This study gives due respect to the genre of campus fiction, focusing on selected works by C.P. Snow: The Masters, The New Men, and The Affair. Combining theoretical and practical perspectives, the study is structured into three chapters, alongside an introduction and a conclusion. The introduction establishes the research objectives, key questions, methodology, literature review, and chapter outline. Chapter one defines the English campus novel, highlighting its unique characteristics and examining its appeal; it also touches upon American and Egyptian academic novels and movies. Chapter two investigates the tensions between tradition and innovation in academia, emphasizing the interplay between scientific progress, literature and societal values. Chapter three examines the narrative techniques Snow employs to portray the nuances of academic life. The study ultimately reveals that Snow’s novels transcend a mere depiction of university culture; they offer a profound examination of the human condition, confronting essential questions about morality, identity, and the quest for meaning.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Chapter One: Academics and Fiction: A Theoretical Survey
- 1.1. Introduction
- 1.2. Definitions of Campus Narrative
- 1.3. Development of Campus Narrative
- 1.4. Key Factors Behind the Emergence of Campus Fiction
- 1.5. Key Elements and Popularity Factors of Campus Novels
- 1.6. Oxford University’s Monopoly on Campus Novel Writers: A Contrast to the Lack of Domination in the Victorian Era
- 1.7. Categories of Campus Novels in the nineteenth Century
- 1.8. British Campus Novel
- 1.8.1. Kingsley Amis’s Lucky Jim
- 1.8.2. Malcolm Bradbury’s Academic Trilogy
- 1.8.3. David Lodge’s Trilogy
- 1.8.4. Snow's The Masters
- 1.9. American Campus Fiction
- 1.9.1. McCarthy's The Groves of Academe
- 1.9.2. Jarrell's Pictures from an Institution
- 1.10. Egyptian Academic Fiction and Movies
- Chapter Two: A Thematic Study of the Academic Novels of C. P. Snow
- 2.1. Introduction
- 2.2. Snow's Biography
- 2.3. Snow's Campus Novels as a Controversial Issue
- 2.4. The Themes as incarnated in Snow's Academic Novels
- 2.4.1. The Masters
- 2.4.2. The New Men
- 2.4.3. The Affair
- 2.5. The Masters
- 2.5.1. The Theme of power
- 2.5.2 The Theme of Science and Modernity
- 2.5.3 The Theme of Ethics and Morality
- 2.6. The New Men
- 2.6.1. The Theme of power
- 2.6.2. The Theme of Science and Modernity
- 2.6.3. The Theme of Ethics and Morality
- 2.7. The Affair
- 2.7.1. The Theme of Power
- 2.7.2. The Theme of Science and Morality
- 2.8. Conclusion
- Chapter Three: Technical and Stylistic Features in C.P. Snow's Academic Novels
- 3.1. Introduction
- 3.2. Setting
- 3.3. Narration in Snow's Academic Genre
- 3.4. Irony and Satire in C.P. Snow's Academic Fiction
- 3.5. Conclusion
- Conclusion
- Recommendations
- Works Cited
Objective & Thematic Focus
This dissertation fundamentally explores the genre of campus fiction through a detailed analysis of C.P. Snow's selected novels: *The Masters*, *The New Men*, and *The Affair*. The research aims to define the genre, identify its key characteristics and pioneers, explain why Snow's novels exemplify it, and explore the dominant themes and narrative techniques he employs.
- Tensions between tradition and innovation in academia.
- Interplay between scientific progress, literature, and societal values.
- Narrative techniques employed by Snow.
- Examination of the human condition (morality, identity, quest for meaning).
- Power struggles within the academic world.
- Role of science vs. humanities.
Excerpt from the Book
1.5. Key Elements and Popularity Factors of Campus Novels
This section heavily depends on Zidan's Academics and the Novel. The Arabic version was published in 2021 by Bayan for Translation, Publishing, and Distribution House, while the English edition was released in 2024 by Lambert House in Germany (19-26). Here are the main factors that led to the academic novel's popularity.
First, the genre's realistic portrayal of reality is a major selling point. College novels are meant to be true accounts, so writers like Lodge take a realistic approach to writing them. Even though they use fictional identities, the stories are based on real universities and locations. This authenticity is what makes college novels so popular. The similarities between the real-life experiences of some professors and students and the characters in the story also lend credence to this idea. Lastly, even though the author's notes at the beginning of the book try to deny the work's relation to reality entirely, the line separating reality from fiction is easily discernible and can be crossed effortlessly.
