Towards the Ethics of Form in Fiction

The book explores the connection between narrative form and moral vision, emphasizing the significance of cultural remissions, such as the carnivalesque, which challenge societal norms and boundaries. Leona Toker proposes a method to analyze how formal narrative features influence ethical perceptions, arguing that these elements can transform readers' beliefs and values. Through in-depth analyses of works by authors like Fielding, Austen, and Dickens, Toker illustrates the ethical implications of fiction's aesthetics, drawing on theories from Bakhtin and de Certeau.