The word novel is borrowed from the Italian word novella (Henry 235). Defining exactly what a novel is can be hard work. The sta
ndard dictionary definition is "a fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters" ("Novel"). Novels in some way represent life. The representations, however, occur in a narrative about life and experience. Since the novel can represent life, such fiction can be serious. The seriousness begins when the novel deals with humankind in a way that shows its importance and significance within the fictional world of the novel. The world of a novel varies greatly from author to author because each writer creates a new fictional world for a new work. That world may be all the relationships of a whole nation or of a very small town. That world may be as confined as the captain's cabin on a ship or as open as a little island. That world may also be as withdrawn as the farthest recesses of the human mind. Novels are important as they entertain and instruct the readers through a variety of life experiences. What is the author's tone toward the subject?
