Reflections on Fiction: Unspoken Philosophies

Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about the purpose of fiction—novels, sitcoms, films, etc. Unlike the books that make up the billion-dollar self-help industry, the next novel you read will not give you the top secrets to master the laws of attraction. Neither will it teach you how to make your first $100k as an entrepreneur or show you the best way to land your dream partner.

Apart from entertainment or a form of escape, fiction serves another purpose. Fiction is philosophical. For centuries, fictional tales have been used to help us better understand the human condition in a more concise and digestible way. From Plato’s The Republic to children’s fables (Dr. Seuss included), parables within religious traditions, Marvel films, and even Jurassic Park, allow us to disengage from ourselves momentarily. In doing so, whether the authors/screenwriters intended to or not, and whether we realize it or not, we  subconsciously seek the moral that we believe exists within every story. However, like most art, each individual will interpret this differently. As we become willing spectators, we witness fictional characters experience trials, triumphs, struggles, and tragedies. And as if real life were not already filled with all of these, we find ourselves coming back for more.

To better understand the short story craft, I will periodically read what Western literary critics and other writers presume to be the greatest short stories ever written. Recently I came across one  of those pieces - Herman Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener. Despite being written 170 years ago, the story stirred up several thoughts within me about our current society. The way the eerie character Bartleby lives his life can be seen as an extreme form of passive resistance. He transitions from a diligent employee, to a quiet quitter to one that just wants to “let it all rot.” He “prefers to not” be part of the daily grind. English professor, Dr. Jane Desmarais writes:

“Bartleby” is an allegory of modern America and the failure of democracy to preserve the individual’s right and freedom to choose. It is a story about the failure of modern social life. It is also the story of political unrootedness, of the consequences of living in a society operating at an alienatingly high level of production and consumption.”

In the end, if it makes you think and feel - it’s time well spent.

“It’s in literature that true life can be found. It’s under the mask of fiction that you can tell the truth.” - Gao Xingjian