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Eliza Haywood's novel 'The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless' published in 1751, is a novel about the development of a female mind and its triumph over a consumerist environment, and relies extensively upon death as an organizing principle. The novel demonstrates the extent to which monolithic structures of mourning like the tomb exclude women from expressions of grief and leave only melancholia as the only authentic mode of mourning available to them.

An argument is presented supporting a redefinition of the novel as a genre to allow a broader interpretation of narrative, or metanarrative, which encompasses a wide range of social values, cultures, and points of view.

An analysis is presented on the novel both as a literary genre and as a simple format of writing, using defining traits evinced by Ian Watt in 'The Rise of the Novel'. Topics include character development, audience demand and value of content versus market strategy.

An analysis is presented on the ass novel, or the literary theme of negative metamorphosis of the work's central character, and its exploration of race and social class. Topics include the African historical figure Apuleius, whose narrative defending his lineage may have been a model for Laurence Sterne's work, 'The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman'.

An analysis is presented on the literary audience's tendency to believe in the veracity of a narrative if it is presented in epistolary form, using the works of author Aphra Behn. Topics include the historical status of personal letters as a format for conveying the actual, or true events, and the emphasis on subjective experience as a defining characteristic of the novel.

A selection of 18th-century paintings is presented portraying the act of reading, and interpretations are made regarding how literature was received and assimilated by audiences. Comparisons are made between reading for enlightenment and for entertainment, and the value of non-fictive works and the novel.

An exploration is presented on private subjectivity as a defining characteristic of the novel, as supported by Ian Watt in 'The Rise of the Novel', published in 1957. Topics include narration as an authentic report of experience, rather than an overemphasized expression of emotion.

A comparison is presented between the 18th-century novel and the 19th-century novel, focusing on development of narrative realism, dialogical energy and complexity of character as defined in Ian Watt's 1957 publication 'The Rise of the Novel'.

A comparison is presented between the works of author Mary Davys, which championed non-fictive literature, and the historically evident popularity of the novel as a literary genre. Topics include marketing toward the audience's uncertainty regarding true accounts and author invention during the emergence of the genre.

An analysis is presented on the effects of social class on literary preference, drawing from 'The Rise of the Novel' by critic Ian Watt. The discussion focuses on how individual circumstances direct one's relationship to reality and fiction, and how this in turn classifies the individual within both a social group and a literary audience.

An evaluation is presented on literary critic Ian Watt's 'The Rise of the Novel', published in 1957. Topics include the accessibility of tracing the novel's origins and its development along with historiographic and epistemological contexts.

An argument is presented supporting author Daniel Defoe as a legitimate contributor to the voice of the female character in literature. The argument is based on literary critic Ian Watt's definition of character and narrative realism in his 1957 publication, 'The Rise of the Novel'.

An overview is presented on the genre of the novel, focusing on criticism of author Daniel Defoe and methodologies presented by literary critic Ian Watt. It is posited that criticism should not be compartmentalized based on assumptions of the writer's intention, but should acknowledge that writers could intend contradictory or incompatible interpretations.

The continuance of the novel as a genre suited to an ordinary or popular audience is presented, focusing on critic Ian Watt's 1957 work 'The Rise of the Novel'. Topics include the genre's emphasis on the individual, and therefore it's relevance and importance to individual readers.

An appreciation is presented on Ian Watt's 'The Rise of the Novel', which was published in 1957. Topics include the book's emphasis on character, plot, and personal perception of reality as a novel's defining traits, as they constitute the work's placement in history and society.

An analysis is presented on the 1957 publication 'The Rise of the Novel', written by literary critic Ian Watt. Watt's skill and incisiveness in linking the emergence of this genre with historical and social modernization is discussed.

An overview is presented on the history of literary criticism, focusing on the 1957 publication of Ian Watt's 'The Rise of the Novel'. Lasting influences from this work include realism as the defining characteristic of the novel.

Novelist Samuel Richardson's character Clarissa Harlowe highlights the complexities in representing a Christ-like figure. Clarissa is emblematic of the spiritual realm, a passive and virtuous woman subjected to the cruelties perpetrated by sinners of the less than perfect human world. Her passivity fosters a theme of redemption similar to that of Christ in the biblical account.

First-time novelists such as Ann-Marie MacDonald, Anne Michaels, Wayson Choy, Gail Anderson-Dargatz and Dionne Brand have already been recognized worldwide. The recognition of first-time novel writers can be attributed to their writings which contain different and interesting genre, narrative structure, style and thematic categories. Although publishers encourage writers to observe formal conservatism in writing a novel, these first-time novelists have employed different means in conveying their thoughts to the readers.

Many short stories and novels convey meanings which are concerned with cultural, social and political issues. Some writers of fiction are interested in determining the relationship that exists between languages and social realities. Because of the diverse nature and scope of different fiction, difficulty in categorizing them may persist. Despite the diversity, short stories and novels may convey general ideas which will represent them.

The eighteenth century French prose fiction is examined. Certain works containing para-fictive elements are also included under prose fiction and are identified as marginal.

The present crop of novels falling under the category of new fiction can be described as works that document the history of the future. This is out of line with recent events in Canadian literary history in which previous works deal with creatively reconstructing the past. The focus on the future serves as an entry point into present-day social issues such as human greed, power, arrogance. There is a concerted focus on moral and ethical matters on these new works of fiction together with a return to realism in portraying these complex struggles.

Canadian novels and short fiction works published in 1997 no longer dealt with metafiction's interrogation of master narratives. The latter still exist but are treated in family narratives which deal with idiosyncratic or 'quirky' topics. Canadian works of fiction for 1997 are not dominated by women writers but works but male writers are also adequately represented. Realism and millennialism abound in these creative works which suggest the problems encountered by the middle and lower middle class about to enter the 21st century.