Not Everything Is As It Seems

Not  everything  is  as  it  seems...

After  reading  chapters  1-9  of  The  Daughter  of  Time,  my  view  of  Richard  III  has  shifted  slightly.  I  have  never  really  paid  too  much  attention  to  all  the  kings  and  queens  in  England  because  there  are  so  many,  and  most  have  the  same  names,  but  Richard  III  from  what  I  have  heard  of  and  have  been  told  in  this  class,  seems  like  a  terrible  hunchbacked  villain  who  will  do  anything,  including  murder,  to  get  the  throne.  While  reading  The  Daughter  of  Time,  Alan  Grant  takes  us  on  a  journey  through  his  discoveries  of  Richard  III  and  his  belief  that  Richard  is  neither  a  hunchback  or  a  villain,  but  a  seemingly  innocent  man  that  was  portrayed  that  way  by  the  opposing  side.  Based  on  the  evidence  Grant  and  Carradine  has  come  up  with  so  far,  it  appears  impossible  for  Richard  III  to  have  killed  his  brother's children  in  order  to  get  to  the  throne.  Granted  I  have  yet  to  finish  the  book,  and  it  is  a  work  of  fiction  and  mystery,  this  research  seems  to  ring  true.  It  would  not  surprise  me  that  some  of  our  history  would  be  slightly  fabricated  or  strayed  away  from  the  truth  in  order  to  have  an  upper  hand  on  the  common  people  or  to  make  someone  else  look  better.

Looking  at  the  picture below,  tell  me, what  do  you  see?  A  happy  couple  together  or  an  abusive  relationship  in  disguise?  Do  you  think  either  would  be  capable  of  murder?  Below  is the  infamous  picture  of  Jodi  Arias  and  Travis  Alexander.  In  the  early  2000's,  Jodi  Arias  was  convicted  of  the  murder  of  Travis  Alexander,  her  ex-boyfriend  but  continuous  lover.  Based  on  sight  alone,  I  would  not  have  guessed  that  either  of  them  would  be  capable  of  murdering  anyone,  let  alone  the  other.  Unfortunately  pictures,  like  history, do  not  always  reveal  the  truth.  Richard  III  could  have  been  an  innocent  man  convicted  of  something  terrible,  instead  of  the  villain  he  is  known  for.  Jodi  Arias  could  have  been  convicted  for  a  crime  she  didn't  commit.  We  may  never  know  the  truth  of  what  occurred  between  Richard  III  and  his  nephews,  along  with  Jodi  Arias  and  Travis  Alexander.

Works Cited:
The  Daughter  of  Time  by  Josephine  Tey
Jodi  Arias  Murder  Case
Image  from  Google  Images

We Write History

 History is a broad subject. It can be talked about in many different senses. History of the earth, history of animals, history of DNA, history of a relationship, the list goes on and on. History to me is different for every single person. No two people have exactly the same history. I think that is really special.  As a society we have a general history consisting of wars, natural disasters and many other things. But no two people experienced any of those pieces of  history the same.  This is where fiction comes in. To one person, fiction maybe the truth, but to another, it may be a lie. The world has "fiction" writers, but who's to say they're not writing their own truth? Maybe it is a glimpse of what's to come, and only they know. In a way, history and fiction can play off of one another, and yes, history as proof, it has facts, and fiction may not. But maybe, just maybe, fiction just doesn't have them YET.

History is cool-analytical

Will Lacy

ENGL 250

Mitchell-Buck

1/22/18

History and Fiction

Sometimes the line between history and fiction can be extraordinarily slim. A work of fiction is a piece that is not based on facts or events, but rather the imagination of the author. However, an author’s creative capabilities are influenced by people and events throughout history. Fiction cannot exist without history, and vice verses, because fiction is based off of history, which is why they seem so similar sometimes. The evidence is there, some works of fiction are so heavily influenced by historical affairs that the subgenre of “historical fiction” was created for works that are more closely influenced by history than other scripts. Historical fiction is a genre where the line between fact and fiction is the slimmest. It is nearly a hybrid of the two as these passages pull so much from the real world and the author’s mind. The greater the author’s free will is to alter historical fact in their work, the closer it becomes to being pure fiction. However, pure fiction is unattainable. For something to be purely fictional it would have to have no real world facts and would not pertain to the real world at all. Even science fiction works pull from historical sources for inspiration. The Star Wars series, for example, takes place in its own universe that contains technology and power that is unknown to this world. However the creator of this masterpiece drew his ideas from historical events in the world he lives in. Darth Vader’s stormtroopers were inspired by Hitler’s stormtroopers, and in this way George Lucas was able to use history to inspire his work of fiction. The historical inspiration for Lucas’ stormtroopers was obvious, and Lucas used this to his advantage to set the tone for the audience. In this way, authors are able to use historical references to shape their fiction, and help connect the audience to what’s going on even further. The more historical inspiration there is in a piece, the more relevant it becomes to the audience.

