The Worth of Fiction

I have heard it argued that it is far better and more worthwhile to read non-fiction than fiction; that fiction is a waste of time. Such a statement cannot be true. Non-fiction deals with persons, places, and events of today and long ago, things which truly happened and are quite real. It gives one an account of important things worth remembering because of their significance at the time they occured, and the significance and influence they have on later persons, places, and events. It does not, however, follow that because non-fiction holds such important information, it is thus better than fiction. Fiction, though it serves a different function, is still important.

Fiction deals with elves and hobbits, families and enemies, wars and peace - in short, it deals with both things that exist and things purely of the imagination. While it deals with things that do indeed exist, such as families, friends, wars, etcetera, it represents them in a different manner than non-fiction. It is possible that a staunch Scottish Catholic named MacIan could come into a conflict with a fiery athiest named Turnbull, as occurs in G. K. Chesterton's The Ball and The Cross, but such an event did not occur, thus the book is fictional. Despite the fact that it does not represent a real event, the book, in the end, leaves one with the impression that Church will indeed always triumph over Satan and the World - the Cross will always triumph over the round ball that is the world. Such an impression could be drawn be from any historical event that deals with good versus evil, but the historical event does not have the same artistic beauty that fiction has. True, good fiction is a work of art, something to be enjoyed as Michaelangel's work in the Sistine Chapel is enjoyed. We enjoy the Sistine Chapel because of the beauty and order to depicts. Good fiction also depicts order and beuty, only through use of a pen and words rather than paint and a brush. Just as beauty and art appeals to man, so does fiction - Our Lord Himself taught through use of parables. Just as the parables hold something to be learned, we can gain from reading a work of fiction.