Functions of the index in narrative
an outline
pp. 211-221
in: John Deely, Margot D. Lenhart (eds), Semiotics 1981, Berlin, Springer, 1983Abstract
Embracing a nearly infinite range of structural possibilities within the realm of fictional narrative, the novel is probably the most heterogeneous verbal art form available to the creative writer. Yet the challenge to the writer remains uniform: to involve and intrigue the reader, and thereby assure his continued contemplation of the work. In his "Notes on the Novel," Ortego y Gasset concludes that art makes possible the "enjoyment of contemplation" (1968:82–83). How this might be achieved defines in large measure the challenge to the maker of verbal art. Similarly, but from the opposite perspective, in regarding the finished product the literary critic attempts to gauge the nature and depth of the achievement—itself a challenging task, since the counterpart activity to literary creation—reading—is largely a subjective, even private matter, which does not easily lend itself to the identification of universals.