History vs Fantasy

Ben LeBarron 

Engl 250 

Dr. MB 

1/21/2018 

History vs Fiction 

History is the act of recording past events that happened. History is primarily based on facts and evidence found from the past. It is believed that most history is true and most people accept it. Although, history can be wrong due to bias or miss information. History is never-ending and as each day passes it is considered history.   History is used to learn about our past but It can also be used to determine the future.  People say history repeats itself and if we do not learn from the past, troubles that could occur in the future. 

Fiction is a made-up story usually used for entertaining.  It is limitless and is as far as your imagination can take you. Fiction can be used to create scenarios that might happen in the future. It can be a story that is reflecting current events today. Fiction is creative and can be interpreted in different ways. 

History is based off facts while fiction is based off of imagination. Fiction and history can both be entertaining to people.  History and fiction are alike because both can be lies. They can be changed and have bias on them. Lastly their both alike because they are both important. You need to learn about the past and what can potentially happen.  

Source 

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-history-collection-of-definitions-1712

What is: History and Fiction

 
      I’ve found that history is made of events, actions, and people who are already either: dead, or their actions and cultures in/during a certain time have already occurred. It is an unchangeable series of facts – we can change the lasting causes and effects of those facts, but not history itself. Fiction is able to reflect, stem from, and interpret history while not being necessarily restricted by fact, though it may take people or events from the past for a figurative and/or entertaining purpose. Fiction is made up of stories that haven’t occurred, but have the potential to happen. It can affect the way people think, and that, while it may be influenced by history, so too can it affect history itself – an example being Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
       History, in the academic world, can be studied further mainly to find the motivation of the participants and/or to be aware of the people and events that took place. Literature, however, has the capability of transcending reality in order to create a discussion about a bigger picture which prompts reflection. That’s why novels that take place during the segregation era, for example, use history to talk about isolation and cruelty, whereas the historical event itself does not provide an opinion.

       

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b7/a1/23/b7a1233f2e1102a099e19865c8df0fc3.jpg

History- could it be fiction?

Maria Kelly
Dr. MB
ENGL 250- Section 1
January 21, 2018

History and Fiction

     History is the relaying of events that happened in the past. Fiction is something that did not actually happen and/or people that do not exist. Both are subjective, and both are able to be manipulated. History is usually factual, but as someone during our class discussion brought up, it can change and vary depending on the person who is relaying the events. Sometimes things might be considered part of “history” but they may not be fully factual due to the fact that all humans process information differently and therefore not everything or everyone is remembered in the same way. This can be proven by the evidence that many “historical” events are still being debated over and they are continually being changed by new facts and information that is received about them. Fiction, on the other hand, is not trying to be factual. While people are continually studying history and trying to get at the root of the facts, one of the students in class brought up the point that fiction is very much for entertainment. It’s not trying to be real, but rather exactly the opposite. Fiction is wonderful because it is not factual, and it is a means of escaping reality a lot of the time. People read or talk about history as things that really happened even if they may not have, but fiction is always known to not be true and so one cannot be deceived or mislead by it.

Fiction= pure enjoyment

The actual definition of history is the study of past events, particularly in human affairs (Google Dictionary). However, to me history is anything that is in the past, like the memory of playing sports for 12 years. History is anything that you want to put behind you. It is the old boyfriend that you dated for so long only to realized you both grew apart. History is the light going out as you close the door. It will be there to remind us what we went through and how hard it can be. History is something significant in our past, like the fact that George Washington was the first U.S. president. It is the fact that the present will soon be the past and continue to repeat itself if one does not learn the lessons from the mistakes made.
 The actual definition of fiction is the invention or fabrication as opposed to a fact but to me fiction is a made up story that maybe told for entertainment for example the story of the princess and the frog is fiction, you may not kiss a frog and turn it into a prince. Fiction is the simple stories that we tell children when, they are little, such as the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and/or Santa Clause. Flying, laser vision, and super speed are examples of Superman a fictional character making his story fiction. Fiction creates a world of wonder and exploration in the mind of many people in the world. It allows us to express our fears, hopes, dreams at our own pace of control.

