Aspects of the Novel

Forster begins the chapter on plot by disagreeing with the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle argues that happiness lies in action, rather than character; however, Forster says that the secret inner life of the individual is responsible for that person finding or failing to find happiness. Given Aristotle’s place in history, which predates the novel in its current form, Forster says that it is understandable that Aristotle was referring to drama and reality rather than the world of the novel. Forster attributes to Aristotle a definition of plot that requires “the triple process of complication, crisis, and solution” (129), which Forster argues is appropriate for drama but not the novel.

Forster defines plot as story with causality. While the story is a series of events in time, plot includes the reason for those events. The plot is concerned with pursuing the “why” of the story and the characters. A story relies solely on the audience’s desire for satisfied suspense, while a plot insists the reader think through the events and remember what has come before. Forster makes a distinction between suspense and mystery: Suspense is the curiosity of what comes next, while mystery is the pursuit of answers.