Is
literary fiction relevant to our current culture? Is it preparing students for
the job market you are about to enter? Does it serve other purposes?
"Literary
fiction is what it is; a made up story." For this reason, people may come
to the conclusion that it's irrelevant. Really, though, we can learn a lot from
a made up story. Learning from fiction may even be better. Sometimes the
alternative is learning from experience-the hard way. Even Jesus often taught
with parables and stories, and if there’s an example to follow….Just saying, he’s
pretty wise.
Fiction can also prepare kids for the real world. The experience related in the text, whether horrific or docile, can inform them of what's waiting for them out there.
Finally, fiction
is quite relevant to culture. When an author writes, he or she has to draw from
the world around them, and unless they are some sort pan-dimensional being, the
world around them is “current culture”. Personal bias from the writer could
come from how they were raised and what conditions they live in can influence their material.
I really like what you said about fiction preparing you for the real world. I personally can agree because a lot of what I've learned and applied has come from fictional novels. I also agree with you that fiction is relevant to our culture and there's really no better way to learn more about the world around us than with modern fiction and observing the bias the writer may use, as you said, and other things of that nature.
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