This I Believe

When I was young, I read books such as The Berenstain Bears book series, as well as the Goosebumps anthology. As I grew older, my father introduced me to more grown-up fiction books, among them being the Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit.

Regardless of the story or the depth of the writing, fiction has always played an influential role in my life. It is more than mere words. Fiction creates a story complete with its own sense of reality, characters that the reader can relate to, and, often enough, a plot that is so intriguing that the reader is faced with a moral dilemma: Should I skip ahead to see what happens or not?

Good fiction that is well-detailed and flows smoothly has an almost “magical” feel to it. It captivates readers in such a way that time can seem to slow or even cease altogether. I once observed my father stay awake till 3:30 a.m. because he was too involved in Jurassic Park. While waiting for my mother to recover from surgery, I sat in a hospital waiting room and read Pillars of Creation, by Terry Goodkind, for four hours. I was unable to hear my aunt holding a conversation with my brother, nor could I hear the crying babies or the impatient families waiting to see their loved ones.

Fiction affects everyone in some ways, if not this profound way. Children are read fairy tales before they fall asleep, and later learn to read those same fairy tales. Many children collect comic books, both as a hobby and for something interesting and fun to read. Walt Disney has created countless works of fiction that, while targeted towards children, are enjoyable for adults too. Some fiction has even inspired current technology, including cloning, electric cars, and genetic manipulation.

If you look it up in a dictionary, the definition of fiction reads “an imaginary statement, story, etc.” To me, this definition sounds negative. Negativity cannot light up a child’s eyes, nor can it stop time. If I was to define fiction, it would be defined simply as “magic.” Fantasy books proclaim that magic has near limitless bounds. So, too, does fiction. Fiction can involve anything that the imagination can concoct. It can be vivid or dull, short or long, entertaining or provocative, loved or hated. It can soothe children and often times can transform an unpleasant waiting period into seemingly the blink of an eye.

I believe fiction is a driving force of the human soul. From our earliest moments of being, children are read to. All of those readings are fiction, though few people ever realize how much fiction is a part of their lives. It comforts the sad, passes time, and is a very effective learning tool. Without fiction our lives would not be open to the limitless capabilities of the imagination, all of which are open wide when adults remember how to pretend and share what their imaginations perceive.