Description of Fiction

Description of Fiction

When asked to describe fiction, the first thing to come into my mind is a dictionary type definition. Our book describes fiction as, "an imaginative work, usually a prose narrative (novel, short story) that reports incidents that did not in fact occur". I personally don't think that description does any justice to fiction as an Art form. At the beginning of this term I don't think I had a very accurate view of fiction, and I'm not even sure if I do now.

I have noticed through all the reading we have done this term that these, "fictional stories" happen every day. Everyday somewhere on earth a mother loses a perfect son, just like in the story "Samuel" by Grace Paley. His name might not be Samuel, but the pain and anguish is the same. I believe that fiction paints a story of life, and you don't have to look very far to find someone or something you can associate with. I have also noticed that fiction can take you to a place you don't necessarily see around you everyday. As the story evolves it might bring you somewhere you never thought you would go. I found this to be true in the story "The Rumor" by John Updike. Before I read the rumor, I read A&P, also written by Updike. I could really associate with the main character Sammy. The story was funny and I really enjoyed it, so needless to say I

was excited to read the rumor. After finishing it, the rumor just didn't do it for me. I didn't really enjoy the story line, and the language that was used to describe Frank's struggles with homosexuality. I guess that ending was fitting, that that rumor that Frank was gay would cause him to in fact become gay. This story just wasn't my favorite. This brings me to my final point, no matter if you like where a fictional story takes you, or you don't. The authors and works we have looked at this term, have taken just to places we have never been. Unlike non-fiction, and other forms of literature, I believe fiction can take us more places. I find poetry too hard to understand sometimes, and non-fiction has to follow too many rules. The way a fiction author's words can take us away from our everyday lives is amazing. Ernest Hemingway was great author, but he was a man with a lot of problems. I think he used fiction as a way to take himself