A Different Truth

From libraries to college majors, there is a categorical distinction between literary works of fiction and non-fiction. This defined categorization between “truth” and “fantasy” is unfortunate because so often there is a gray area where a given work is both fact and fiction. While it is difficult to claim that a fictional story in which a unicorn sneezes lollipops holds any truth, it is not the actual events of a work of fiction that necessarily cross over to fact, it is the general ideas portrayed in fiction that are as true and factual as possible. Everyday, there are stories in the news about good things, bad things, and everything else in the world. The emotions behind these events and portrayed by their authors are as real as the emotions portrayed in any piece of fiction. Within fiction there are many ways that writers convey the real emotions or their truth. Within the sub-categories of romanticism, dark romanticism, and realism there are different ways that authors convey the real and true emotions in a fictional story.

There are countless great works of romanticism. For example, the story “Rip Van Winkle” perfectly demonstrates the way that authors of romanticism were able to convey as much truth in their work as fiction. In “Rip Van Winkle,” Irving dives into the notion of memory. After Rip’s twenty-year nap he finds himself standing in his village saying, “Does nobody here know Rip Van Winkle?” (Irving 20). In contrast, a New York Times article that discusses President Obama and his policies, will subtly be addressing his legacy. An article reads, “President Obama on Monday released an aggressive $4 trillion budget blueprint for next year…” (NYtimes.com). While this does not directly address Obama’s legacy it is true that this new budget will be a part of how he is remembered. The importance of reputation and the need to be remembered is extremely important to humanity; so, while it is obvious that Rip Van Winkle never actually existed, the fears and other emotions that are portrayed throughout the story are real and seen in everyday news.

        In the genre of Dark Romantics, much of the work is focused on uncovering terrible horrors in the world; this is very similar to much of the news in today’s world. In “The Black Cat,” Poe uses extremes to show a man who has gone insane; while the actual story may not be factual, the truth lies in the insanity. Poe is describing the fact that humans are insane and that sometimes there is no rationality or reason in one’s actions. The insanity that Poe discusses in “The Black Cat” is as true as the insanity found all over the news today. For example, the man who killed 21 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School is as unbelievable as the main character in “The Black Cat.” Dark Romanticism is true to the realities of the world and even if it is pessimistic, it can strangely similar to the events that are in the news everyday.

        Realism may be the genre that most often crosses over to fact. As its name says, realism attempts to show the world as it is. In the story, “To Build A Fire,” London writes about a man who meets his unfortunate death as a result to both lack of knowledge and poor circumstance. London does not give his reader a happy ending. In the story, London narrates, “…he sat up and entertained in his mind the conception of meeting death with dignity” (London 178). It is this genre that best mirrors the facts portrayed in the news. This does not mean that there are no happy endings in real life but more that everything happens as it happens and not because it would be better one way or another. In the 2015 Super bowl, there was no happy ending for the Seahawks. It is an undisputed fact that the Patriots won the game; as it is a fact that the cold won against the man in “To Build A Fire.” In this way, realism is as much fact as it is fiction.

        The lines between truth and fantasy may blur sometimes. However, it is important that the meaning behind fiction writing should be seen as a kind of fact. This fact does not necessarily need to be backed by reality, yet it is the truth of its author. In the news that the media feeds the world, opinion is also fact; not the kind of fact that is proven yet it is true to its author. Both fiction and nonfiction contain their own truths; a different truth.