In this article we will talk about how the novel differs from the story. To begin with, we will define these genres, and then compare them.
What is a novel and a novel
The novel is called a rather large artisticprose. This genre belongs to the epic. The main characters can be several, and their lives are directly related to historical events. In addition, the novel tells about the whole life of the characters or about a significant part of it.
The story is a literary work in prose,which usually tells about some important episode in the life of the hero. There are usually few active characters, with only one of them being the main one. Also, the volume of the story is limited and should not exceed about 100 pages.
Comparison
And yet the difference between the novel from the story?Let's start with the novel form. So, this genre involves the image of large-scale events, the multiplicity of the plot, a very large time frame, which includes the entire chronology of the narration. The novel has one main storyline and several side, which are closely intertwined into a composite whole.
Идейная составляющая проявляется в поведении heroes, revealing their motives. The novel takes place on a historical or everyday description background, affecting a wide range of psychological, ethical and ideological problems.
The novel has several subspecies: psychological, social, adventure, detective, etc.
Now take a closer look at the story.In the works of this genre, the development of events is limited to a specific place and time. The personality of the main character and the fate is revealed in 1-2 episodes, which are turning points for his life.
The plot in the story is one, but it can bea few unexpected turns that give it a multiplicity and depth. All actions are associated with the main character. In such works there are no clearly defined links to history or socio-cultural events.
The problem of prose is much narrower than in the novel. Usually it is associated with morality, ethics, personal development, the manifestation of personal qualities in extreme and unusual conditions.
The story is divided into subgenres:detective, fantastic, historical, adventure, etc. Rarely in the literature can you find a psychological novel, but satirical and fabulous are very popular.
What distinguishes the novel from the story: conclusions
Let's sum up:
- The novel reflects social and historical events, and in the story they serve only as a background for the narrative.
- The life of the characters of the novel appears in a socio-psychological or historical context. And in the story the image of the protagonist can be revealed only in certain circumstances.
- In the novel, there is one main plot and several minor ones, which form a complex structure. The story in this regard is much simpler and not complicated by additional storylines.
- The novel takes place in a large time interval, and the story in a very limited one.
- The novel problematic includes a large number of questions, and the story affects only a few of them.
- The heroes of the novel express ideological and social ideas, and in the story is important the inner world of the character and his personal qualities.
Novels and novels: examples
We list the works that are examples of stories:
- The Tale of Belkin (Pushkin);
- "Spring waters" (Turgenev);
- "Poor Lisa" (Karamzin).
Among the novels are the following:
- "Noble Nest" (Turgenev);
- Idiot (Dostoevsky);
- “Anna Karenina” (L. Tolstoy).
So, we found out the difference between the novel from the story. In short, the difference comes down to the magnitude of the literary work.
