Curses, hallelujahs, and amens : the rhetoric of Daniel Defoe, a case study in didactic fiction
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Beth Ann Ashburn (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Walter H. Beale
Abstract: In Modern Dogma and the Rhetoric of Assent, Wayne Booth asserts that "we need a criticism that can explain why some cursings of God and shouts of hallelujah succeed and some fail" (188). He is referring to the dilemma presented by didactic fiction. Such fiction exists in a critical gap for which students of literature have little specific terminology. This study is an exploration into the appropriate criteria for the evaluation of fiction which claims to teach a lesson. Part One examines Defoe's non-fictional rhetoric, searching for rhetorical patterns which might illuminate his didactic fiction. Three significant factors emerge: the role of blame, the role of the audience, and the role of truth. Part Two endeavors to ascertain if these three areas operate similarly in Defoe's major fiction to allow for an effective combination of didacticism and artistry. Three novels, Robinson Crusoe, Moll Flanders, and Roxana, are analyzed in detail.
Curses, hallelujahs, and amens : the rhetoric of Daniel Defoe, a case study in didactic fiction
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Created on 1/1/1996
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 1996
- Subjects
- Defoe, Daniel, $d 1661?-1731 $x Criticism and interpretation
- Didactic fiction, English $x History and criticism