Novels

Explore 4 quotes about Novels

The novel is an art form and when you use it for anything other than art, you pervert it... If you do manage to use it successfully for social, religious, or other purposes, it is because you make it art first.

Flannery O'Connor

More information about this quote

Topic

Novels

Author

Flannery O'Connor

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1956 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

O'Connor, Flannery. Letter to Father John McCown. 9 May 1956.

You can't get at the truth by writing history; only the novelist can do that.

Gerald Brenan

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Topic

Nature of truth Truth History Power of literature Novels

Author

Gerald Brenan

Source

Times Literary Supplement

Medium

Magazine

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Brenan, Gerald. Times Literary Supplement. 28 Nov. 1986.

A novel is an impression, not an argument.

Thomas Hardy

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

More information about this quote

Topic

Novels Literature Books

Author

Thomas Hardy

Source

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1891 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1892, preface.

Current Citation

Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the D'Urbervilles, edited by Scott Elledge. W. W. Norton & Company, 1990, preface.

The only reason for the existence of a novel is that it does attempt to represent life.

Henry James

More information about this quote

Topic

Purpose of literature Novels

Author

Henry James

Source

The Art of Fiction Longman's Magazine

Medium

Essay Magazine

Language

English

Time

1884 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

James, Henry. "The Art of Fiction." Longman's Magazine. London: C. J. Longman, 4 Sept. 1884.

Current Citation

James, Henry. "The Art of Fiction." The Portable Henry James. Penguin Classics, 2003.