Mimesis and the human animal

the long version

In Mimesis and the Human Animal, Robert Storey argues that human culture derives from human biology and that literary representation therefore must have a biological basis. As he ponders the question "What does it mean to say that art imitates life?" he must consider both "What is life?" and "What is art?" Part 1 addresses issues of human biology, psyche, and language; Part 2 applies the model sketched out in Part 1 to various narratives: tragedy, comedy, and the novel. A unique approach to the subject of mimesis, Storey's book goes beyond the politicizing of literature grounded in literary theory to develop a scientific basis for the creation of literature and art.