People think because a novel's invented, it isn't true. Exactly the reverse is the case. Because a novel's invented, it is true. Biography and memoirs can never be wholly true, since they can't include every conceivable circumstance of what happened. The novel can do that. The novelist himself lays it down. His decision is binding.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Fiction can capture universal truths by constructing complete scenarios, whereas nonfiction cannot include every circumstance of reality.
- In plain terms
- Novels tell deeper truths than real life accounts because they can include everything.
- What can you take from it?
- Value fiction for its ability to reveal broader human truths.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes fiction truthful?
- How does invention help understanding?
Another view
Nonfiction provides factual accuracy that fiction cannot guarantee.
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