Die skep van werklikheidsbeeld in ’n roman

The creation of reality image in a novel. This article discusses aspects of the process of creative writing and specifically endeavours to give a heuristic view on the creation of image of reality, or Zeitgeist, as a spatial element in a novel. Therefore it discusses space as a specific aspect of creative writing. The core of this article is, in other words, a summarised study of the realisation of the various aspects of Zeitgeist in a novel or other genres of fiction as, for instance, short stories or novellas. The conclusion is that Zeitgeist, or the spirit of the times, can indeed be realised in a novel. Apart from a discussion on the application of the narrative elements, attention is also paid to the various aspects of Zeitgeist, or a particular image of reality. The aim is to emphasise and accentuate that Zeitgeist, or image of reality is, in fact, an inseparable part of space and the spatial dynamics in a novel. By taking a closer look at the different facets of Zeitgeist – for instance identity, cultural space, the socio-economy, as well as politics – it is stressed that an image of reality can be created in a novel by bringing into play creative elements like character, space, time and plot. This is done in order to unveil the above mentioned facets. All these aspects or facets not only have a deep-seated influence on Zeitgeist, but occur at the very core of it.