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High quality prose fiction is characterized by several unique features. These features include a properly chosen point of view, precise themes, appropriate stylistic devices, a relevant setting and realistic characters (Beers 27). Features such as themes, stylistic devices, setting and characters may be shared among many genres of literature but prose fiction uses them or brings them out in a unique way. This paper will specifically discuss the use of point of view, dialogue and vivid description.
Proper use of the above elements of literature is what distinguishes prose from other genres of literature. In addition, it sets boundaries between good prose and ordinary prose (Beers 29). Point of view is usually unique to prose literature while dialogue also applies to drama and some poems. On the other hand, vivid description can also apply to poetry, especially when drawing images is necessary (Beers 30). A good piece of prose fiction chooses a vantage point that effectively helps communicate the main theme of the story. Such a point of view can be the first person narrator or the third person narrator (Beers 35).
However, prose alone throughout a piece of art may be very boring. Therefore, good prose writers often include dialogue in their works in order to reduce the monotony of narration and make their stories more realistic (Probst 23). Dialogue works very well when it is supplemented by vivid description. In fact, writers, usually, introduce it in order to bring out what they could not bring out using just description (Probst 21).
The first element of prose fiction is a point of view. This refers to the person telling the story. Unlike plays, which are mostly dominated by dialogue, prose fiction always requires a story teller. Most of the times, the author identifies the narrator, but sometimes, he/she may not identify the narrator. Nonetheless, the commonest narrators are the first person and the third person narrators (Probst 21).
The first person narrator is usually one of the characters in the story. He or she uses the pronoun I throughout the story (Beers 40). Such a narrator is usually not very trustworthy since he/she is always limited to his own observations, thoughts and feelings (Probst 25). Therefore, he is more likely to be subjective compared to other narrators.
The other type of narrator is the third person narrator. This type of narrator usually reports what he/she observes, thinks or feels about other people (Beers 40). There are several types of the third person narrator but the most credible one is usually the third person omniscient narrator (Beers 40). This type of narrator talks about things that happen even in his/her absence. He/she knows what almost every character does, feels and thinks at any given time (Beers 42).
Jane Austen in her work, Persuasion, uses this narrative style to its very best. She allows the third person omniscient narrator tell the story from the beginning to the end. In the story, the narrator says, She had the remembrance of all this, she had the consciousness of being nine-and-twenty to give her some regrets and some apprehensions; she was fully satisfied of being still quite& (Austen 6). The omniscient nature of the narrator helps her know Elizabeths conscience.
On the other hand, Baltimores Mansion uses the first person point of view since it is a memoir: I found myself now treacherously rooting for that single silver bus. I was impressed by how much faster it was moving than we were. The bus looked like a sleek, wingless plane, and, in comparison with the many-sectioned train, seemed so heroically singular, so self-sufficient&. (Johnston 22). This point of view helps make the narrator credible. Credibility for the narrator in a memoir is very important because he tells his personal story.
The other element of prose fiction that makes it stand out is the use of dialogue. Since the narrative mode takes the biggest share of prose literature, it may be very difficult for the audience to consider the events real. Worse still, readers may get bored along the way. Therefore, writers usually mix narration with dialogue. This usually helps make the characters and their actions appear realistic (Beers 45). Readers are more likely to trust characters they can see talking to each other than one which is simply described (Probst 37).
Austen does not use dialogue appropriately. Her work is dominated by narration and very few incidences of dialogue. These are some of the conversations in the story: I must take leave to observe, Sir Walter, This is a statement uttered by Mr. Shepherd to Sir. Walter, who replies with these words: He would be a very lucky man, Shepherd, (Austen 33). This conversation makes the two characters, Sir Walter and Mr. Shepherd, appear true to life. Wayne Johnston uses narration throughout the story. The lack of dialogue makes his story boring and lacking credibility despite being a memoir. However, the first person makes the story somehow worth listening to or reading:
I am forborne of spud runts who fled the famines of Ireland in the 1830s, not a man or woman among them more than five foot two, leaving behind a life of beg-garment and setting sail for what since Malory were called the Happy Isles to take up unadvertised positions as servants in the underclass of Newfoundland (Johnston 4).
The above excerpt demonstrates how the first person narrator can help improve a story that lacks dialogue. The speaker talks about his own experiences.
Vivid description is also a very good tool for making prose fiction realistic and of high quality (Beers 51). It helps readers of any prose fiction draw images in their minds, which aids understanding (Probst 37). It always entails words that demonstrate the size, smell, texture, taste and the sound of what is described. Properly written prose fiction must use vivid description appropriately. Precisely, the writer must help the reader understand what the author talks about in his work.
This is an example of description as Johnston uses it: Marys colors were blue and white, but the Virgin Berg was uniformly white, a startling white in the sunlight against the blue-green backdrop of the sea. Marys cowl and shawl and robes were all one color, the same color as her face and hands, each feature (Johnston 6). The description above helps the reader imagine the appearance of the iceberg and that of Mary. On the other hand, Austen does not use description in her work. She continuously narrates the activities of her characters from the beginning to the end. This makes her story boring since readers only depend on the activities as the writer narrates them. They do not create scenes in their minds.
With all these circumstances, recollections and feelings, she could not
hear that Captain Wentworths sister was likely to live at Kellynch
without a revival of former pain; and many a stroll, and many a sigh,
were necessary to dispel the agitation of the idea. She often told
herself it was folly, before she could harden her nerves sufficiently
to feel the continual discussion of the Crofts and their business no evil (Austen 35).
The quote above is half of a paragraph of Austens story that demonstrates the deficiency of description in her work.
In conclusion, there are various elements of literature that distinguish prose fiction from other genres of literature. Some of the features include point of view, dialogue and vivid description. Though some of them may be shared between prose fiction and other genres of literature, their use in prose is unique to this genre. In Jane Austens Persuasion and Wayne Johnstons Baltimores Mansion, different points of view are used. Jane Austen uses the third person omniscient point of view with the aim of exposing all the activities, thoughts and feelings of her characters. On the other hand, Johnston uses the first person narrator to talk about his real-life experiences.
Dialogue is another major ingredient in prose fiction. It helps cut the monotony of narration and makes the characters realistic. Austen uses dialogue in her story extensively as opposed to Johnston, who merely narrates his story. There is a clear difference in the two stories as a result of the use and the lack of dialogue. Austens characters appear more realistic than Johnstons since they can talk. Vivid description is also a very important instrument in prose literature. It appeals to the readers imagination. Austens work is devoid of description while Johnston uses it extensively.
Works Cited
Austen, Jane. Persuasion. Harlow: Longman, 1999. Print.
Beers, Kylene. Elements of Literature. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2005. Print.
Johnston, Wayne. Baltimores Mansion. New York: Doubleday, 2000. Print.
Probst, Robert E. Elements of Literature. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2000. Print.
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