Death of the Novel from the Publishing World
Keywords
Loading...
Authors
Issue Date
2017-07-10
Language
en
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This paper will evaluate the discussion about the death of the novel from a publisher’s perspective. The question that we essentially try to answer is ‘to what extent are the publishing world and the academic world in line with one another?’. To answer this question properly we need to take a look at both fields separately to then synthesise the findings in our conclusion. The Man Booker prize is discussed in light of the question ‘how do we properly evaluate and what do we consider (quality) literature?’. While this paper by no means asserts to have found the answers to these irrefutably complex questions, it does show to have these complexities into consideration in order to come up with a nuanced and relatively objective conclusion. This research is framed in the Bourdieusian Field theory, which functions as a lens through which we look at the field of cultural production. Because the publisher’s perspective is a relatively unexamined factor in the discussion about the death of the novel, juxtaposing the academic and the publishing world will arguably lead to original insights on the basis of a relatively new perspective. This stands in opposition to research on the same topic, which has predominantly taken readership as its measurement. After examining both fields, this paper concludes that the death of the novel can not only be very well argued against on the basis of the academic discussion, but also by looking at the publishing world. In this sense, both worlds are in agreement. The two chapters seem to strengthen each other in coming to the conclusion that the death of the novel is far from evident. Although this is not the main point of this paper, it does seem to be the logical conclusion of it.
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Letteren