Second, comedy serves as a form of amusement and entertainment. While some comedies aim solely to elicit laughter, others have the additional goal of exposing and criticizing societal vices and foolishness. The comedy genre known as farce is characterized by extreme exaggeration, funny circumstances, and one-dimensional characters. It exists solely to provide laughter and is often set in a pastoral environment. The humor in farce is meant to entertain readers in a refined manner, rather than providing a cathartic experience. Moving on, the primary theme of the first campus novel revolves around the challenges faced by some professors in securing employment due to the prevalence of temporary and time-limited positions. Consequently, some of them resort to hosting parties for university officials, engaging in deceit and deception, or resorting to various forms of corruption.
The Straight Man (1997) by Richard Russo is a highly humorous novel that revolves around the protagonist, who happens to be the head of the English department. In a desperate and comical attempt to raise funds for the budget, he jokingly threatens to engage in the illegal activities of murdering and selling geese on campus. However, he becomes the subject of multiple security investigations. From that point onwards, the story unfolds with a series of comedic events until its end.
Third, the campus novel prominently addresses the conflict between different socioeconomic classes— the upper, lower, and middle strata. This particular interest in exploring class conflict is unique to the campus novel genre. Many authors are motivated to write fiction set on campuses because of the influential student protests and demonstrations.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section establishes the research objectives, key questions, methodology, literature review, and chapter outline for the study of campus fiction, particularly C.P. Snow's academic novels.
Chapter One: Academics and Fiction: A Theoretical Survey: This chapter defines the English campus novel, discusses its unique characteristics, examines its emergence and popularity factors, and categorizes it, also touching upon American and Egyptian academic novels.
Chapter Two: A Thematic Study of the Academic Novels of C. P. Snow: This chapter investigates the various themes of power, science, and morality as depicted in C.P. Snow's *The Masters*, *The New Men*, and *The Affair*, highlighting the tensions between scientific and humanistic perspectives within academia and society.
Chapter Three: Technical and Stylistic Features in C.P. Snow's Academic Novels: This chapter examines Snow's narrative techniques, setting, and writing style, including his use of satire, irony, and character development, to portray the complexities of academic life and the human condition.
Conclusion: This section summarizes the study's findings on campus fiction, its pioneers, Snow's reflection of English society, his novels' characteristics, and provides comparisons with other writers, focusing on dominant themes and techniques.
Recommendations: This section provides suggestions for future research topics related to C.P. Snow and the genre of campus fiction.
Works Cited: This section lists all scholarly and literary works referenced throughout the dissertation.
Keywords
Campus Fiction, C.P. Snow, Academic Novels, Power, Morality, Science and Literature, Narrative Techniques, University Politics, Tradition vs. Progress, Human Condition, Satire, Identity, Academic Life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main topic of this work?
This dissertation fundamentally explores the genre of campus fiction through a detailed analysis of C.P. Snow's selected novels: *The Masters*, *The New Men*, and *The Affair*.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central thematic areas include power struggles within academia, the interplay between science and humanities, morality, identity, and the quest for meaning in academic life.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective is to define campus fiction, identify its characteristics and pioneers, explain why Snow's novels exemplify this genre, and analyze the dominant themes and narrative techniques used in his works.
What methodology is used?
The study combines theoretical and practical perspectives, structuring the analysis into three chapters that cover the genre's theoretical survey, thematic study of Snow's novels, and examination of his technical and stylistic features.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part delves into the definition and development of campus narrative, key factors behind its emergence, categories of campus novels (British, American, Egyptian), a thematic study of C.P. Snow's academic novels (*The Masters, The New Men, The Affair*), and an analysis of their technical and stylistic features.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Campus Fiction, C.P. Snow, Academic Novels, Power, Morality, Science and Literature, Narrative Techniques, University Politics, Tradition vs. Progress, Human Condition, Satire, Identity, Academic life.
How does the dissertation explore the "Two Cultures" concept by C.P. Snow?
The dissertation frequently references Snow's "Two Cultures" concept, particularly in discussing the tension and divide between the scientific and humanistic domains within academia and society, as exemplified in *The Masters*.
What distinguishes C.P. Snow's approach to campus fiction from other authors?
Unlike more satirical campus fiction writers, Snow's approach is more introspective and serious, focusing on the psychological and emotional nuances of his characters, their inner lives, and moral dilemmas, rather than purely lampooning the academic establishment.
What role does Cambridge University play in Snow's novels?
Cambridge University serves as a central setting for Snow's novels, functioning as a microcosm of the broader academic community and reflecting its traditions, internal politics, power struggles, and the interplay between different disciplines.
How does Snow use irony and satire in his works?
Snow employs irony and satire subtly to critique academic politics, highlight contradictions between ideals and realities of power, and expose human prejudices and self-serving motivations within the academic world, particularly in *The Masters* and *The Affair*.
- Citar trabajo
- Mai Emad (Autor), 2024, Campus Fiction as Incarnated in Selected Novels by C. P. Snow, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1574197
