A Case for Fiction

What is the role of fiction?  (Inspired by Notice and Note by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst)

Some of my earliest memories involve books.  When I was little I wanted to be Laura Ingalls.  I had passages of her books memorized because her struggles intrigued me. Judy Blume was another one who opened my eyes. She gave me words to help understand when something difficult or challenging was happening.  My heart still aches for Blubber. Other books helped me process social clues, helped me figure out the whys of things that were happening in my world.  They gave me words to discuss things I wasn't sure about.  They let me know that I wasn't alone in my struggle.  I loved seeing the dates and events of history come alive, to better understand the significance of an event, personal attitudes and signatures of the culture/time.

I've always loved books.

This quote pretty much sums it up, "Nonfiction lets us learn more; fiction lets us be more." (pg. 17)

There are some emotions that involve all of humanity -- love, hope, fear, hatred, etc.  How do you process them?  Literature provides a safe way to examine issues away from a personal platform.  Sometimes personal events are too close to home to view objectively.  I was participating in a Twitter chat last night with Laurie Halse Anderson. Doesn't she write great books? I've been thinking about something she said, "Literature is the traditional, safe way that one generation passes wisdom to the next generation. Stories save lives."  Her words give power to those who struggle to find their voices to speak.  All fiction does this. It shows that you're not alone. Others have been there.

And it doesn't mean that you've had to experience it personally to learn from it. Fiction allowed me to experience things that were beyond my scope of "growing up in Kansas."  It gave me an opportunity to explore poverty, wealth, travel, culture on a personal level. It gave me a platform to experience loss, embrace joy, celebrate love.  It opened the door to possibilities. 

The New York Times published an opinion piece on March 17, 2012 where it discusses what happens in your brain when you read fiction.  "The brain, it seems, does not make much of a distinction between reading about an experience and encountering it in real life; in each case, the same neurological regions are stimulated. Keith Oatley, an emeritus professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto (and a published novelist), has proposed that reading produces a vivid simulation of reality, one that “runs on minds of readers just as computer simulations run on computers.” Fiction — with its redolent details, imaginative metaphors and attentive descriptions of people and their actions — offers an especially rich replica. Indeed, in one respect novels go beyond simulating reality to give readers an experience unavailable off the page: the opportunity to enter fully into other people’s thoughts and feelings." (Anne Paul Murphy)

Reading fiction builds empathy for the human experience. It gives us an opportunity to examine an event and decide how we would deal with it from an objective stance. Ultimately this has the power to change us, allow us to develop a new perspective, and ultimately "be" more.

My note in the margin today?  "Fiction builds empathy and connection to other humans."  I believe this is an essential skill.  After all, in general it's hard to hate when you know someone's story.  It gives you a new perspective, a glimpse beyond the façade. It allows you to look into the mirror of humanity.

As a teacher, a parent, a community member, I want a society where kids develop these skills.  I believe that building relationships is one of the most important things I do as an educator (and I do a lot of important things). Giving my students a chance to explore humanity through fiction/stories is one way to help build these relationships.

Yes, non-fiction is important. I read it every day. I use it to learn more, think, engage, share, etc.  Fiction, however, allows me to BE more - to build better relationships, to grow empathy, and to embrace new perspectives.

After all, "The humanities, it turns out, do tend to humanize." (pg. 18)