its hero is identified with an important figure of real life, or
for any other casual reason. If a novel, because of the intrinsic
interest of its story, or on account of the contagion of the idea
it contains, is widely read by many kinds of readers, and if these
readers on their own initiative recommend the book they have read
to others, that is popularity, and a sufficient definition.

Perfection of form is not enough to make a book popular. A story
has to move or few will read it, but it is doubtful whether a
greater technical achievement than this is required for
popularity. "Samson Agonistes" is technically perfect, but was
never popular, while, to pass from the sublime to its opposite,
"This Side of Paradise" was most crudely put together, and yet was
popular. The best-built short stories of the past decade have not
been the most popular, have not even been the best. No popular
writer but could have been (so I profoundly believe) more popular
if he had written better. But good writing is not a specific for
unpopularity. The excellent writing of Howells could not give him
Mark Twain's audience. The weak and tedious construction of
Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra," the flat style of Harold
Bell Wright's narratives, has not prevented them from being liked.
Form is only a first step toward popularity.

Far more important is an appeal to the emotions, which good
technique can only make more strong. But what is an appeal to the
emotions? "Uncle Tom's Cabin" appealed to the emotions, and so
does "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford." To what emotions does the
popular book appeal? What makes "Treasure Island" popular? Why did
"Main Street" have such an unexpected and still reverberating
success?