Everywhere you may try to look, fiction and literature is everywhere surrounding us whether we realise it or not. Whether it’s a print of a novel or a play showing at your local theatre, these stories of fiction whether you enjoy them or not all subconsciously increase our knowledge of different perspectives of different worlds no matter our age or previous background to enable us to heighten our levels of emotional maturity. Or, in simpler words, putting ourselves in the shoes of a different character helps us increase our empathy towards others and even ourselves. And the more different types of characters and situations are shown to us, the broader perspectives we gain.
The Difference Between Fiction & Literature:
Despite the common confusion due to the overlaps of fiction and literature, the key difference is that literature is the piece of writing printed onto text (whether fiction or non-fiction), and fiction as a whole can be portrayed through many different mediums: purely imaginative stories most commonly being plays, prose, films, dramas, etc. Initially, not all literature is fictional but all fiction is literature.
How It Influences Us:
The art of fiction and literature is known for being both therapeutic and a food for knowledge no matter who you are or your personal background. The psychology of how it influences us is endless however here are a few examples. This could be either a direct message of life lessons or a passive form of developing sympathy from stepping into the lives of the various characters, whether fictious or real (which could be from a biography or memoir). Finding yourself in characters validates one’s personality and experiences. But even when the reader and cast may be different, it encourages a development of wider understanding of the different individuals building together society no matter in what era.
Fiction and literature also serves as a way for the writers to passively spread their beliefs and opinions. This can be political at times. An example of this could be female writers in modernism writing about feminist leads posing as a man so they would be more likely to be heard. It is also advantageous generally in increasing vocabulary and knowledge in different areas whether academic or social. This can spark further interests beyond, and all around increasing intelligence as well as emotional IQ.
Popular Examples of Fiction & Literature:
- Shakespearean Works (e.g Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest)
- Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë
- Mrs Dalloway – Virginia Woolf
- 1984 – George Orwell
- Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
- Demian – Hermann Hesse
- The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
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