I was in Biology the other day when my friend asked me the question: "why do you read fiction?" She reads non-fiction solidly in one particular area, and that's great for her, but I don't want that.
I replied with "I want to read everything." I went to Cheltenham Literature Festival early this month which was absolutely fantastic and Maureen Johnson said the big difference between YA readers and adult readers was that YA readers were better (contrary to public opinion) because they were less close minded. YA readers contact the author and they are a lively and thoughtful readership. I want to be this demographic. I want to be openminded and lively and thoughtful and I don't want to limit myself. If I just read science-fiction and fantasy (like everyone at my school) I would never have read John Green or David Levithan or Jeffrey Eugenides or Mark Haddon. Likewise, if I had only ever read contemporary fiction I wouldn't have read Ernest Cline or Orson Scott Card.
I feel like fiction is regarded as lower quality than non-fiction and that those who read non-fiction are brighter and more educated. I feel these judgements aren't fair on fiction. I find that fiction is better written as authors place more emphasis on how the words sound, if their sentences are nice to read and with non-fiction it's placed on the facts. To read fiction you are probably reading for pleasure and how is that not educated? It is the most educated thing of all. You are doing something academic for fun instead of watching tv or spending all evening watching youtube videos *cough* or playing Call of Duty.
Fiction gets a bad rap because it is used for many people as a method of escaping their day to days life in an unhealthy way. I know when I'm having a rough time I do immerse myself in Harry Potter especially and will spend a lot of time on Mugglenet. However, I don't think that reading fiction and escaping reality is a bad thing (in moderation). I read something on ScienceDaily about how reading improves health in sick individuals. I don't see how non-fiction boosts these things in the same way.
I read Fahrenheit 451 this summer which was the only dystopian book to ever really hit home (that said, I have never read 1984 and that's supposed to be terrifying). Fahrenheit 451 was written in the 1960's but the prophecies that were made in that book have started to come true. We are reading less as a society. This is where we have to let fiction step in. It's enjoyable and this will stop us from turning into that society.
I've written 600 words about why I value fiction. To be honest, you've seen my blog, you already know that. So why do I read fiction? I read it to relax. When I finish a book it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I prefer it to TV because there is so much detail you can cram in and I love that. Most of all, with reading Fiction there is a community. A community that's strong. It bonds people together. I went to Waterstones today and the bookseller at the till and I had this easy conversation in a completely different way that an assistant at Topshop and I would have. I have friends where our friendships are bound and strengthened by books. Sophie. Neelam. Chitra.
I believe that Fiction is something that shouldn't be undervalued. It creates a force so strong you can't quantify.
Fiction gets a bad rap because it is used for many people as a method of escaping their day to days life in an unhealthy way. I know when I'm having a rough time I do immerse myself in Harry Potter especially and will spend a lot of time on Mugglenet. However, I don't think that reading fiction and escaping reality is a bad thing (in moderation). I read something on ScienceDaily about how reading improves health in sick individuals. I don't see how non-fiction boosts these things in the same way.
I read Fahrenheit 451 this summer which was the only dystopian book to ever really hit home (that said, I have never read 1984 and that's supposed to be terrifying). Fahrenheit 451 was written in the 1960's but the prophecies that were made in that book have started to come true. We are reading less as a society. This is where we have to let fiction step in. It's enjoyable and this will stop us from turning into that society.
I've written 600 words about why I value fiction. To be honest, you've seen my blog, you already know that. So why do I read fiction? I read it to relax. When I finish a book it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I prefer it to TV because there is so much detail you can cram in and I love that. Most of all, with reading Fiction there is a community. A community that's strong. It bonds people together. I went to Waterstones today and the bookseller at the till and I had this easy conversation in a completely different way that an assistant at Topshop and I would have. I have friends where our friendships are bound and strengthened by books. Sophie. Neelam. Chitra.
I believe that Fiction is something that shouldn't be undervalued. It creates a force so strong you can't quantify.
No comments:
Post a Comment