Patricia Haffner
2-17-11
Connection between realistic fiction and the truth:

Realistic fiction takes real life situations and takes creative license to expand
the author’s ideas ("Ask The Writer").

“novels and stories which ‘are real’ in that they take place in a time and place
like a present, or recent past, time and place, have plots which are possible,
and have characters which are believable as real people” (Sky-McIlvain).

Realistic fiction takes things that could happen in a setting were it could
happen and writers addresses an issue that people go through (Bang).

Some times realistic fiction addresses people or places that are real (Bang).

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult setting is realistic and addressed something
that everyone goes through; bullying (note to self find page number).
What truths are best communicated through realistic fiction?

Realistic fiction often has themes about growing up, trying and failing and
learning to love, even if you lose it in the end ("Literature for students: Genres of
fiction").

Realistic fiction novels often address sensitive issues like dysfunctional families
(Bauer).

Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why is based on a teenager who
committed suicide. Hannah creates a series of tapes illustrating why she
killed herself. This communicates how cruel kids can be and how
judgment can hurt people.

Sarah Dessen’s Just Listen illustrates a teenage girl who was raped. This
novel shows how people can struggle with something awful and overcome
them over time (371).

Sarah Dessen’s Dreamland is about a girl who is abused by her boyfriend.
It starts when he gets made because she said that he was acting too
sensitive. Rogerson says that he will never hit Caitlin again, but once it
starts it continues. Finally when he really hurts her, her family sends her to
a rehab center. This communicates that sometimes you can’t single
handedly overcome you issues and you shouldn’t be afraid to get help
(217).
How do author address controversial issues in a way that doesn’t upset the
reader?

Realistic fiction author keep their plot realistic, they take creative
license, but they don’t stretch too far away from what could really
happen. They make their stories easy to connect to ("Contemporary &
Historical Realistic Fiction").

They tackle issues, not to influence readers to do the actions that they
are addressing, but to open up a way that they can communicate issues
that they are facing ("Teenreads.com -- Author Profile: Julie Anne
Peters").
What are common characteristics of realistic fiction characters?

The main character should overcome a struggle. Also they should have
a final goal and a moral choice that they have to make ("How to Create
a Realistic Fiction Character | eHow.com").

Good realistic fiction novels should have believable characters, their
actions and how they think or speak should connect to the setting and
time period of the story (“Characteristics”)
Why is realistic fiction a top read among adolescents?

There are novels that tackle a wide range of problems ranging from
sexual orientation (Garden) to teenage suicide (Asher) these are things
that teenagers can be struggling with in their lives.

Realistic fiction has many subgenres so there is something for
everyone. Some common subgenres are humor, romance and
adventure ("Realistic Fiction Books, Realistic Fiction")
How do realistic fiction authors hook and hold readers?

Some create hast paced novels with limited subplots or characters.
This makes the plot as a whole easy to follow if an individual finds
reading hard. Also they can right about high interest topics
("Characteristics of Good Realistic Fiction | Education.com.")

People like experience what other people have. They like to see what
other individuals have done in situations that are similar to their own
(Realistic Teen Fiction: What is Realistic Fiction and Why do Teens
Read It?").