This far-ranging study develops Morson's concept of "prosaics," which
stresses the importance of ordinary events and the novel's unique
ability to portray them. Arguing that time is open and contingency real,
Morson develops a "prosaics of process" showing how some masterpieces
have found an alternative to structure. His well-known pseudonym Alicia
Chudo, the inventor of "misanthropology," explores the disturbing
philosophical content of laughter, disgust, and even empathy.
Northwestern University's most popular professor, Morson attributes
declining student interest in literature to current teaching methods. He
argues in favor of showing how literature fosters empathy with people
unlike ourselves. Ever playful, Morson explores the relation of games to
wit, which expresses the power of the mind to triumph over contingency
in the social world.