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- In the vast landscape of literature, few genres have the power to delve into the intricacies of the human mind and emotions quite like psychological novels. These mesmerizing works of fiction explore the depths of the human psyche, unraveling complex characters and narratives that resonate deeply with readers.
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In literature, psychological fiction (also psychological realism) is a narrative genre that emphasizes interior characterization and motivation to explore the spiritual, emotional, and mental lives of its characters.
- Unreliable Narrators
- Feeling Watched
- Tragedy
- Moral Dilemmas
- The Spiral
- The Epiphany
- Lord of The Flies by William Golding
- No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
- The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
- Sweet Home by Kim Carnby and Hwang Youngchan
Being stuck in your own mind can jumble up your thoughts into an incoherent knot. Similarly, psychological genre protagonists tend to be unreliable narrators, as they get tunnel vision from their experiences. Big shocker: this ensures the plot is rife with miscommunication and intrusive thoughts that only get closure when protagonists gain new pers...
The unsettling feeling of being stalked or watched from afar is the bread and butter of psychological horror. In the drama subgenre, a sense of being judged or hearing whispers in the hallways may give the protagonist nervous chills. This takes the experience of self-consciousness to the point where you are unsure if the characters have reason to b...
Tragedy often takes place prior to the events of the story, which then deals with the mental and emotional fallout following the event. A death, accident or severe case of social isolation, shunning or bullying shapes the protagonist and/or their posse to give the reader foundation upon which to build their understanding. Contextual circumstances s...
Devices that unleash Pandora's Box of doubt, inner conflict and suppressed emotions. A psychological genre dilemma may not require a literal life or death sacrifice (socially or literally), but it may play on the hesitance to reveal a heavy secret. To weigh personal interests against the interests of others, or even against ‘the greater good’. The ...
Psychological fiction hones in on the darker emotions that plague the human psyche. These may be worsened by substance abuse, mental illness or other exacerbating circumstances. Psychological plots are interior and follow the unravelling or reshaping of a character, or at least their perception of themselves. The straw that breaks the camel’s back ...
As you near the conclusion of the story, things suddenly click into place. Understanding ‘the way out’, uncovering the identity of the true enemy, having one’s outlook on life changed. I consider this a genre convention because cleverly written psychological fiction brings the reader to the realisation at the same time as the protagonist. Though bo...
Lord of the Fliesis notorious for its brutal outlook on human nature, portrayed through the cast of young schoolboys. Human impulses, anarchy and mass hysteria are some of the main themes being unpacked the longer the boys are away from civilisation. The book explores humanity’s deepest anxieties regarding the line between humans and animals, and i...
Considered Osamu Dazai’s masterpiece,No Longer Human (人間失格) chronicles the life of Oba Yozo and examines sexual abuse and trauma, social alienation, self-destructive behaviour, addiction and attempted suicide. The literal translation, Disqualified From Being Human, begs the question of what we define humanity to be and whether expectations of psych...
Plath’s work is known for its expression of feeling stifled and helpless. The Bell Jarfunctions as a semi-autobiographical text – as a reflection of Plath’s experience with depression portrayed through the main character, Esther Greenwood. Exploration of the psychological toll of institutional misogyny, sexuality, violence, psychotic depression, at...
Set during an apocalypse in Korea, Sweet Homecombines Kim Carnby's chilling writing and Hwang Youngchan's monochromatic illustration to explore the intensity of human desire, compassion, fear, resentment and willpower. Cha Hyun-soo is a recently orphaned, suicidal high-schooler, who gets caught in a nationwide phenomena of people turning into human...
Apr 29, 2024 · Psychological fiction is a genre that attempts to show readers what makes a particular character tick, whether that character be an obsessive musician or an unrepentant murderer. Often, it explores characters at the fringes of society, giving readers glimpses into the minds of those they wouldn’t otherwise encounter.
Psychological fiction is a literary genre that delves deep into the inner workings of its characters’ minds. It’s a narrative style that prioritizes the mental and emotional states of its characters, often exploring complex themes like identity, perception, and reality.
A psychological novel is a work of fiction in which the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the characters are of equal or greater interest than is the external action of the narrative.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Psychological novels, also known as psychological fiction or psychodrama, focus on the internal thoughts, feelings, and motivations of characters. This genre emphasizes the complexities of human behavior, often blurring the lines between reality and imagination.
May 17, 2022 · Written by MasterClass. Last updated: May 17, 2022 • 3 min read. Psychological fiction is a genre concerning the interior rather than the exterior.
