plot, and characters -- are easy to understand and make sense, both emotionally and logically. (The distinction he makes between story and plot is particularly insightful.) Later chapters on prophecy and fantasy become a bit more opaque than the earlier ones, but that may be due in part to the greater opacity of those aspects (and the fact that I hadn't read or heard about an...more

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Jul 13, 2009 Alan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: LeAnn

Shelves: writing, non-fiction

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. As other reviewers have noted, this was a series of lectures, and therefore should NOT be considered a guide on "how to write a novel." If, however, you have a background in English literature and want to write a novel, then you may find this book an interesting exercise in critical analysis.

I found the sections on story, people (parts 1 and 2), and plot thought-provoking and insightful. What made these sections most interesting were how Forster used exampl...more Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. As other reviewers have noted, this was a series of lectures, and therefore should NOT be considered a guide on "how to write a novel." If, however, you have a background in English literature and want to write a novel, then you may find this book an interesting exercise in critical analysis.

I found the sections on story, people (parts 1 and 2), and plot thought-provoking and insightful. What made these sections most interesting were how Forster used examples to explore his analysis. Even though he refers to several novels I have never read, he provided sufficient context that I was able to understand his points with relative ease. Having read these section, I feel that I will be able to assess my own work to see how it stands up in each area.

I struggled a bit with the section on prophecy as it stabbed at my memories of reading Moby Dick, Billy Bud, and The Brothers Karamazov, from almost 20 years ago. Even so, combined with Forster's examples and analysis, I remembered enough to feel like I had a reasonable grasp of the analysis. That said, I think it will be worthwhile to revisit at least one of those books in the near future and then reread this section to see if I really understood it.

When Forster's subjects increased in complexity, diving into the more nuanced aspects of fantasy and patterns & rhythm, I floundered. I found it nearly impossible to fully understand his points without having read the novels from which he drew his examples. The concepts of rhythm & patterns in particular I feel are macro-level elements that one can only really appreciate in the context of having read an entire novel. Because of this, I didn't feel as though his examples could do the concept justice. I have limited experience reading Henry James, and none with Marcel Proust, Anatole France, or Percy Lubbock, all of whose novels Forster used as examples, so I had reason to flounder. And, unlike my interest in Melville or Dostoyevsky's work, I honestly have no interest in reading these authors, so it seems that my only opportunity to gain insight into Forster's analysis on fantasy and rhythm & patterns will be if I read some of his novels in which I hope he managed to demonstrate some of his advice.
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Jan 02, 2008 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

This series of lectures on how to critically approach novel reading provides an intriguing look at how one of the 20th Century's great novelists views his craft, but it lacks in internal consistency and several chapters don't quite hold together.

The first half of this book is strong. Forster writes about "the story" and what distinguishes it from "plot" - one is chronology, the other evokes mystery. Over two essays, he delves into character and what makes a well-peopled novel. His views on the c...more This series of lectures on how to critically approach novel reading provides an intriguing look at how one of the 20th Century's great novelists views his craft, but it lacks in internal consistency and several chapters don't quite hold together.

The first half of this book is strong. Forster writes about "the story" and what distinguishes it from "plot" - one is chronology, the other evokes mystery. Over two essays, he delves into character and what makes a well-peopled novel. His views on the conflicts between character, plot and story got me thinking about my own writing in new ways.

The next two chapters are not on aspects of "The Novel" at all, but on genres or characteristics that Forster finds compelling.

Into "Fantasy" he would group most books now dubbed magical realism, as well as science fiction, fantasy, less-blatantly magical books that deviate from hard and fast reality. These books can be quite good, and are also a good crutch for otherwise strong writers who struggle with character, he says. But fantasy is not for everyone, and as a result these magical books are bound to isolate a portion of their potential audience.

"Prophecy" refers to books written with what Forster dubs a prophet's voice, and he identifies only four writers capable of achieving this impressive feat: Dostoevsky, D.H. Lawrence, Herman Melville and Charlotte Bronte. Forster's definition of "prophecy" is weak, at best, but I think he's getting at transcendence and an inner morality that goes beyond any externally-imposed ethic.

Finally, Forster turns to "Pattern and Rhythm," which are not aspects of the novel, either, but instead refer to how some books are arranged. Pattern seems to refer to the structure of the plot and story, whereas rhythm refers to tiny themes and tidbits that recur in a less precise arrangement. Henry James is a master of pattern, Proust is a master of rhythm. And if anyone is a master of rhythm writ large, it's Tolstoy, but Forster is not entirely sure of this.

"Pattern and Rhythm" is the most annoying chapter in a book that grows gradually more annoying to the end, largely because these two concepts are so weakly defined and explained. Making matters worse, I completely disagree with Forster's interpretation of a pattern he believes he discerns from "The Ambassadors."

Still, the entire book was an enlightening read for the insight into a great novelist's non-fictional thought patterns. I've only read about a third of more than 20 books and authors he alluded to throughout, so now I have a new list of books to add to my "to read" list, when I finally get around to it.(less)

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Apr 22, 2012 Deborah Biancotti rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-writing

Hilarious and kinda - dare I say - quaint, Forster is a man with some outspoken views. Some of them, I can't quite come at (like, referring to Austen as a 'small' writer). Some of them cracked me up (like describing James' characters as being, if not dead, then at least gutted). Particularly found his chapter on plotting worthwhile. Also interested in his perceptions of readers, & the sense that readers have a responsibility for their reactions, by bringing the best of their intelligence, sa...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: litcrit

They said to me "Do you do Twitter?"

I said no, I have Goodreads.

They said "What about Facebook?"

I said no, I have Goodreads - this is funny, someone said it should be called Bookface.

They didn't get that.

They said "Do you have a blog?"

I said well, no, I do Goodreads.

They looked at each other, and then they said "We heard you don't even have a mobile phone."

I said yeah, you heard right.

They said "Don't tell us, you have Goodreads."

I said "Now you're making fun of me."

They said "Huh, we don't need...more

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