Is reading fiction a waste of time?

Defined as literature that narrates imaginary events or stories of most commonly imaginary people, fiction is a way of storytelling adored by many. To some, it’s escapism, a world giving them a sense of accomplishment, something far from the cruelty of reality. To others, it’s simply wondrous to soak in the charm of imagination, to enter the thoughts of another, a sphere of endless possibilities. Given its marvel, is fiction truly a constructive genre to relish? If all is seemingly imaginary, what lessons connecting to reality could it possibly teach us?

 

In ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ Edgar Allen Poe wrote: “He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it.” Descriptive imagery such as this and meticulous word-building are imperative facets of fiction as they wholly pull the reader into this fictional world, taking them through its nook and crannies. This incites creativity and builds an entire visual image in a reader’s mind on the basis of the details given. Moreover, the delicate way these complex stories are weaved, or even simple stories accompanied by each character’s individual complications not only evokes empathy in a reader, but it may also provide a sense of intimacy or relatability. This either already existing or harbored familiarity with a character can help readers confront and deal with their scenarios and their thoughts.

 

What about fantasy? What if it’s impossible to relate to an exiled prince’s struggles? When it comes to fantasy, it opens us up to the wonders of the world around us. As said by J.R.R Tolkien in his essay ‘On Fairy Stories: “And actually fairy-stories deal largely, or (the better ones) mainly, with simple or fundamental things, untouched by Fantasy, but these simplicities are made all the more luminous by their setting. For the story-maker who allows himself to be “free with” Nature can be her lover, not her slave. It was in fairy stories that I first divined the potency of the words, and the wonder of the things, such as stone, and wood, and iron; tree and grass; house and fire; bread and wine.”

 

Fantasy, fiction, and fairytales add mystique to even the simplest things in life, whether that’s through the way they’re described or through the power they hold in that made-up universe; the grandiose setting they’re put in makes them incandescent. Fantasy gifts us with a Midas touch, the ability to see even a stone as fantastical, to see nature as a treasure unaltered. They cause our perspectives to recast, to see all broken mirrors as mirror balls, to find fantasy within simplicity and natural occurrence.

 

Deemed a form of Escapist literature, many seek solace in fiction, a comforting escape. Why should ‘escape’ have a negative connotation when talking about fictional literature? As stated by J.R.R Tolkien, “Escape is evidently as a rule very practical, and may even be heroic. In real life it is difficult to blame it unless it fails; in criticism, it would seem to be the worse the better it succeeds.” Fiction may be a coping mechanism for some, something showing them a hidden allure; it may even inspire endearment towards reality. This heroic element is just as significant and indelible as is knowledge; wanting to escape when stuck isn’t something to blame now, is it?

 

Furthermore, fiction can be extremely evocative and thought-provoking, as it can cause us to visualize future consequences, dystopias based on reality, and how our actions can ruin our own end. An example could be the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ by Robert Frost, a poem calling attention to this talent humankind possesses when it comes to self-destruction. Fire here represents desire and ice represents hatred; humans continually create seemingly minuscule disasters on their own, in the long run, these immensely devastating forces in reality continually bring about destruction, and might as well be our end. Fiction has the capability to give us a sense of epiphany, no matter how trivial.

 

Besides its personal effects, fiction holds substantial power in regard to social impact. Fictional books such as George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm had considerable influence on readers’ political perspectives; in addition, Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beacher Stowe shifted the way slavery was viewed by Americans.

 

We’ve all been enchanted by flying brooms, witches, and elves; we’ve all wistfully longed for the return of beloved characters; we’ve all captured and engraved moments in fictional universes. To conclude, with everything fiction has to offer, is it possible for it to be a waste of time? Even if fiction just provides entertainment and escapism to one, so long as it’s gleeful, there will always be something to gain.

 

Bibliography:
https://coolcalvary.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/on-fairy-stories1.pdf
https://www.fastcompany.com/1842370/how-fiction-impacts-fact-social-impact-books