Books Quote by Randall Jarrell
“The novel is a prose narrative of some length that has something wrong with it.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Novel, a Prose Narrative, by Randall Jarrell, 1950
The quote suggests that a novel should be a coherent story, but many fail to achieve that, making them flawed in some way.
In simple terms: Novels often lack coherence.
Key Takeaway
Seek clarity in storytelling.
Themes
literature
criticism
coherence
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- creative writing workshops
- editing
- literary analysis
- teaching writing
Key Concepts
narrative structure
authorial intent
Questions to Reflect On
- What makes a narrative feel "wrong"?
- How do experimental forms challenge traditional expectations?
A Different Perspective
Not all prose narratives aim to be perfect; some intentionally subvert expectations.
![“. . . you [film critics] always overstress the value of images. You judge films in the first place by their visual impact instead of looking for content. This is a great disservice to the cinema. It is like judging a novel only by the quality of its prose. I was guilty of the same sin when I first…” quote by Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/871/orson-welles-1628_cinema_you-film-critics-always-overstress-the-v_573619.jpg)
![“Early in his life Mr. [Ezra] Pound met with strong, continued, and unintelligent opposition. If people keep opposing you when you are right, you think them fools; and after a time, right or wrong, you think them fools simply because they oppose you. Similarly, you write true things or good things…” quote by Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5a7/randall-jarrell-3811_ends_early-in-his-life-mr-ezra-pound-met-with_359433.jpg)
