Hi class mates, Ta-Nehisi the power of fiction to communicate truths is an interesting perspective on communicating historical facts through fictional works. It is interesting to note here in this interview where Ta-Nehisi says "You can state verifiable facts to people and they would just bounce right off". That people are not inherently resisting facts it is that they are resisting the implications of the facts. The implications would be that they would have to look at things or people or their own actions differently. The fact that facts would bring things in to question for the individual. That is the challenge of just stating facts and non fiction. This interview provides a new, refreshing and interesting prospective on communicating facts that would stick to the reader through fictional works.
I love the way Ta Nehisi's explanation of why he chose literature rather than trying to say facts to people. I read his book Between the World and Me, when I was a freshman in college and I love his work. He said that when you approach people with facts they resist the truth because it has certain implications. It ruins the myths that their people have kept up to narrate their version of events. People become attached to the stories they grow up hearing and when someone approaches them in a factual argument their first instinct is it to deny the truth and repeat their own believes rather than listening to what being said. Literature allows people to understand characters and their emotions and give a whole different/ more personal view of the events that occurred.
I really enjoyed watching the video. Ta Nehisi had a great explanation on why he became interested in Fiction, which I can really understand. When he mentioned how people are very set in their ways of thinking and do not take verifiable facts as accurate ones, I think this was a very important point to mention. I believe that people today are very influenced by others and in many cases believe what they want despite opposing evidence. When people are brought up in certain ways, they often believe everything they want to. This is not in anyway a beneficial way to think because then you will not be open to broadening your opinions or accepting other people's that may be more rational than your own. Fiction serves as a way for authors to freely write about topics that are important to them, without the interference of others who would disagree. Fiction is a way to allow people to come up with their own ideas and write about things that they love to discuss even though they might not be completely true. It also allows for certain topics that are not discussed due to a lack of factual evidence, to be brought into the light.
Ta-Nehisi Coates states something key to when he was writing his novel “…you can’t write a novel about slavery. Even when you are writing about slavery, it has to be your slavery; it has to be your picture of it.” Historical fiction provides a medium that not only can provide accurate facts of an event, but also engage/entertain a reader at the same time. An author who is writing historical fiction not only applies the factual but also introduces another element that will interest the reader. When we hear the word slavery, specific images are automatically envisioned. To put that in a novel wouldn’t give much of a reaction. It is instead, as Ta-Nehisi stated. The unique vision of the author brings to life the events within a novel. Fiction gets people to imagine everything that is transpiring in each sentence and be in the shoes of the protagonist. Through fiction, a topic can be addressed ,and the reader can leave with a new perspective.
I enjoyed the way Ta-Nehisi Coates explains what brought him into writing fiction. What stood out was when he said that you can't write a novel about slavery, it has to be your picture of it. Many people are set in their own ways and don't want to open up to new ideas. So with writing fiction you can bring elements of the truth and create a novel that makes a reaction and opens up your mind. Many people see nonfiction and automatically don't want to read the book because it might be more boring. But with creating a fiction book about such a heavy topic the author can start conversations and show people that there are other ways of thinking regarding a topic we all have preconceived view on.
I loved the way T-Nehisi Coates said that acknowledging a myth and then using it in literature as storytelling is the way he tries the readers to understand it. He gave the example of slavery being the reason of civil war and explained how fiction and literature can be used to convey a message or different side of the story.
Hi class mates, Ta-Nehisi the power of fiction to communicate truths is an interesting perspective on communicating historical facts through fictional works. It is interesting to note here in this interview where Ta-Nehisi says "You can state verifiable facts to people and they would just bounce right off". That people are not inherently resisting facts it is that they are resisting the implications of the facts. The implications would be that they would have to look at things or people or their own actions differently. The fact that facts would bring things in to question for the individual. That is the challenge of just stating facts and non fiction. This interview provides a new, refreshing and interesting prospective on communicating facts that would stick to the reader through fictional works.
ReplyDeleteI love the way Ta Nehisi's explanation of why he chose literature rather than trying to say facts to people. I read his book Between the World and Me, when I was a freshman in college and I love his work. He said that when you approach people with facts they resist the truth because it has certain implications. It ruins the myths that their people have kept up to narrate their version of events. People become attached to the stories they grow up hearing and when someone approaches them in a factual argument their first instinct is it to deny the truth and repeat their own believes rather than listening to what being said. Literature allows people to understand characters and their emotions and give a whole different/ more personal view of the events that occurred.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching the video. Ta Nehisi had a great explanation on why he became interested in Fiction, which I can really understand. When he mentioned how people are very set in their ways of thinking and do not take verifiable facts as accurate ones, I think this was a very important point to mention. I believe that people today are very influenced by others and in many cases believe what they want despite opposing evidence. When people are brought up in certain ways, they often believe everything they want to. This is not in anyway a beneficial way to think because then you will not be open to broadening your opinions or accepting other people's that may be more rational than your own.
ReplyDeleteFiction serves as a way for authors to freely write about topics that are important to them, without the interference of others who would disagree. Fiction is a way to allow people to come up with their own ideas and write about things that they love to discuss even though they might not be completely true. It also allows for certain topics that are not discussed due to a lack of factual evidence, to be brought into the light.
Ta-Nehisi Coates states something key to when he was writing his novel “…you can’t write a novel about slavery. Even when you are writing about slavery, it has to be your slavery; it has to be your picture of it.” Historical fiction provides a medium that not only can provide accurate facts of an event, but also engage/entertain a reader at the same time. An author who is writing historical fiction not only applies the factual but also introduces another element that will interest the reader. When we hear the word slavery, specific images are automatically envisioned. To put that in a novel wouldn’t give much of a reaction. It is instead, as Ta-Nehisi stated. The unique vision of the author brings to life the events within a novel. Fiction gets people to imagine everything that is transpiring in each sentence and be in the shoes of the protagonist. Through fiction, a topic can be addressed ,and the reader can leave with a new perspective.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the way Ta-Nehisi Coates explains what brought him into writing fiction. What stood out was when he said that you can't write a novel about slavery, it has to be your picture of it. Many people are set in their own ways and don't want to open up to new ideas. So with writing fiction you can bring elements of the truth and create a novel that makes a reaction and opens up your mind. Many people see nonfiction and automatically don't want to read the book because it might be more boring. But with creating a fiction book about such a heavy topic the author can start conversations and show people that there are other ways of thinking regarding a topic we all have preconceived view on.
ReplyDeleteI loved the way T-Nehisi Coates said that acknowledging a myth and then using it in literature as storytelling is the way he tries the readers to understand it. He gave the example of slavery being the reason of civil war and explained how fiction and literature can be used to convey a message or different side of the story.
ReplyDeleteSara Mann
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