Notes on Fiction

Fiction = literature created from the imagination.
Genres include mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy, chick lit, crime thrillers.
Not all fiction genres are universally considered literature; some are taught in classrooms (literary fiction) while others are read for entertainment.
Literary fiction (e.g., Dickens, Austen, Twain, Poe) is often the focus in literature courses.
Our readings will primarily cover literary fiction unless told otherwise.

The test of fiction vs. non-fiction is not whether a story is true, but whether it CLAIMS to be true.
If a work claims to be true (e.g., a first-hand alien-abduction account), it is nonfiction.
A story with imaginary characters set within real historical events is still fiction.

Prose fiction is the most popular and widely consumed literary form.
It entertains and enlightens; draws readers into imaginative worlds and relies on invention.
It offers more than narrative pleasure: it can enlarge self-understanding and deepen appreciation of life.
DiYanni (Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay) identifies two core motivations: pleasure (entertainment) and profit (enlightenment).
Reading also involves escapism and identification with fictional characters.
For deeper understanding, read fiction more objectively and critically to see how it reinforces or challenges our views.
Close, attentive reading enhances understanding and pleasure.

Core elements: plot (events and their arrangement), point of view/narration, characterization, setting (time and place), language and style.
Narrative strategies: there are infinite ways to tell a story; writers’ choices are purposeful, not random.
Reading is shaped by personal experiences and contexts; there is no single authoritative interpretation.
Consequently, no two readings are likely to be the same, even when applying the same critical methods.