vi, 73 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / At the beginning of the 20th century, several critics suggested that the genre of the novel was in a state of crisis. A vigorous discussion about whether the genre of the novel as a whole had to be done away with erupted and produced contradicting frameworks. A textual analysis of two recent books by Swiss writer Tim Krohn, Quatemberkinder (1998) and Vrenelis Gartli (2004), reveals that the time of great epics in the form of the novel has not yet come to an end. Krohn's novels portray a new approach to counter what Lukacs called "transcendental homelessness." By combining oral Swiss legends with historical facts and magic realism Krohn is able to achieve a new wholeness the modem novel lacked. His novels portray a possible solution for overcoming the "crisis of the novel." / Committee in Charge: Prof. Susan C. Anderson, Chair; Prof. Kenneth Scott Calhoon; Prof. Martin Klebes