1) Definition (CUET-ready)
A novel is a long work of prose fiction that typically:
- develops characters over time,
- constructs a sustained narrative world,
- and explores social, psychological, ethical, or historical realities through plot and narration.
While “long prose fiction” is a baseline, the novel is best understood as:
- a flexible form capable of realism, experimentation, and genre mixing.
2) Key features of the novel (high-yield)
A) Narrative voice and point of view
- first person, third person, omniscient, limited, unreliable narrators. These shape what “reality” looks like.
B) Character and interiority
The novel is strongly associated with:
- psychological depth,
- individual experience,
- social embeddedness.
C) Social world and realism
Many novels:
- map social relations, class, institutions, everyday life. But modernist and postmodern novels can challenge realism.
3) Major types of novel (CUET-relevant)
A) Bildungsroman
Coming-of-age novel; development of self.