The Human Imperative: A Study of the Novels of Graham Greene

Stephen Land outlines Graham Greene's development, and he identifies some of the more memorable characters Greene has created. He has also attempted what few others would — examining, summarizing, paraphrasing, and classifying the bulk of Greene's novels, which is impressive and commendable. Where he and I would differ most, however, is in his argument that readers and critics are “under no obligation to frame [their] judgement [sic] of the novel in terms of the beliefs of its characters” or to “judge the characters and doctrines in a novel in the same way as we judge the conduct and ideas of our neighbors or of political or religious leaders.”