A Handbook To Raymond Knister\u27s Longer Prose Fiction

Raymond Knister (1899-1932), an experimental Canadian writer of the nineteen-twenties, wrote longer prose fiction which withstands the test of time, but has received little attention. Much of Knister\u27s longer prose fiction remains unpublished.;The purpose of this thesis is to provide a critical introduction to Knister\u27s novels and novellas in the form of a handbook. Since so much of Knister\u27s longer prose fiction is unpublished, the handbook format followed in this thesis is designed to provide a clear and convenient introduction to Knister\u27s longer prose fiction. Each work is discussed under the following headings: dates of composition and the text, the action, influences and sources, context, and critical reception. For each work, discussion of technique and theme follows discussion of background.;Knister\u27s work, over the decade during which he wrote novels and novellas, reflects an increasing skill at using a variety of techniques in capturing the rich complexity of reality. In his longer prose fiction, Knister increasingly assimilates recognition of tangible and intangible realities, or material and psychological actualities. Knister\u27s longer prose fiction celebrates everyday reality while, with increasing sophistication, granting the complexity of experienced reality.;This thesis, as a handbook, introduces the technical and thematic range of Knister\u27s novels and novellas, published and unpublished; although Knister was a leading Canadian writer of the twenties, no discussion of his longer prose fiction currently exists