Though, quite complex in it’s content, I got the just of what James was talking about in his critical essay. I am not a huge fan of fiction but Unlike James I believe fiction is necessary. He spoke about “good” novels and “bad” ones and about how fictional stories have happy endings. I thought that he made fun of the genre for having those sorts of endings but I think that that is a great thing. Non-fiction doesn’t always have happy endings. The end realistically which often entails a not so happy ending. It’s nice that an abundance of fiction novels end in happy ways. Those endings lend to those types of readers and shouldn’t be criticized for their believability. After all, it is fiction and the reader knows this going into it. Fiction provides happy endings for all those who yearn for it and enjoy reading it, since it rarely happens in real life.
Most of this critical essay is too critical but I agree with a lot of it. You can’t teach someone how to write a good novel, it’s a natural given gift. The process is not a cinematic as painting a picture or sculpting a sculpture. There shouldn’t be rules to writing and I feel James is supporting this idea. He believes that experience is necessary for writing yet he disagrees with a disturbing remark made by Mr. Besant. The comment that this man made regarding lower middle class writers and them sticking to the realm is despicable. The whole idea of fiction is to imagine you in a whole other world. It’s about fantasy. If someone who is of lower class wants to write to escape their own reality, let them. They shouldn’t be viewed as less of a novelist, as James implies they should.
James, to his credit, adds the aspect of observing as a great tool of a writer. I feel that based on this essay, it would be safe to say that James is not a huge fan of fiction. I could be wrong but that’s what I concluded.
It was difficult for me to apply James’ ideas to Wharton’s writing because it disinterested me greatly. I couldn’t care less about a fictional story such as this and I think it was unrealistic. Who speaks to each other like that anyway? I noticed how Wharton used the character’s actions to describe them. By not giving us their physical features, it made it a fictional story. It allowed us as the reader to imagine the character. This element seemed to be mentioned in James’ critical essay. This work of fiction definitely supports James’ idea of writing from experience is much more enjoyable and bearable to read.
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