Major Spanish Novel Genres of the 20th Century

Social Novel

The authors perform a harsh critique of injustice and class inequality. These are committed authors who advocate for social renewal.

Theme

A unique issue in Spanish society viewed from three areas:

• The bourgeoisie and urban life
• The rural labor world
• Emigration

Their narrative often describes subhuman conditions.

Characteristics

• Style and Simplicity: A focus on straightforward and accessible language.
• Collective Character: The protagonist is often a group or community rather than a single individual.
• Space and Time: Set in concrete, recognizable places with a linear timeline.
• Point of View: The narrator typically speaks in the 3rd person.
• Structure: Long, untitled chapters, each divided into brief fragments.

Notable Works

• The Hive by Camilo José Cela
• My Idolized Son Sisi by Miguel Delibes
• The Holy Innocents by Miguel Delibes
• The Jarama by Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio
• Gran Sol by Ignacio Aldecoa

Existentialist Novel

With the questioning of the literary quality of the social novel and the arrival of renewed influence from Hispano-American literature, a new type of narrative emerges with a dialectical vision of reality.

Innovations

• Plot: The traditional plot almost disappears.
• Characters: The focus shifts to the individualistic protagonist, who is always searching for their identity.
• Point of View: The omniscient narrator is used, but with a multiple vision, sometimes alternating between the 1st and 2nd person.
• Structure: The "sequence" replaces the chapter, and the chronological order is broken with analepsis (flashbacks) and prolepsis (flashforwards).
• Forms of Expression: Digressions and interior monologues predominate. Digressions are comments made by the author or a character, while an interior monologue represents a character's thoughts as they spring from their consciousness.
• Language and Style: A rhetorical language appears with abundant cultisms and figures of speech like hyperbaton. It also mixes prose or verse with dialogue.

Notable Works

• Time of Silence by Luis Martín-Santos
• Five Hours with Mario by Miguel Delibes
• Last Afternoons with Teresa by Juan Marsé

Novel of Exile

In this section, authors develop a social-type narrative, though not far from the innovations of experimental narrative.

Themes

• The Past of Spain: Seeking the causes that determined the configuration of the new Spain.
• Longing for Spain: Yearning for what was lost, presenting an idealized image of the homeland. It evokes past experiences and places while imagining a return, which often produces anxiety.
• The Reality of Exile: Although their primary interest is Spain, they also reflect on the problems of the countries or cities that host them.
• The Human Condition: Authors often opt for symbolism. Their narrative becomes an abstraction and a philosophical reflection on human nature and the meaning of life.

Notable Works

• Forjando un rebelde (Forging a Rebel) by Arturo Barea
• El laberinto mágico (The Magic Labyrinth) series by Max Aub
• Crónica del alba (Chronicle of the Dawn) by Ramón J. Sender
• Réquiem por un campesino español (Requiem for a Spanish Peasant) by Ramón J. Sender
• El retorno (The Return) by Francisco Ayala
• Muertes de perro (Death of a Dog) by Francisco Ayala