Elements of Fiction

This new edition of the very successful Canadian version of Elements of Fiction showcases 80 stories (including 2 novellas) as indicative of the variety of ways short fiction has manifested itself from the mid-19th century to the present. More writers from a wider variety of countries and cultural contexts, including India, Africa, Australia, and Latin America, have been added and 22 contemporary writers are new to this edition. Providing students of literature with a lively, balanced introductory text, the book addresses the question of "What is fiction?" with a concise essay that defines the nature of fiction and principles upon which it is based. Carefully analysed stories by Maupassant and Joyce demonstrate how students can use these principles to develop a thoughtful critical approach and gain a sense of appreciation of the short story form. Introducing each author with a biography and arranging the stories chronologically according to the author's date of birth, Scholes and Sullivan give students the widest possible exposure to fiction of the modern and post-modern era.