THE REALISM OF PRESENTATION: THE LITERARY DETAIL IN FICTION
Authors:   Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Bandrovska Olha T. 
Published: December 2024

This article explores the concept of “realism of presentation” as a key term in 20th-century British lit-
erary studies, reflecting a drive to reproduce reality through literary detail, thereby creating verisimilitude
and depth of character portrayal in a work of literature. It emphasizes the importance of literary detail,
which functions as a tool in forming layered impressions of the readers and serves as an element that en- of the readers and serves as an element that en- the readers and serves as an element that en-
hances their emotional resonance of a work. The study aims to define two major functions of literary de-
tail: as a means of representing objective reality in the surrounding world and as a means of depicting the
human being, including corporeal, inner states and emotions. The realism of presentation enables the ex-
ploration of not only visible reality but also the inner, often hidden aspects of human nature. The article
focuses on novels where literary detail plays a crucial role in building characters and conveying themes,
among them Laurence Sterne’s “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”, James Joyce’s
“Ulysses”, John Fowles’s “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”, and Mohsin Hamids “The Reluctant Funda-
mentalist”. In these works, literary detail serves two primary functions: creating an effect of realism and
revealing character through body language, behavior, and environment.
The methodological foundation of the study is rooted in seminal works of literary theory, notably Er-
ich Auerbach’s “Mimesis: The Representation of Reality in Western Literature”, which examines the nature
of representing reality, and Roland Barthes’s essay “The Reality Effect”, which argues for the importance
of literary detail in constructing the illusion of credibility. The work also utilizes ideas from Paul de Man,
Wolfgang Iser, and Monika Fludernik, who advance an anthropological approach to literature, analyzing
how literary detail can reflect the sociocultural and psycho-mimetic characteristics of people. In this con-
text, literary detail functions as a “microscope” through which readers can perceive not only the external
but also the internal world of characters, their unique traits, and inner conflicts. The research methodology
is complex and interdisciplinary: historical and literary, comparative, receptive approaches, as well as the
method of “attentive reading” and the means of literary anthropology are used to specify the specifics and
methods of creating the effect of plausibility in fiction.
Influential contributions to the concept of realism of presentation also come from the British liter-
ary scholars C.S. Lewis, David Lodge, and James Wood. Lewis defines realism of presentation as “the art of
bringing something close to us”, achieved through meticulously rendered details that evoke associations
with real-life events or people. Lodge, elaborating on this idea, emphasizes the importance of detail in con-
structing plausibility and immersion, suggesting that precision and tangibility of detail form the basis for
creating an “effect of the apparent”. James Wood, in his work “How Fiction Works”, complements Lewis’s
and Lodge’s theories by arguing that detail allows readers to grasp an author’s style, representing not only
the characters’ identities but also the overall nature of the reality depicted within the work.
In this context, literary detail functions not only as a visual descriptor of objects or phenomena but also
as a tool for deeper character portrayal. This is evident in Sterne’s “Tristram Shandy”, where each character’s
unique “hobbyhorse” (or personal quirk) embodies specific traits through their behaviors and mannerisms.
In Joyce’s “Ulysses”, detail becomes a vehicle for depicting both the physiology and emotions of characters,
making their images vivid and dynamic. Each detail, from facial expressions to micro-gestures, forms a kind
of “encyclopedia of corporeality”, reflecting even the smallest changes within the characters’ internal worlds.
Fowles’s “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” exemplifies the postmodernist use of literary detail, which not
only reconstructs the historical atmosphere of 19th-century England but also engages the reader in a meta- a meta- a meta- meta-
fictional play between the author and the audience. Postmodernism in this case undermines traditional re-
alism: detail, initially creating an illusion of reality, simultaneously questions the objectivity of this illusion.
Fowles masterfully conveys the spirit of the Victorian era, using everyday habits, social norms, and values of
that time. However, he also subverts readers’ expectations by using detail as a tool for metafictional play that
questions the reliability of historical reconstruction. In Hamid’s “The Reluctant Fundamentalist”, literary de-
tail also plays a crucial role, creating a sense of realism and revealing cultural and social aspects of the modern
world. Specifically, the protagonist’s unconscious smile in response to the events of September 11 becomes a
symbolic moment that expresses his attitude toward America and serves as a climactic point in the narrative.
This detail not only conveys the character’s personal emotions but also reflects the cultural context in which
he acts, demonstrating a clash between personal identity and global events.
In modern literary studies, anthropological approaches attribute particular significance to literary de-
tail as a means of exploring human uniqueness. Each period in literature, from the Middle Ages to moder-
nity, offers its own perspective on humanity, its characteristics, and worldview. Original interpretations of human essence emerge through literary detail, which reveals not only the external but also the inner, of-
ten invisible aspects of a personality. This approach reveals how literature, regardless of historical period,
serves as a medium of reflection on the “eternal” questions of human nature.
Thus, examining the realism of presentation as an aesthetic and literary concept allows for a deep-
er understanding of how details create an illusion of reality that becomes the foundation for the reader’s
emotional and intellectual engagement with the text. Even in fantasy or symbolic literature, details are a
crucial element in constructing the internal logic of the work, making it more believable. Through literary
detail, an integration of artistic and real-world perspectives occurs, where each character is a unique indi-
vidual, forming a microcosm that combines the subjective and universal.