This book investigates the fundamental connection between Thomas Hardy's background as a draughtsman and the highly visual, image-driven nature of his literary narratives. J. B. Bullen, a scholar of Victorian literature and art, examines how Hardy’s training in architectural drawing influenced his prose style. By analyzing the lighting, composition, and structural elements within Hardy's novels, the author argues that the novelist’s unique "point of view" was a deliberate artistic strategy used to externalize complex emotions and philosophical ideas through vivid, concrete imagery.

Scholars and critics frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of visual arts and Victorian narrative technique. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of Hardy's aesthetic development.