Tips for Writing Fiction - The Writing Life

The Great American Novel

©Jessica P. Morrell

"The books that you really love give the sense, when you first open them, of having been there. It is a creation, almost like a chamber in the memory. Places that one has never been to, things that one has never seen or heard, but their fitness is so sound that you've been there somehow." John Cheever

Over the years I've heard a number of writers say that they were working on "the Great American Novel." This statement was usually delivered with a chuckle, blush, or self- deprecatory comment. The term refers to the Holy Grail of literature and it is meant to represent the spirit, sensibility and awareness of life in the United States. The Great American Novel is written by an ordinary American who has something to say about culture, values, the American Dream and identity. And because it represents the pinnacle of what writers are trying to achieve, it can be useful to examine the qualities of the Great American Novel.

Now, we could spend a lot of time arguing which novels belong in the G.A.N. list, so I'm going to throw out a few titles that I believe belong here realizing that your list might be shorter, longer, or contain vastly different titles. Here are my candidates: Moby Dick, Grapes of Wrath, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, The Old Man and the Sea, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, On the Road, Native Son, My Antonia, Portrait of a Lady, and The Scarlet Letter. In my view, some modern entries such as Cold Mountain, Peace Like a River and The Cider House Rules also belong in this category. Of course it's likely that as soon as I send off this column, I'll remember other titles I've neglected, but to me, what is most important is how these works have left their indelible mark on readers. Readers like to find their place in history, explore timeless themes, and meet memorable characters who linger in the imagination years after the book is read. Here are some elements that make these novels lasting and compelling:

Often, but not always, the G.A.N. uses mythic structure and archetypes that are identifiable but presents them with a new wrinkle or twist. Joseph Campbell first explained this idea in The Hero With a Thousand Faces, concepts which were further elucidated in Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey. The hero's journey is a useful guide to life along with providing a powerful structure. The hero's journey, sometimes called a "monomyth," is the most recognized story type, as are stories that depict initiations, descent into the underworld, or transcendence after overcoming an enemy and fear.

An archetype is a universally recognizable character, image, situation, or theme that recurs in life and fiction. Archetypes have been used since the beginnings of storytelling and stem from cultures around the world because they evoke a deep response in readers and shed light and meaning on basic human experiences. Because readers are introduced to archetypes in childhood, they resonate deeply.

While the Great American Novel comments on themes and presents a fresh worldview, the writer is deeply aware that his or her job is to entertain. Successful novelists take their approach to writing seriously, but at the same time realize that people are most entertained by stories which vicariously fulfill their fantasies.

The Great American Novel rewards the reader with each successive rereading and as he or she ages and experiences life, often finds the novel grows better with time.

The Great American Novel must create a complicated reality and powerful sense of place, with all the elements of the story providing readers with proofs of the story world - a Cuban fishing village, a small Alabama town in the 1930s, the Jazz Age on the Eastern seaport.

The Great American novel presents important truths, particularly emotional truths. The more fanciful and complicated the imaginary world, the more important it is that the depiction of emotional truths serve as a foundation for the storyline.

A Great American Novel is foremost built on characters. Because of the focus on characters, particularly the protagonist, the story person who will be most changed by events of the plot, the reader sympathizes with his or her plight and empathizes with his or her goals. These goals become the basis for the storyline, and cause the reader to become involved in the protagonist's situation because the goals seem at times impossible, at times attainable, and at times not worth the protagonist's suffering.

The best novels, including the Great American Novel, are written with heart. This means that the writer has knowledge and compassion for the human condition, for the vulnerability we all face as we navigate through this planet, and understands and brings to life the range of emotions characters experience when coping with threatening changes.

The Great American novel is original, rather than derivative. While it can be based on archetypes or other identifiable elements, the approach is fresh, inventive and elucidating.

The Great American Novel is written from identifiable elements, with a plausible structure and time frame, and an ending that is the logical conclusion to the story events.

The best novels stir the reader's senses and imagination and cause such feelings of involvement that when the story ends and the reader leaves the story world, he feels a profound sense of loss or sadness.

The Great American Novel and all well-written fiction, is built of such a realistic array of intimate details that the reader knows how the characters stock their refrigerators and cupboards, what their homes look and smell like, the protagonist's tastes, values and attitudes and how his or her pasts affects the front story and outcome.

A novel that is written for lasting impact will often be linked to American culture, history, or influences. Often it comments on changing values or mores of an era such as the Vietnam or Civil War era , the women's movement of the 1960s and 70s, or the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

It evokes a series of recognizable moods while reading the story, like the music of Bach, or viewing a painting by Jackson Pollock, Picasso, or Matisse.

The Great American Novel explores themes that layer the work with meaning. Even though few of us will ever row out to sea like Santiago, we understand a need to regain a tarnished reputation, what it's like to face down fear and loneliness, and how courage can be called on in life's darkest moments.

This column first appeared in the Willamette Writer