Aspects of David Adams Richards’ Fictional World

Abstract

This book approaches David Adams Richards’ work by focusing on the evolution of the fictional world shared by his 18 novels. This world is arguably the most distinctive feature of Richards’ fiction. Along with the narrative strategies he employs to capture it, Richards’ fictional world develops steadily over the course of his long career, and while always rooted in his native Miramichi Region of New Brunswick, it gradually evolves to include many other geographical areas and diverse social milieus. Because Richards’ fictional world is as much a set of values and convictions about the human condition as a representation of the material world, understanding where individual novels fit in its development provides a valuable perspective on each. With highly original recurring characters maturing from their teen years to old age in the background, his novels reflect perceptively on social and cultural trends from the mid-twentieth century on. As well as exploring the development of this fictional world, the book identifies other potentially fruitful approaches to Richards’ work. It is written primarily for academics, graduate students, and senior undergraduate English specialists interested in Richards’ fiction, but it is designed to be accessible for high school teachers teaching Richards’ novels and for dedicated fans of his writing, as well.