This paper studies how the
novel went from an early state of what is now referred to as pre-novel, such as the work of Daniel
Defoe, all the way to post modern work, such as "The Sot-Weed Factor" by John Barth. The
novel changed, evolved, grew and reflected the society reading it from its birth. This paper looks in depth at the causes for its rise, its moment of perfection and its change into alternative
form such as modernism and post-modernism. Table of Contents: "Robinson Crusoe" and the Beginning of the Novel The Capitalism and Secular Values of "Robinson Crusoe" Changing Times as Seen in "Moll Flanders" Form and Function of the Novel in "Moll Flanders" The Reader's Identification with Moll The Characterization of "Moll Flanders" Criticism of Defoe as a Novelist "Tom Jones" and the Progression of the Novel The Prefaces of "Tom Jones" "Emma" and the Height of the Novel The World Surrounding "Emma" Female Authority and Readership in "Emma" Character in "Emma" "The Sound and the Fury": the Modern Novel Character in "The Sound and the Fury" Form of the Novel Altered in "The Sound and the Fury" "The Sot-Weed Factor" and the Introduction of Postmodernism Character in "The Sot-Weed Factor" Conclusion: The Novel's Trajectory