A Mirror in the Roadway

The book explores the evolution of literary realism, contrasting Stendhal's metaphor of the novel as a mirror with modern writers' innovative approaches that embrace invention and dislocation. It delves into the debates among deconstructive theorists, who question literature's connection to reality, and traditional historians, who critique the reliability of novels in depicting history and society. This examination highlights the shifting perspectives on the role and representation of literature in relation to the real world.