[Points: What a novel is different types of novels—most interesting of books—objections against novel—reading—points in favour—conclusion.]
A novel is an imaginary story in prose with several characters, men and women, and a plot, usually long enough to fill one or more volumes. It is quite different from a short story and a fable.
Novels can be roughly divided into four classes. Some novels paint the manners and customs of a society through an imaginary story with imaginary characters. They are called social novels. His torical novels have a historical basis. The principal characters are historical figures, but the treatment is mostly imaginary. Some novels, called problem novels, present important social and moral problems through their plots. In some novels the characters and the situations in which they are placed as well as the treatment are romantic and imaginary. They are called romantic novels or romances.
The common feature of all these types of novels is that the charac ters are presented as living human beings with their hopes and fears, virtues and vices. For this reason they are the most interesting of books to the general body of people, and have a great influence upon the public mind.
Some people object to novel-reading by young men and women. According to them, novels take them to a world of unreality and fill their minds with all sorts of romantic feelings. Moreover, novel reading soon grows into a passion and makes them incapable of serious study or deep thinking. There are also novels that lay too much stress on the dark side of things in the name of art and realism. They infect and corrupt young minds by familiarising them with evils.
But fortunately there are novels of a different kind that not only instruct but also inspire and ennoble. They give us knowledge of human character and the ways of life in different countries. Some rouse public feelings against evils in society and thus help to remove them. Uncle Tom's Cabin was the first to rouse the American people against slavery. Anandamath and Devichoudhurani of Bankimchandra inspired the struggle for Indian independence. The historical novels of Scott give us graphic pictures of some aspects of English life during the Middle Ages. The novels of Saratchandra open our eyes to the complexities of human nature.
Therefore, novel-reading should not be discouraged altogether. Only there should be proper guidance about what novels are fit for young people and what are unfit for them. And novels so chosen can do nothing but good to them.
