Abstract
I believe that the reification of narrative form represents one of the defining characteristics of much of the fiction we designate as modern. This trend seems to begin in the latter half of the nineteenth century, most notably with the publication of Madame Bovary in 1857, continues into the twentieth century, and on to the present day. By reification I mean precisely what Ezra Pound meant when he described Flaubert's efforts as an attempt to set down things as they are, to find the word that corresponds to the thing, the statement that portrays, and presents, instead of making a comment, however brilliant, or an epigram.' Reified form, then, is a way of transcribing the narrative not as a story that is told, but as an action that is portrayed and presented, and some or all of the following characteristics are usually present in each reified narrative:
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