On the Vice of Novel Reading
In The Vice of Novel Reading, Young Ewing Allison examines the effects of novel reading on the moral character of the reader. He argues that novels can have a negative influence on the reader, leading to a lack of moral judgment and a tendency to imitate the characters in the novel. He also discusses the dangers of reading novels that contain immoral content, such as violence, immorality, and superstition. He concludes that novel reading should be limited and that readers should be careful to choose books that are morally uplifting.
By Young Ewing Allison · First published 1897 · Genre: Non-Fiction, Philosophy, Essay · 6,791 words
First lines
Ever since the Novel reached the stage of development where it was demonstrated to be the most ingenious vehicle yet designed for conveying the protean thought and fancy of man, there has stood in the judgment book of Public Opinion the decree that novel-reading was a vice. Of course, that judgment did not apply exclusively to the reading of novels. It was a sort of supplementary decree in which the name of this new invention was specifically added to the list of moral beguilements against which that judgment had anciently stood. Poetry, the Drama, even the virtuous History, had had their noses disjointed by this tribunal. But their great age and the familiarity of their presence had softened the decree in its enforcement. The Novel was a young offender in aspect (though he had the nature and inheritance of the other three), and was, besides, strong in masculinity and virility. A certain sympathy thus sprung up for the three quaint old ladies, as for old offenders whose persistence had won the wink of toleration. They actually achieved a certain factitious respectability in comparison with the fresher and more active dangers afforded by the Novel. But the Novel was simply a combination of all three, more flexible and adaptable. It, therefore, merely shares in the old judgment directed against everything in literature -- and in all the arts -- that displays the seductiveness of fancy or taste. The judgments of public opinion have been consistently in the line of distrusting and discrediting everything that appeared to be purely spiritual and intellectual, and that could not at once be organized into a political or religious institution or into a mechanical industry with the prospect of large sales and quick profits.
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On the Vice of Novel Reading is listed on Textopian as an essay by Young Ewing Allison, dated 1897 CE.
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- Work type: Essay
- Author: Young Ewing Allison
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Non-Fiction, Philosophy, Essay, Literary Criticism
- Length: 6,791 words
- Structure: 1 section, 35 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
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Genres
- Non-Fiction — This book is a non-fiction work that examines the vice of novel reading.
- Philosophy — This book is a philosophical work that examines the moral implications of novel reading.
- Essay — This book is an essay that examines the vice of novel reading.
- Literary Criticism — This book is a literary criticism work that examines the vice of novel reading.
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000 · Books and reading · Fiction in libraries · brain · even · ever · every · find · force · gloomy · great · history