Is It Worth Your Time To Read Fiction?
The knowledge inside the constructed imaginary world of fiction.
Oh, the world of fiction—where our lovely imaginary world can be portrayed with a sequence of words. I’m not the biggest fiction reader out there since I think I only read less than 15 fiction in my whole life but every time I finish a book, there is some sort of fulfillment in my heart and a thirst for even more adventure.
To travel far, there is no better ship than a book.
— Emily Dickinson
I stand by this quote. When you read a book, your mind will unconsciously try to understand each word, visualize the scenery, and if it really hooked up in your mind—you will be immersed in it like you just got transferred into another world. The stories in fiction are of course fictitious (even though not completely). Then is there any reason for us to read fiction apart from it being an escape way of us from reality?
Might Light a Way for Social Transformation
The topic of disparity between social classes and women's rights isn’t a concept that the general public really pay attention to — back in the 18th century at least. One of the most famous fiction in this era is Pamela or also called Virtue Rewarded. Pamela challenged how society works at that time where classes are the main determinant in someone’s career/worth along with how women were treated as a lower human beings than men. Even though Pamela is fiction, the message under the tale of Pamela reaches the heart of the reader at the time.
The story of Pamela and its impact is quite interesting due to how it can even cause an uproar for conservatives who can’t accept women are equal to men. A well-written novel fiction has the power to relay us a message to change as a society through analogy or the tale that it tries to bring to us. Though the topic of feminism and social classes is not something new in this day and age, another social problem might be brought up with a form of fiction.
Honing Our Capability in Empathy and Consideration
When you are reading fiction, you have to imagine the setting of the story itself and the people who live in it to understand the plot and the resolution of the story itself. Even if they are not a real person, we will learn about their characteristics and emotions — because that two is a major factor that will lead the character in making a decision, just like in real life. Once we get to know the character’s personality, we will put ourselves in their shoes and try to see the situation through their eyes which is what empathy is in my dictionary.
There are 2 characters that moved my heart recently, Don Quixote and William Stoner. They have 2 different personalities but I think both are slightly similar in their own story. Don Quixote tells about how delusional someone in living his own life but that delusion gives him the most joy. The illusion of charging to battle, saving the non-existent citizen, all felt real in his heart and that is his way to enjoy life. While Stoner is living a sequence of tragedies throughout his whole life while having a huge passion for English literature and teaching. His love for English literature and being a teacher is what makes him still going on and stoic despite the crushing pressure from his parents, family, and workplace.
Both have a special place in my heart because if you read their story — it is full of pain and grief that makes you wonder if someone in real life can be as strong as them. Fiction can give you a slight hint that anyone has their own battle that we might not even be aware of.
A Much More Interesting Self-Help Book
I honestly thought that fiction is some sort of self-help or motivational starter for us if we pay attention to the details of the story as a whole. Because there is always a lesson to learn implicitly/explicitly from how the characters interact with each other.
One of the fiction that become one of my motivation drives through my high school and college days is a Japanese novel called Classics Club Series or its Japanese title called Koten-bu Shirīzu. The story revolves around the main character called Oreki Houtaro. His main characteristic is quiet, stoic, showing indifference to his surrounding, yet still warm at heart especially in helping others. The whole idea of Oreki itself is a role model to me and how would I want to live my life. It is a form of self-help since I want to be a better person than I am today and it’s much more meaningful because of the fact that I am immersed in the story and learn from it as if it’s a life experience.
Conclusion
Reading a book will always help even if it’s fiction because it will always give you an insight into a potential situation, an act to reflect on, and a personality to look upon for you to enjoy and learn at the same time. Reading is always has been a good habit for anyone who thirsts for knowledge after all.
