Form As Function: Representing and Resisting Political Ideology Through Novelistic Structure

Abstract

“Form as Function: Representing and Resisting Political Ideology Through Novelistic Structure,” argues that the political dimensions of fiction extend beyond politically themed content into narrative form itself. Drawing on theorists such as Fredric Jameson and Matthew Salesses, I argue that formal structures, such as the conflict-driven Freytag’s Pyramid and the accumulative ‘carrier bag’ model articulated by Ursula Le Guin, encode distinct ideological commitments, particularly regarding individualism and collectivism. Through a comparative analysis of works by writers including Ocean Vuong, Octavia Butler, Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, and George Orwell, I demonstrate how narrative form can function as an active site of ideological engagement and resistance.