This essay, by reviewing the identity of the novel as the typical genre of the modern era, and surveying the "apparent realism" as the main characteristic of this genre, discusses the pre-conditions and effective elements of the genesis of the Persian novel. Besides reflection on the relation of the Persian and western novel and the evaluation of various ideas about the influences of the western novel on the Persian novel, the essay explains some important related topics, like: modernity and modernization in Iranian society, the emergence and development of the print industry in Iran, Persian journalism, translation, and last but not least nationalism as the dominant discourse which supported the Persian novel, and in turn, employed it to spread its new value system.