Wilkins 1

Tatyana Wilkins
Expository reading and writing
Mrs. Fincher
21 November 2013
Fiction vs. Non-fiction
In imagination, creativity that makes the mind creative enough to imagine things as an
imaginary world, or dreams that can be real through the mind, but not in reality. Through the
reading of fiction, that creativity and imaginary creatings, will help expand that just enough to
make it feel real enough. Fiction should never be treated as if it is nothing but imagination and
nothing but a waste of reading. Non- fiction is full of facts and the truth, makes it a little less
exciting to wanting to read unless it is necessary to read. Fiction has so much to offer to so many
people. Through fiction, many exciting stories can be told by the author. It does not always have
to be a formal, well organized, and truthful story. Fiction can be told just to be told. To have a
different view on imaginary things that can expand the imagination that creates great fiction. It is
never bad to have a funny book about monsters or an imaginary book about a land that doesnt
exists through eyes but through minds. Though it may not seem like it, fiction can teach lessons.
These types of lessons are referred to as "life lessons". These "life lessons" are greatly expressed
in fiction compared to non-fiction. Fiction is not always considered nor recognized because it is
made up or it does not have any facts. Fiction does not grasp everyone's attention; however,
when read more, "life" lessons are learned, it expands imagination, and expresses more empathy
compared to non-fiction.

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As expressed before, fiction has a wide verity of lessons and much more experiences
compared to non-fiction. By lessons, it is meant to be "life" lessons that teach people
experiences, "Fiction has many more experiences and lessons to teach, and, in essence, fiction
could even be considered more practical in real life than non-fiction"(Writer 1). As this quote is
very much in the right, it is true that fiction has much more experience compared to non-fiction
ever has. As an example, writing a story a little boy going on an adventure and overcoming
obstacles with fairy tale creatures. Fiction does tell stories that are made up but, it can also be
about someone that had to overcome different types of obstacles and may use made up characters
to explain their experience. "Fiction is... a story of somebody else's experience, or maybe even a
made-up one. That experience may seem trivial and insignificant, but there is always something
we can learn from it... that lesson is called the moral" (Writer 2). Like it was expressed before, it
may be told from anothers view point, which an author can express from his or her own past.
That is where the story of the little boy going on an adventure comes in. That type of story can be
expressed through that persons own personal story. As to say, the story of imagination is never
useless. Everything does not always have to full of facts and organized some experiences are not
always important to some or even worth knowing or learning from, yet, there is always good
essence behind that particular story. If it was not important or useful in eyes, it would not be in a
book or written down. There are some fiction stories that are told just to be told to keep a
positive mind open. "Unlike non-fiction, which only provides cold, hard facts, fiction novels,
that take those facts and blend it in with reality, creating a story we not only read but also
experience. In this aspect, reading fiction teaches more valuable lessons than non-fiction can
ever achieve" (Writer 2). Valuable lesson can be carried on than life lessons can. Writer has a
huge point on fiction and taking facts and blending them in with reality. Doing things sometimes

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can be out of the blue and do not even know it is being done. Lessons are of so much value and
fiction can teach it better than it can be said by mouth. Not even sitting there listing to can only
help but, if it is read and expressed through a thoughtful story full of experiences, it can and may
be of very much use in the future.
Fiction not only helps with different types of lessons but, Fiction novels not only
develop one's imagination and creativity, but also increase his/her awareness of social injustices
and can often times expedite the process of maturity" (Writer 6). These lessons can be taken and
created into maturity. It also handles the social injustices within a society. Growing more as a
person and taking place in the mind and within society is incredible. It does not always have to
be facts that can explain why people should get along, yet a simple story about a tiger and a
monkey that can get along and not eat each other nor fight everyday about land or food. There
does not have to facts supported to explain why, as a society, should need to get along. Facts
cannot always create this type of understanding towards people as whole. Having the cold truth
isn't always fun and creative in minds. Characters in fiction set these minds sets. Through each
author, he or she has their own personality and an experience which teaches lessons of everyday
life or on just the little things that are not recognized because it is not based on "facts".
That is to say that expanding the maturity and knowledge is greatly of importance also in
fiction, The conversations that arise out of novels and fiction are hugely important to informing
our sense of self and our knowledge of the world around us"(Word Press 8). Having this type of
knowledge and maturity is huge. Authors spend a great deal of time trying to create a story to
teach of some importance, as expressed, "Many fiction authors spend a good deal of time
researching and understanding the setting of their novels so that they can create something that is
realistic and will teach you through the story" (Word Press 5). Now that sounds a lot better than

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having facts set down trying to explain a non-fiction story and not understanding it. Authors
actually sit there and try to decide how they can explain their story so it could be creative and fun
to read.
Also, in fiction, there is learning what it is like to be another person. Experiencing their
experience and lessons, "Where we allow ourselves to enter into someone else's mind and story,
we learn about what it's like to be another person. We learn about other experiences. We learn
how to imagine what things might be like for someone else. This skill provides us with a great
deal of straight information, and as we partake in this process in each novel, we gain facts about
what it's like to be each character in the novel" (Word Press 3). Learning through another
persons story can provide others with what it is like to step into that persons shoes. Learning to
be another person is of great deal also. Putting ones feet into another is of importance because, it
teaches skills and what it is like to be that person. Learning from others lessons and applying
them to everyday life can help to be a better person in the mind frame. Anything can be learnt in
fiction; for example, lessons, morals, skills, and experience. It always will have a purpose
behind. There is never anything that cannot be seen in fiction which cannot be learned from.
Creativity by the mind is the best thing that can be learned for the mind into helping it
expand," Fiction novels also surpass non-fiction in the sense that they nourish the reader's
imagination. The more one reads, the more creative he or she seems to be" (Writer 3). When
minds are expanded through imagination, it creates creativity and a sense of imagination. By
creativity connections are connected to more art and expanding creativity. Fiction provides this
connection and it is great. Non-fiction does not provide that type of deal as much as fiction can.
Creativity by the mind is the best thing that can be learned for the mind, into helping it expand.

