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A long story about people is usually called a novel. It can be about any kind of man, woman, or child. It can be about kings, or Chicago newsboys, or housewives. The French writer, Victor Hugo, wrote his novel Les Miserables about a poor man who stole (偷) a loaf of bread. The American writer, Ernest Hemingway, wrote A Farewell to Arms about a young American with the Italian Army in World War One.
A novel can tell the story of any kind of action, over any period of time. The modern Irish writer, James, Joyce, covers less than twenty-four hours in Ulysses. Yet, Joyce takes a thousand pages to tell all that happens from the time one man gets up in the morning until he goes to bed early the next morning. A German writer, Herman Hesse, uses only one hundred and fifty pages in his novel Demian to cover a boy’s life from the age of ten until he becomes a young man.
A novel does not just tell the things that people do. It also tells why they do them. The Badge of Courage, by the American novelist, Stephen Crane, tells about a young soldier who runs away the first time he is in the war. The book shows why he acted as he did. It describes his mental suffering (精神折磨) until he overcomes his fears.
People buy novels because they enjoy reading about other people. The novel meets the human desire (欲望) to know and understand other people.
Definition (定义) | It is a long story about people. | |
Character | 1. of any kind | Les Miserables is about a man who stole bread. |
A Farewell to Arms is about a young American with the Indian Army. | ||
2. | Cover any period of time | Ulysses covers less than 24 hours. |
Demian to cover a boy’s life from the age of ten 3. he becomes a young man. | ||
Plot (情节) | Things and4. ____ for doing them. | The Badge of Courage describes a young soldier’s mental suffering. |
Purpose | Meet the human desire to know 5. . | |