The distinctive and varied formal roles that a fictional society might play in a novel is the subject of this pioneering work. Langland opens with a discussion of novel theory, placing her perspectives within contemporary theory, and follows with a discussion of novels from the British, American, and Continental traditions from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. She also raises questions about society in the novel as an expression of Western and Eastern values. Originally published in 1984. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.