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Fiction also improves awareness around the little things that happens every day that
people take advantage of because, they cannot stop and realize what is going on, "Fiction novels
not only develop one's imagination and creativity, but also increases... awareness of social
injustices" (Writer 6). Going back to social injustices, being aware of what goes on in society
when fiction is read, and being surrounded by society on a daily basis. As an example of a fiction
story movie is Shrek. That lesson learned from that movie was love can fall from anywhere and
appreciate the little things you can have and get. Shrek learned that he does not have to be a stick
in the mud because, along the way to recover to get his swamp back, he made friends. Not only
did he make friends but, he met the love of his life because, he learned from his friend donkey
that, you do not always have to have a wall over your heart. He learned friendship, love, and
what was really important in his life rather than his swamp. Just being aware and knowing of the
things around is of importance. As Leigh expresses, "Reading fiction expands your awareness so
you can consider a variety of viewpoints and see circumstances" (Leigh 5). She has a great point
on what is to be considered by a variety of viewpoints. Another side view from Shrek; he fell in
love with a princess, regardless of the circumstances and different viewpoints from others and
learned the value of friendship. As she also continues, "Fiction has an impact, bigger than you
might think. Big enough to change someone's personality" (Leigh 4).
Empathy, just being able to slip into someone else's shoes to experience new things is
great, "The most important thing we can learn from fiction is empathy" (Word Press 3). Learning
what it is like in another persons mind is an awesome experience. "When we read fiction, we
identify the characters and step into their shoes, so that we feel their pain, understand their
conflict and empathize with their action" (Leigh 7). Understanding others through their view
point, rather than guessing the issue, is a great experience. It also allows others to step into

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peoples shoes and mind set. Learning new morals or expanding on more of those morals.
Fiction can provide this all in just one story, not multiple but one and has great value. People can
never go wrong reading fiction. When we allow ourselves to enter into someone else's mind and
story, we learn about what it's like to be another person" (Word Press 3). It is of great purpose to
understand others, not just be self-centered. When learning and experiencing in someone else's
world, new experiences are learned. "Fiction is a particularly useful stimulation" (Wondra 7). She
is right. Fiction is very useful through stimulation. By reading into fiction more, it makes out to
understand others well, "Reading more fiction enables you to understand other people better"
(Santos 2). As expressed before, he makes out understanding others more and being able to step
into what they have been through.
Fiction is great but, that does not mean non-fiction is not. Learning about the truth and
facts can also be great. Learning from a hard, cold fact also has great importance. It does not beat
around the bush and does not take long to express. Non- fiction provides a lot of facts compared
to what fiction ever can. It is always good to read non-fiction to brush up on facts that cannot be
learned through fiction. Non-fiction is always great and it never hurts to pick up a book on facts
and read through it. It also teaches a lot and offers a lot to the mind through its facts.
To conclude on a great outcome, fiction does not grasp everyone's attention; however,
when read more, "life" lessons are learned, it expands imagination, and expresses more empathy
compared to non-fiction. Reading fiction has so much to offer and expresses many things all in
one story compared to non-fiction. Learning "life" lessons and morals, expanding the
imagination, and understanding what it is like to step in someone else's shoes and learning from
that experience is great. There cannot be not one fiction story that does not contain a lesson or
experiencing new things from others perspective. Fiction is just great overall. It has so much and

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too much to offer compared to hard, cold facts. Imagination beats facts because, it is their own
world and it is created through their minds. It is not judge nor wrong, it is whatever made out to
be. Being part of the story, creating it, "A good work or fiction suspends reality and immerses
people in a fictional world which they are part of the story" (Butler 5). It is even backed up;
being able to create an imaginary world, always has great thoughts and great endings to it. Facts
are important but, imagination will always surpass the mind much more and much greater.

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Works cited
Butler, Andrew C.. Top5: What and How we Learn from Fiction.. fictional works, 29 Mar
2012. Web. 16 Sep 2013 <http://m.today.duke.edu/2012/03/fiction7.
Leigh, Angel. Fiction can Expand your mind by Lynn Kinnaman. Savvy Media services. 31
August 2013 :1. Print.
Santos, Mary. Reading fiction helps us learn. Delaware Gazette 1 March 2013, n. pag. Print.
<http://delgazette.com/2013/03/reading-fictions-helps-us-learn/7
What you know: Reading Fiction and Nonfiction.Boredom Breeds contempt. Wordpress, 29 8
2013. Web. 15 Sep. 2013
Writer, world. Is Non-fiction really Better than Fiction? TeenInk.2013: 1. Print.
<http://teenink.com/nonfiction/academic/articled493720/IsWondra, Chris. Fiction readers secret advantage. We Teach We Learn. Copyright, 2Jul 2013.
Web. 15 Sep 2013. <http://www.weteachwelearn.org/2013/07/fiction-readers-secretadvantage17.