A book has to be pretty
true in my mind to be considered non-fiction. If it isn’t true in my mind then
it probably wouldn’t be true in other people’s minds, which would probably mean
that in general it is a lie. Non-fiction is supposed to be true, it can be
allowed some leniency when it comes to thinks you can’t get exact or can’t
remember correctly. In some cases though where the truth is twisted into a
complete lie, that’s when it isn’t acceptable to call the book a non-fiction
book. I would start to classify it as a realistic fiction book.
I don’t think half-truths
are okay, even if it is a good story. I believe that maybe closer to a 75%
truth is more acceptable but still looked down on. If you only tell half the
truth than it isn’t non-fiction, it is fiction. Like Seth Greenland said, “You
can make allowances in memoirs.” You can make allowances because you can’t
remember things, but if you bend a big part of the truth too far, then it could
break and it would be considered not real. I don’t think it was okay that James
Frey bent the truth that much in his book. This is where I would classify that
he bent the truth so much that it broke and turned into a lie.
I think it is necessary
to label genres. It helps readers discover if they like certain books better
than others and helps them to find books in the same categories. I think it is
possible though to have a lot of different classifications of a book and
different perspectives of them too. If people want to read a true story then
they know exactly where to go in the library to find it. Genres label books so
that it is easier for the reader.
I agree that a book has to be true to be considered non-fiction. If authors make stuff up, they are lying.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think that a book needs to be mostly true to be nonfiction. If more than like 2% of that is made up, then it should be considered fiction. Especially if it's important pieces to the story.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say that if the reader doesn't believe it, it's a lie, does that mean that Harry Potter isn't true? I agree with what yuo say, but some books, even if they are true, can be unbelieveable to the readers.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a book has to be all to mostly true to be considered non-fiction.
ReplyDeleteI liked what you said about labeling books with certain genres. It deffinitly helps readers distinguish what they like and what they don't like.
ReplyDeleteI agree there are some gray areas, and the dialogue and nitty gritty details don't have to be 100% accurate, but the author should get it as close to the truth as possible.
ReplyDelete"I believe that maybe closer to a 75% truth is more acceptable but still looked down on." You did realize that only 5% of Frey's book was false and in making allowances, also keep in mind that literary hyperbole must be taken into account when a memoir is written.
ReplyDelete