Novel Reading
There were, and not so very long ago, some old fashioned and narrowly religious people who actually condemned novel reading as wrong. They argued that novels were made-up stories, and so reading them was reading lies! But I do not suppose there are any of these queer folk left now; so we need not bother about their opinions. But there are not a few who condemn novel reading on the ground that it is a waste of time which would be better used in reading serious books.
Of course there are novels and novels. There is such a demand for fiction nowadays that plenty of trashy novels are written and published, and read by the half-educated. A trashy novel is one that is badly written, badly constructed, and untrue to life. The reading of such poor stuff must certainly be condemned. It is more than a waste of time; for it has positively harmful effects upon the readers in vitiating their taste, and making them unable to appreciate really good work.
There is no need to waste one’s time on reading the second best when there is so much of the best available. If you must read novels, choose out the best you. can find; novels written by masters of the art of story-telling. Great novelists are, first, masters of style; they know how to write. Secondly, they know how to construct a plot that will hold the interest to the end. Thirdly, they have a keen insight into human nature, and the creative power of making living and natural characters that seem like real people. Lastly, they have a knowledge of life that enables them to make a fictitious story true to the life we know. In fact a good novel is a picture of some part of human life; and the reading of high-class fiction enlarges our knowledge of human life and human nature. Novel reading, therefore, provided that really good novels are read, is part of one’s education.
Novel reading should. however, be kept in its place. After all, it is only a form of amusement and recreation. To read nothing but novels is a great mistake. Time should be found for reading serious books as well. Too much novel reading can incapacitate one from reading anything more solid. It may become like drug-taking; the more you take the more You want, and the less you want wholesome food.
