From ‘Novel’ to ‘Fiction’: Some Generic Distinctions

Abstract

Novel is not what Fiction is. There are some essential and qualitative distinctions between Novel and Fiction, though many have disregarded these polarities. This paper is an attempt to unearth these differences. Novel is defined on the basis of its quality of realism, whereas Fiction originates from imagination. The ‘fragile’ differences which one finds in ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ imagination, the same kind of the dissimilarities are there between ‘fiction’ and ‘Fiction’. Whereas ‘fiction’ insinuates the idea of generic element, ‘Fiction’ is used to suggest generic form. The first alludes to ‘quality’, while the later to the ‘form’. The ‘fiction’ refers to mental process, whereas the ‘Fiction’ is the product made of this mental process. Drawing references from some illuminating texts on the topic, the present paper discovers the basic five differences between Novel and Fiction. To read this article online, open in html page. You may also download the PDF copy of this article. You are permitted to save this article for future reference.