Novels are defined as prose narratives of some length. Fictional characters are often used as vehicles for developing narratives which contain characters who are 'true to life'. Stories unfold through their thoughts, words and actions. In the light of this definition the famous author, who claimed that all novels of any worth are psychological novels seems reasonable.
Though there may be merit in this argument it is necessary to organize complex fields such as the field of literature. A broad category is too general and sub categories are essential for understanding. That is why there are genres which divide all novels into types that exhibit recognizable characteristics.
When the primary intention of an author is to write fiction that demonstrate how people do behave and what the things are that motivate their words and actions then it can be said that he is attempting to write a psychological novel. The degree to which he succeeds depends upon how truthful the characters are in the context of the novel. Even liars can be truthful if they are credible liars.
Psychologists who have been trained in scientific method may read fictional works and be struck by the truth of what is reflected in the fiction about human behavior. However the scientist and the novelist will have arrived at the same end point by following different paths. The one has extrapolated from experiments and the other has used his imagination.
Imagination is essential in all works of fiction. Jane Austen imagines young men and women meeting, having difficulties and overcoming them. Her characters are very true to life and one can recognize their types hundreds of years after the story was first told. But Austen's intention is primarily to tell a tale of romance.
An adventure novel might focus on action to such an extent that the behavior of characters in the narrative becomes a mere prop for what is to happen next. They cannot be termed psychological novels because the author's intention is not to human explore behavior but to spin an entertaining tale. As a result the characters do not need to be rounded and complex. In fact, if the characterization is too complex this can detract from the pace that an adventure novel needs.
Every author must tell his story in a chosen way and from a particular point of view. The 'stream of consciousness' method is suitable for demonstrating how a mind works. A narrative unfolds in the form of an individual's apprehension of his world as he goes about the business of his life. The author attempts to exclude himself entirely from the tale and tell it as though everything is seen fro a protagonists point of view.
Both action and insight are sometimes combined in suspense thrillers. Characters who may be dangerously deranged or obsessive may engage in behavior that is credible but dangerous, leading inevitably to a dramatic conclusion. Such narratives may reflect on issues at the heart of psychology, such as the difference between sanity and insanity.
Psychological novels, like all similar works, attempt to entertain and instruct through the medium of fiction. They succeed on the first count if readers are able to suspend their disbelief and imagine that they are in the world of a novels as they read it. They succeed on the count of instruction if critics and ordinary readers know, after reading the work, that it is a slice of true life.
Though there may be merit in this argument it is necessary to organize complex fields such as the field of literature. A broad category is too general and sub categories are essential for understanding. That is why there are genres which divide all novels into types that exhibit recognizable characteristics.
When the primary intention of an author is to write fiction that demonstrate how people do behave and what the things are that motivate their words and actions then it can be said that he is attempting to write a psychological novel. The degree to which he succeeds depends upon how truthful the characters are in the context of the novel. Even liars can be truthful if they are credible liars.
Psychologists who have been trained in scientific method may read fictional works and be struck by the truth of what is reflected in the fiction about human behavior. However the scientist and the novelist will have arrived at the same end point by following different paths. The one has extrapolated from experiments and the other has used his imagination.
Imagination is essential in all works of fiction. Jane Austen imagines young men and women meeting, having difficulties and overcoming them. Her characters are very true to life and one can recognize their types hundreds of years after the story was first told. But Austen's intention is primarily to tell a tale of romance.
An adventure novel might focus on action to such an extent that the behavior of characters in the narrative becomes a mere prop for what is to happen next. They cannot be termed psychological novels because the author's intention is not to human explore behavior but to spin an entertaining tale. As a result the characters do not need to be rounded and complex. In fact, if the characterization is too complex this can detract from the pace that an adventure novel needs.
Every author must tell his story in a chosen way and from a particular point of view. The 'stream of consciousness' method is suitable for demonstrating how a mind works. A narrative unfolds in the form of an individual's apprehension of his world as he goes about the business of his life. The author attempts to exclude himself entirely from the tale and tell it as though everything is seen fro a protagonists point of view.
Both action and insight are sometimes combined in suspense thrillers. Characters who may be dangerously deranged or obsessive may engage in behavior that is credible but dangerous, leading inevitably to a dramatic conclusion. Such narratives may reflect on issues at the heart of psychology, such as the difference between sanity and insanity.
Psychological novels, like all similar works, attempt to entertain and instruct through the medium of fiction. They succeed on the first count if readers are able to suspend their disbelief and imagine that they are in the world of a novels as they read it. They succeed on the count of instruction if critics and ordinary readers know, after reading the work, that it is a slice of true life.
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