Read fiction meaningfully and enjoy it!

Vignettes by R.S.Karunaratne

"If you own the book you are reading, never hesitate to underline words, phrases or paragraphs that you think are important. If you do not agree with what the author is saying, write your own comments on the margin. Whenever you come across a new word, underline it and consult the dictionary to find out its meaning."

This was a piece of valuable advice imparted by one of my teachers who knew the value of reading. However, most of us seem to be satisfied with only running our eyes through the printed lines without making any attempt to digest what we read. Perhaps the best way to read a book would be to read it as if you are going to review it.

In the absence of professional reviewers in Sri Lanka, if you cultivate the habit of reading books critically one day you will be able to review books.

Book reviewing is a specialised job. Therefore, if anybody is interested in becoming a reviewer he has to master the finer points in the art of reviewing. The first task of any reviewer is to read the book in full at least once. Most seasoned reviewers say that a book should be read twice.

The first reading is intended to get a rough idea of the subject matter. When you read a book for the second time, you will be able to note important paragraphs, lapses and high points. Therefore, you have to mark the book as you proceed.

If you are going to review a book of short stories or a novel you have to be familiar with certain elements of fiction, such as, the plot, characterisation, setting, point of view, first person or third person narrator, style and theme.

Plot reveals the action of the story. In other words, if a story is to hold the reader's interest, he should not be able to foresee it in advance. However, the end of action appears inevitable from the very start of the short story or a novel.

Usually the plot involves a conflict or struggle between two opposing parties. In traditional fiction, the plot has a beginning, a middle and an end. The first part of the plot is called the exposition which introduces the characters and situations. Writers adopt different ways of introducing characters, some at the beginning. Others do so in the middle of the story.

The second part of the plot is referred to as the 'rising action.' It usually dramatises events and intensifies the conflict in the story. The third part of the plot is called the climax - the turning point of the story.

The fourth stage of the plot is called the falling action which resolves a conflict. The conclusion brings the story to an end. A seasoned reviewer tries to find out whether the writer of a short story or a novel has succeeded in showing the reader what is important through the dramatic action of the plot.

Modern fiction writers do not preach or tell the reader what to think. Instead they enchant the reader by some kind of illusion of reality. What must be remembered is that no plot can exist without characters.

In this context, they can be human beings, animals or even inanimate objects like shoes and trees. The reviewer has to find out whether there is a relationship between the events and the characters.

On the other hand, all the characters found in a fiction are deemed to be fictitious. Depending on the author's skills, they may appear to be real when they form their appearances and actions through words on a printed page.

A discerning reader will know that there are two kinds of fictional characters: round and flat. A round character is usually capable of alternative actions and responses to situations.

A flat character, on the other hand, is a minor person in the story who does not change very much in given circumstances. For instance, a flat character's actions can easily be predicted. Therefore they fail to attract the attention of readers.

However, the reviewer should be on his guard against making false conclusions. Anton Chekhov believed that characters determined fate. Jorge Lois Borges, a writer of philosophical tales, thought the plot was more important than characters.

Then, the reviewer has to look for signs of sentimentality (emotional overindulgence) or stereotyping (over-simplified statements). A writer who does not show complexity in human situations fails to impress the reader.

Meanwhile, setting or the place and time of the story is important for the reviewer. Setting is the imaginary world created by the author. It can be the backdrop for the action or the centre of the action that unfolds.

Without a proper setting, the reader will find it difficult to follow the sequence of the story. The setting helps the writer to take the reader by the hand to unknown lands where fictional characters make their presence felt. Seasoned writers like D. H. Lawrence use the setting to dramatic effect.

The point of view helps the reader to shape his responses to the characters and situations in the story. No doubt the writer's point of view can be found in his stories. The problem arises when the reviewer finds it difficult to locate it.

The point of view can also mean the way the story is told. Some authors use the first person and others employ the third person narrators. The second person narrator is rarely used as it tends to confuse the reader. Certain leading authors have found that writing in the first person is advantageous.

For instance, a first person narrator can move freely within the imaginary worlds created by them. One major disadvantage is that the first person would not be able to understand other fictional characters in the story. The third person narrator does not participate in the events of the story.

The device gives the writer much freedom to know almost everything about everybody in a story. This is sometimes referred to as the omniscient point of view. When the author wants to reveal the thoughts of only a few characters, he uses the limited omniscient narration.

Authors adopt different approaches towards the use of the third person narrator. Sometimes they use different points of view in a given narrative. Then, there is the style which shows the writer's tone and attitudes. Some authors use a tone of dry restraint while others a lofty prose style.

Authors use irony to show the difference between what is said and what really happened. In this respect, readers and reviewers should be on their guard when judging the tone of stories translated from foreign languages. Style also includes the use of symbols. A symbol is something that stands for something else.

They are usually used to elicit deeper emotional responses. A note of warning should be given as regards symbols. You should not try to consider every item in a fiction as symbols.

If you do so, you will miss the wood for the trees. In every short story or novel you will find a theme. It is a generalization of the meaning of the story. Both readers and reviewers sometimes find it difficult to cull out the theme of a work of fiction. A seasoned reviewer discusses the theme of a story after considering other elements.

As Ann Charters put it succinctly, "the structure and theme of a story are fused like the body and soul of a reader; their interaction creates a living pattern."

If you are going to be a reviewer, never look for moral judgements in fiction. A story may contain a moral lesson. However, modern authors do not write fiction out of an urge to teach moral lessons. They write fiction out of an irrepressible urge to create something new and meaningful.