Under this umbrella of narrative technique also fall such things as structure, style, point of view, imagery and so on. To understand many of the narrative techniques Hardy adopts we must have some understanding of his background, the audience and the times he was writing in and why he would have wanted to broach such controversial issues. Hardy was a poet, he intensely read and studied poetry and literature from his early twenties. Prose fiction was his temporary profession out of economic necessity. This serves to explain the symbolic, metaphoric, poetic nature of his writing and also the many references to Shakespeare, other literature and the bible. In order for Hardy to convey his ideas he had to not only consider the needs of his current audience but also pursing his greater literary and personal obligations. To do this he had to include his insights indirectly and evasively, adopting symbolic meanings that reached beyond the superficial social actions of the time. It is also important to note how the novel was released and the "censoring" that was in place to control controversial or "inappropriate" morals, values and issues. The serialized format of realize also contributed in a large way, somewhat dictating the story line and affecting the general lay out. This is evident when you notice that there are several series of rising action, climax and denouement, generally towards the end of phases. Examine the explanatory note to the first edition - "form a true sequence of thing", talks of the Victorian expectations of a true story. Possibly why Hardy paid such attention to the surroundings and the use of local terminology. - "Piece the trunks and the limbs of the novel together" The effect of the serialization and censoring had on the novel. It is not in its true form until can be read completely and together. - Artistic form...in respect of the book's opinions and sentiments" Ha...