What literary tradition immediately preceded the novel tradition?
short story
romance
fable
romance
The first novel ever written is thought to be one written in 11th century Japan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Genji
There's only one of the three choices that pre-dates 11th century in any country!
fable
Short story
The literary tradition that immediately preceded the novel tradition is the romance tradition. To identify this answer, you can follow these steps:
1. Understand the question: The question is asking for the literary tradition that came before the novel tradition.
2. Define the options: In this case, the options are "short story", "romance", and "fable".
3. Evaluate the options: Out of the three options, the romance tradition is the most relevant to the question. While short stories and fables are separate literary forms, the romance tradition is a broader genre that encompasses narratives with a focus on love, chivalry, and adventure.
4. Confirm the answer: To be sure, you can conduct further research on the history of literature or consult reputable literary sources that discuss the evolution of literary forms. These sources will likely mention the transition from romances to novels as a significant development.
Therefore, the correct answer is the romance tradition.