                           

The Analysis of History and Fiction

History  is  an  interesting  and  timeless  thing  that  always  builds  on  itself.  It  is  the  telling  of  true  events  about  someone's  life  or  an  event  that  occurred,  and  it  can  be  looked  upon  for  future  lessons  about  life.  One  must  take  it  with  a  grain  of  salt  because  it  can  be  biased,  unreliable,  and  inaccurate.
Fiction  was  mainly  created  for  entertainment  and  the  telling  of  a  protagonist  against  an  antagonist  in  a  series  of  events.  Sometimes  it  can  be  a  reflection  about  the  authors  own  journey  through  life  through  a  fabrication  of  their  character(s)  and  how  they  handled  life's  hurdles.  Fiction  can  also  be  used  to  reflect  on  a  previous,  recent  or  possible future  event. Fiction  is  not  a  lie;  it  is  an  exaggerated  version  of  the  author’s  beliefs  and  truths.
Both  history  and  fiction  tell  a  story  with  characters,  events,  and  journeys  through  someone  else's  eyes.  Sometimes  this  story  telling  is  not  always  honest  or  reliable  because  facing  the  truth  of  what  really  happened  is  too  much,  so  the  author  or  the  famous  person  may  have  lied  or  glossed  over  certain  events  to  make  themselves  or  their  character(s)  look  better.  No  one  is  perfect,  and  true  history  and  fiction  is  revealing  the  good,  the  bad,  and  the  ugly  about  people  and  events  so  others  will  not  make  the  same  mistakes.

Works  Cited:
Classmates  from  discussion  on  1/17/18
Image from Google Images

History and Fiction

History and Fiction cross paths very often in literature as well as in storytelling. There can usually be some commonalities between the two of them. History recalls events of the past using primary sources and other sources to create accurate but bias representations and stories to depict past events. History is studied after the event has taken place so it is told through records and verbally. These events can be bias as they are usually told through a bias one-sided view.  Most forms of history are from a single teller or event. It can be tough to pull out the accurate facts of history. The inaccurate or unknown parts of history is where history and fiction cross paths. Fiction fits into history when the true outcome is being told ignorantly or with assumption. Fiction is an untrue statement or story that can be based upon some truth but is not entirely true. Fiction can be used as a form of entertainment like campfire stories or plays. Fiction can depict events that have the capability to happen. Fiction does not have to be far-fetched or unrealistic. Overall, there is a correlation between history and fiction when it comes to literature and storytelling.

What is History and Fiction

History is a genre that reflects accurately, or as accurately as possible, on events that occurred in the past. Typically, these works offer the reader with a viewpoint that was formulated by the author's research. The most common form of research historians use is primary sources, as these sources contain accounts of what someone actually experienced firsthand at a certain event. Fiction differs from history in this way, as fiction is a broad genre that consists of some sort of made up plot. However, this genre can also contain plots that could very well be real (i.e., historical fiction). Fictional works are also typically created for entertainment purposes, while history can serve dual purposes as it can provide entertainment as well as information. Overall, the two genres are very different as history is written about a past event, person, or place worth remembering, while fiction is an imaginative work created for the purpose of entertainment. However the genres can also be blended in such a way that both elements of the genres can be seen. For example, some historical fiction works follow a real event but they might contain fictional characters or plot elements. The reverse can also be true, as historical fiction can similarly follow real characters, but the elements of the plot are often made up.

History vs. Fiction: Age Old Battle

In my opinion, history and fiction, depending on the piece, are not that different in comparison. History is the documentation or oral passage (griots) of the significance of an event, individual, or object. Fiction, on the other hand, could be a variety of things. Such as, a slight fabrication of an event that transpired years ago, or a story set around a fictional character(s) who endured hardship within a historically significant event (holocaust).

History is often times regarded as the whole truth, but that certainly can be disputed. Of course there are undeniable facts within history, but there are many aspects of history that are disputable, such as one’s perception of a leader, the overall effectiveness of a military strategy, or the true motive behind the implementation of a policy measure.

In fiction, the author attempts to portray the experience a person would have within a certain situation. For example, in Man In The High Castle, the main characters obviously never existed and the Nazi’s were defeated in WWII. But, the author attempts to depict how the former United States and its constituents would conform to the harsh social policies implemented by the Nazi’s in this alt-history novel.

History and Fiction

      History and fiction seem diametrically opposed. History, by definition, happened. Fiction did not.
History is events, and the objects left behind by people that tell us about the past. Fiction is a story, told to entertain, demonstrate a point (allegory) or illustrate an abstract concept (myths) beyond the current understanding of the audience.
On the surface, this is accurate.
     History is George Washington being Commander in Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Fiction is the story about young George cutting down his farther's cherry
tree and not lying about it, which demonstrates his honesty. History is the Romans withdrawing from Britannia in 410 CE. Fiction is the 2004 movie "King Arthur" with Clive Owen and Keira Knightly. 
This is where the phrase "History is written by the victors" rears its ugly head. It is human nature to inflate success, and to downplay (even deny) the accomplishments of our adversaries, especially if doing so makes the storyteller look better. Such stories cross the border between fiction and lying, as they are meant to influence perception of events. Several accounts of battles in ancient Egypt disagree with records from other cultures about who won.
      Somewhere between these two rests "historical fiction". The story told in Esther Forbes' 1943 novel "Johnny Tremain" didn't actually happen. Johnny, the Lapham family, and their silversmith shop never existed, but the wider events that happen around this fictional character during the run-up to the American Revolution did happen, and the personal events of "Johnny's" life are a reflection of things that might have been experienced by a real silversmith's apprentice.

