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The relation of fiction to society may be interpreted from several points of view. As any other medium of mass communication, fiction is a source of information and attitudes, and an indicator of popular perspectives. In addition, fiction responds to its own rules. Necessities and conventions of representation in a particular form lead to certain combinations that are attributable neither to reflections of the situation nor to the intention to influence. This paper examines the place of the aged in novels published in the United States during the years 1931‐1970. Because of the different ingredients that go into the creation of characters in novels, no simple relationship of contact with social conditions or attempted influence by an author can be discerned. A realistic picture of the presentation cannot concentrate on the status of old heroes and heroines, but on the manner in which old people become part of the general scene or setting within a whole presentation of a novel. One can contrast this approach with that of looking at the traits of the principal characters in novels and other media (Aronoff, 1974; Charles, 1976; Peterson & Karnes, 1976). The relation of the reader to particular characters is ambiguous, and the influence of clear stereotypes is not clearly understood; one has only to consider the controversy surrounding Archie Bunker. The position of the aged as an integral part of novels may be more enduring because of the less obvious influence on the audience, corresponding to the place of salience in learning and media influence (Krugman, 1965).
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