"Programs for the Novel" (1984) by R.B. Kitaj is a large abstract work that combines gestural painting with collage elements, reflecting the artist's interest in literature and narrative structures. The composition features layered marks, fragmented forms, and textual references that invite multiple interpretations while resisting straightforward representation. Kitaj's approach exemplifies his distinctive blend of modernist abstraction with figurative and literary concerns, characteristic of his broader artistic practice.