How’Introduction: Fiction or Non-Fiction?
Between the two, it is actually hard for me to decide. Fiction has the adventure and thrills
while Non-Fiction has the facts and knowledge. This means that Fiction expands my thoughts and
imagination while Non-Fiction practically opens up the world for me. So Fiction can make me imagine
and sometimes, that imagination could even become real one day! Take the tablet or the light bulb for
example, dreamers thought and soon became reality! So, to read, or not to read might be the question
here.
Part One: The Differences and concepts of the two:
Fiction and Non-Fiction do work well together, but I think it is only because of their
differences rather than similarities. Think about it, a team with strong skills in math can cover
math very easily, but a team with different skills, (math and language) can help expand each
other’s skills and cover more. That is why I have dedicated a section of this essay to that idea.
Fiction:
Fiction is the art of imagination (I believe) where one can soar through books with
wonder and surprise. In Fiction, the main elements are: plot, characters, and setting. These are
usually decided by the author’s imagination or ideas (with a bit of inspiration).
Plot is also known to many as the storyline of a story and is like the spine of a person. If it
does not flow smoothly or is cracked, the person has lost part of their mobility, and it pulls
down the other elements which build around it. Plot explains what the story is about, how it
happens, and why certain things happen.
Setting is literally just the setting! It sets the character’s actions and limits where the plot
can go (think about computer settings). It is the time and environment of a story. I think of it as
the skeleton of a body. The skeleton allows just enough mobility and balances the stability of
the body. If one wants to stretch the story to even more places, they will have to work harder
to blend it into the story, or exercise the body so that the skeleton can slowly allow more
access. But watch out, if a story stretches too far… the body collapses, eroding the story’s
quality! Setting explains where the story is and when it happens (past, present, future).
Characters are the people/creatures that are in the story and are involved in the problem
of the story and the plot. They could be compared to the muscle of a body. They move along
the spine (see plot) and are restricted by the skeleton’s format (see setting). Each character is
different and serves a unique purpose. The villain, or bad guy, tries to do something bad/evil
and the Hero (usually the main character) tries to stop the villain. In the end, the Hero usually
stops the villain and “good prevails”, while the villain is defeated and sometimes comes back in
later books for revenge. Characters explain who is in the story and help push the plot along.
Non-Fiction:
I think of Non-Fiction as the facts about the world where one can marvel, or become
terrified. In this genre, one can learn about the ups and downs of human history and also
compare the differences from the past to now.
Non-Fiction is generally harder to explain because it does not really have major elements
like plot and setting. Instead, it is quite like the opposite of Fiction! For example, while Fiction is
imagination, Non-Fiction is fact (hence the “non”)! So really, it actually is just like the plot,
setting, and the story of human life.
Part Two: Compare and Contrast:
Fiction
Non-Fiction
Is the outcome of imagination and the Is the story of human history and reality.
author’s thoughts.
Has the elements: plot, setting, and Is the plot, setting, and the story of reality and
characters.
humans.
In the end, I prefer Fiction because of the fact that it can always be changed and is
intercepted a different way by each reader.
Thank you for reading, we hope you enjoy! 