Real History v. Fake Fiction

History is a recollection of human events, and happening that have shaped or influenced people over many generations. As Arnold J. Toynbee said, “History not used is nothing, for all intellectual life is action, like practical life, and if you don't use the stuff well, it might as well be dead.” (ThoughtCo) History is a factual piece that allows future generation to learn from mistakes, and successes. Some history may be made up, but for the most part it is based on real events, and was recorded with the intent to pass knowledge on to a large society.

Fiction on the other hand, is just a story. Many, if not all events in fiction are made up. From the characters, and settings to the everyday occurrences that happen in fiction novels usually are not based upon fact. However, fiction still serves a large purpose in society. Many fictional stories have a lesson that can be learned. A great example of this is in the famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Which shows how ignorance can play no part in a functioning society. I think history and fiction can share some of the same qualities. Not all history is one-hundred percent accurate, and fiction sometimes uses historical figures as characters. This can lead to some confusion, but at the end of the day history is based upon fact, and fiction is meant to entertain.

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-history-collection-of-definitions-171282

http://www.storypick.com/lessons-for-a-lifetime/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiction

History, who cares?

History and fiction in my opinion tie together. History is obviously an event or lesson that has occurred in the past. To explain it in a more elaborate way, I believe history are building blocks to an unfinished product. They are lessons in a way. We've learned about electricity through the premier lightbulb and that has ultimately allowed us to build off that discovery with advanced innovations. However, we will never know when electricity will find its final use or finished product. We constantly build off history for future innovations.

Fiction is known as a false event or something that is made up. However I believe that fiction could represent a real event. the made up event didn't happen however there could've been an event exactly like it yet some details have been altered.

Where history and fiction correspond with each other is fiction can affect history through misinterpretation or biased reasons. We learn that the United States has won every war with other countries but are the other countries saying that they lost? Both of these terms can work off each other based off personal interpretation.

History & Fiction

To me, History and Fiction are opposites. History is all about stating factual stories of what happened in the past, whether it’s about people, a place, an event, or an idea. Anything that brought controversy to the world and gathered significance, is what is usually brought up in history. Fiction on the other hand, has no truth to the story being told. It can be based off of real ideas, but it does not represent or tell true stories of the past. Writers of fiction create an imaginary story, while historians report on what actually happened. With fiction, the writer’s goal is usually to express something revolving around the human experience. Fear, love, dreams, success, and other elements of what humans live through are told in fiction stories. The goal is to teach some lesson or some story about the influence of life experiences on humans and the influence others have on us and vice versa. With history, these events from the past that are recalled have gathered significance because of the effects these events and people have had on the world. So what History and Fiction have in common is that they both are a story of how people react to the environment around them, except one is true and one is not. Both are usually intended to teach a lesson. 

Fiction vs History

Fiction and history share many similar traits. They can both be ways to understand the past. They are both a byproduct of human beings and the "stories" that they create. The difference is that fiction is a fabricated story and history is a story with some evidence to support that it happened in reality and wasn't just made up. One of my sources says that "even if [newspaper articles] slant the truth they are intended to be read as factual" which makes them nonfiction (www.creative-writing-now.com). Maybe exaggerating the truth becomes history itself so that is why it isn't fiction? Who can say for certain?
Another difference is the root of the words themselves. History comes from a Greek word and fiction comes from Latin. The Greek word Historia was used to mean a person who made judgement based on facts from investigations (http://www.whatishistory.org/). Fictio is the Latin word that fiction comes from and means "molding" or "fashioning" (https://www.britannica.com/art/fiction-literature). From the definitions of the root words it is made clear that history is used to express events that happen in the world based on facts that could be used as evidence in support of those events. Fiction was never meant to have facts supporting whether the events in the fabricated story actually happened or not. The reason the two can be confused is because of the truth that there are documents used as evidence in support of history that were created with the intent to deceive. It is in this area that fiction and history tend to blend together and get confused.

• http://www.whatishistory.org/
• https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiction
• https://www.britannica.com/art/fiction-literature
• https://www.creative-writing-now.com/what-is-fiction.html