The value of literature as a source of knowledge is a timeless debate that varies depending on how knowledge is defined. I will adopt Hillary Putnam's theory of "knowledge of possibility" (Putnam 488) in "Literature Science, and Reflection" (1976) and focus on the value of literature as a source of conceptual knowledge. The emergence of the novel brought with it conventions for a more realistic style of writing aimed at appealing to ordinary readers. Variations in the degree of realism ranged from writing that attempted to present fully authentic life experience, known as formal realism, to writing that offers some authentic aspects of life but also retains characteristics of classic genres epics and novels. These contrasting styles can be seen notably in Daniel Defoe's Journal of the Plague Year (1722) and Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews (1742) respectively. In the context of these authors' respective works, the intrusiveness of Fielding's narrator and his relatively artificial characters and plot ultimately render the work less realistic by the standards of formal realism and, in contrast, the narration at first person of Defoe with his more realistic characters and characters. plot, adhere more strictly to the conventions of formal realism. In the knowledge debate, the author's intentions for a work are important and must be taken into account when examining the impact of realism on the effectiveness of communicating the author's purpose to the reader. However, knowledge in literature is not limited to an author's intentions, and I argue that realism is directly proportional to knowledge in literature through the discovery of new possibilities and learning from one's experience. author, and although it is not perfect, From...... In the middle of the article...by Defoe and Fielding, and in the context of Putnam's assessment of knowledge in literature, there is a direct correlation between the use of formal realism and the insights a work can offer. It is understandable that each work has its unique intentions, and that not all works need to adhere perfectly to the conventions of formal realism to be valuable, but there is usually a positive correlation between characters, plots and realistic narrative techniques and the potential of each. conceptual discovery. The value of knowledge in literature comes from the reader's ability to connect to it and interpret it for themselves, and immersion allows readers to do this more effectively. Ultimately, one person's experiences may be limited in time, but through literature, a reader can gain insight into a lifetime of diverse experiences of authors and characters..