We are affected by what we are exposed to. It is a fact, and I could reel off scientific backings for this, but you probably already know this.
You probably understand that the reason our environment greatly impacts us is because what we constantly see and hear shape our perspective, and consequently our reality. You may also know that we are affected by the things we read, but maybe somehow you’ve never really thought about whether fiction also affects us. Maybe you’re one of those people who believe fiction is a waste of time and intellectual energy. I do hope you’re not, but even if you are, read on to see how fiction can be used as a tool for reform.
Literature is a strong tool for reform. Why do you think we have freedom of speech until your speech is critical of a strong body, say, the government? Because words have the power to inspire action and one person who speaks or writes enough of these words will attract people who can move mountains by sheer will and number. It was for this reason the 1909 Sedition Ordinance was made—to prevent Nigerian newspapers from criticising the government.
A powerful piece in the newspaper can get people to act, to protest, and to realise there is a need for change.
Serious literature isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, though. God knows I can’t stand some forms of journalism–especially the ones with numbers and dates and those superfluous pontifical langue. *Tsks in big words.*
Because of this, and because most people assimilate better when they are entertained, fiction is an even more powerful tool for reform. And the best part is that fiction is more subtle in its push for change, so while the government searches for seditious newspaper entries, a determined author could whimsy the country into their very own little playground. Ahem… I’m just saying. And I don’t endorse world domination using fiction.
Writing is a major medium of communication and for a very long time it has been used to inform and educate, so while we know fiction is not real in the sense that the people written about do not exist in this world, we still grasp the message being passed underneath the entertainment. Just like with watching mimes and plays—visual representations of our society.
Now, because fiction often mirrors the social life and times of the author and because we are wired to observe and imitate others as a social behaviour, even though the characters in novels are fictional, most readers would unconsciously learn a thing or two from these characters. This is especially true when we identify with the characters’ world through the familiar struggles and societal issues they face.
As a plus, fiction also encourages empathy: The ability to put yourself in another’s shoes and to feel what they feel. And empathy is such a powerful virtue.
When we mirror reality using fiction, the reader not only laughs at the humour and cries at the tragedy but reflects on their actions and puts their behaviours and the behaviours of those around them under scrutiny.
Fiction asks us to reflect on the things we usually take for granted—the effect of rumours on a person’s life, the dangers of stealing, the pain of being stigmatised (A Small Silence by Jumoke Verissimo), the pain of being misunderstood, the pain of losing a child (Death of a Son by Njabulo S. Ndebele).
So, though we may not have experienced child loss, when we empathise with characters who have, we are more likely to empathise with real people who have, and less likely to make careless statements like ‘It’s just a child, you can make another’.
Finally, maybe fiction can be used for world domination—you’ll know when I hack that code—but more importantly, it is a medium for positive change, using empathy and suggested introspection.
Fiction makes us think twice about throwing stones.
And I think that is a wonderful wonderful thing for authors and for the society at large.
