If I had to guess, the problem novel flourishes in societies where there's a drive towards solving problems. The current fashion is that we live in the best of all possible worlds, even if it isn't very good, and everything is just going to go to shit anyway. So why bother depressing yourself?
This is an interesting take! I like the observation of novels flourishing based on societal consciousness, but I wonder if it has more to do with disempowerment of the individual in current western (particularly U.S.) consciousness than with the belief that living in a world that’s as good as it’s going to get. Thinking about macro-level problems like climate change or authoritarianism. Some of us find comfort in individual action but by and large we are observers of what unfolds. Current litfic skews towards that observational role, but I don’t think it’s inherently pessimistic to do so.
I especially enjoyed the final section of this essay, where you discuss the differing rubrics of art. Personally, I prefer a story that makes an argument rather than just setting characters loose from an initial configuration to bump against each other in artful ways. I’m somewhat of the opinion that most novels are problem novels if you look at them the right way (ie, with regard to the context of their real-life circumstances), even if they don’t know that that they are.
I read The Home-maker last fall and loved it. Definitely feared it was going in much less subtle and truthful directions than it did. Among other things, I've rarely read such an accurate portrayal of a child's perspective.
At first I thought this was another one of your tales, and "The Home Maker" was an entirely made up book. I'm glad to see I was mistaken, though, I want to read it!
You recently (or, sort of recently) wrote about Emily St James' "Woodworking." Would you say this was a problem novel? St James includes a conclusion that pretty clearly frames it this way. Of course, to your point, the book wasn't nearly as lauded as "Detransition Baby."
Yes I would say that her book is much more straightforwardly a problem novel. And this brings up a good point, which is that in women's fiction there is much more room for issues fiction of various sorts.
I wish I only had one character flaw! Interesting analysis of "problem" novel. Any novel worth reading has a "problem" to be solved, doesn't it? No one would read a novel that was without conflict. These nooks and crannies of human idiosyncrasy are the reasons literature exists...to explain and analyze. Keep up the good work!
If I had to guess, the problem novel flourishes in societies where there's a drive towards solving problems. The current fashion is that we live in the best of all possible worlds, even if it isn't very good, and everything is just going to go to shit anyway. So why bother depressing yourself?
This is an interesting take! I like the observation of novels flourishing based on societal consciousness, but I wonder if it has more to do with disempowerment of the individual in current western (particularly U.S.) consciousness than with the belief that living in a world that’s as good as it’s going to get. Thinking about macro-level problems like climate change or authoritarianism. Some of us find comfort in individual action but by and large we are observers of what unfolds. Current litfic skews towards that observational role, but I don’t think it’s inherently pessimistic to do so.
I especially enjoyed the final section of this essay, where you discuss the differing rubrics of art. Personally, I prefer a story that makes an argument rather than just setting characters loose from an initial configuration to bump against each other in artful ways. I’m somewhat of the opinion that most novels are problem novels if you look at them the right way (ie, with regard to the context of their real-life circumstances), even if they don’t know that that they are.
What do you think of James Baldwin’s takedown of Native Son? I feel like he misses the point entirely, despite being correct in every detail.
I read The Home-maker last fall and loved it. Definitely feared it was going in much less subtle and truthful directions than it did. Among other things, I've rarely read such an accurate portrayal of a child's perspective.
At first I thought this was another one of your tales, and "The Home Maker" was an entirely made up book. I'm glad to see I was mistaken, though, I want to read it!
You recently (or, sort of recently) wrote about Emily St James' "Woodworking." Would you say this was a problem novel? St James includes a conclusion that pretty clearly frames it this way. Of course, to your point, the book wasn't nearly as lauded as "Detransition Baby."
Yes I would say that her book is much more straightforwardly a problem novel. And this brings up a good point, which is that in women's fiction there is much more room for issues fiction of various sorts.
I wish I only had one character flaw! Interesting analysis of "problem" novel. Any novel worth reading has a "problem" to be solved, doesn't it? No one would read a novel that was without conflict. These nooks and crannies of human idiosyncrasy are the reasons literature exists...to explain and analyze. Keep up the good work!