This book investigates the linguistic mechanisms and functional patterns of speech, writing, and thought presentation within nineteenth-century narrative fiction. Beatrix Busse, a scholar in English linguistics, utilizes a corpus-assisted methodology to analyze how authors of the period structured character discourse. By examining lexico-grammatical realizations, the author provides a framework for understanding the interplay between narrative progression and characterization.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the field of corpus-assisted literary analysis. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for researchers and students of linguistics and narratology.