The Nature of a Crime · Theme

Art and the Poet

How The Nature of a Crime develops Art and the Poet.

The narrative contrasts the 'poet'—who lives by deeper truths and intuition—with the conventional 'man of business,' arguing that poets are more honest and better suited for meaningful relationships.

Where it surfaces

Preface I
Discusses the limits and methods of literary composition, the nature of analytical confession, and the collaborative process of writing.
Preface II
The collaborative writing process is described with intense seriousness, emphasizing the craft and the oral recitation of prose.
Chapter V
The narrator contrasts the poet's true vision and instinctive sympathy with the conventional man's lack thereof, arguing that the poet is better equipped for the imaginative act of marriage.