The works of the picaresque are abundant, especially since no one seems to know categorically what is picaresque and what is not. The term is extended to envelop any form of prose fiction which sends its hero or heroine on a journey, or has him, her engaged in the service of many masters; the protagonist or antagonist may range from a completely foolhardy person to a well educated young man or woman, who is pushed by conditions to spend time with lower classes. Such flexibleness in the use of term has at last made an attempt at re-definition obligatory, and indeed, some of the vital criticism of the picaresque novel in the last century to produce such a definition.
In this short essay, I have tried to suggest what …show more content…
We generally are satisfied with a small recollection of the important situations; and in such recollection the thing is not figured as in our view and also any visuals are formed. We detain the consciousness of our present situation and seldomly remember that formerly we saw that thing. However with respect to an interesting object or event that made a strong impression, we dwell upon every circumstance. When we recall anything to our minds in a manner so distinct as to form an idea or image of it as present, we have no words to describe that act but that we perceive the thing as a Spectator and existing in our presence; which means not that we are really Spectator, but only that we conceive ourselves to be a Spectator and have perception of the object similar to what a real Spectator …show more content…
We never once over think whether the story is true or feigned; thinking come afterward, when we have the scene no longer before our eyes. This discernment becomes very clear by opposing ideal existence to ideas raised by a cursory narrative, which ideas, being faint, obscure and imperfect, leave a question mark in the mind, which solicits contemplation. And accordingly a curt narrative of feigned incidents is never relished; any slight pleasure it affords is more than counterbalanced by the disgust it inspires for want of