Henry James The Art of Fiction Essay -- Henry James The Art of Fictio

Henry James The guile of FictionIn an essay written in response to an essay written by Walter Besant, both titled The Art of Fiction, Henry James provides both a new understanding of fiction and greater understand of his own works. James analyses, however briefly, the process of humanity of a work of fiction, readers responses to it, and the requirements of the work and the author. James language within this essay may be in need of some levity, but he does occasionally sort out through the haze to make a very strong and effective point The only condition that I can think of attaching to the composition of a novel isthat it be sincere (161)There is point in which over-analysis takes away from the intention, the point in which talk of theory wanders away from the actual work of art. This is as true today in the critique of fiction as it was in James time. In analysis we often place requirements of a piece of work. We state that for something to be this, it must then have that. These restrictions and guidelines can hardly be placed on fiction. We cannot presuppose the c...