Historical Fiction
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Transcript of Historical Fiction
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Historical Fiction
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Definition• Realistic fiction set in a time
remote enough from the present to be considered history, usually at least 30 years in the past.
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•Must be written about a time period different from the one in which the author lives.
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• Several books today were written about a time long ago and are considered by some to be historical fiction. However, at the time it was written, it was considered a contemporary piece of literature. In other words, the author was writing about things happening in their time. Some say there should be at least a 40 year separation between the life of the author and the time of the novel. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is one such example.
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Characteristics• Historical facts are blended with
imaginary characters and plot• Facts are * Actual historical events * Authentic period settings * Real historical figures
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• The setting is an integral part of the story• Characters may be a combination
of fictional and real • The main characters are involved
in a conflict or problem that is real for that time period• The dialogue is authentic
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Forms of Historical Fiction• Most Common: * Main characters of the story are imaginary * Secondary characters may be actual
historical figures * Actual historical events are imbedded
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• 2nd Type: * Past described complete with social
traditions, customs, morals and values of the period
* No mention of actual historical events nor actual historical figures as characters
• 3rd Type: * Historical story containing elements of
fantasy * Time warps * Supernatural features/ghosts
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Subgenres• Genres tend to overlap when looking at their
subgenres.
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Expert Sarah Johnson suggests that historical fiction can be divided into 13 subgenres. Some of them include:
• Sagas – follows families or groups of friends over time, usually generations
• Historical Mysteries• Western Historical Novels• Multi-Period Epics – show
how a specific place changes over time
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• Alternate Histories – imagine history happening differently. For example, in Harry Turtledove’s Day of Infamy, the Japanese take over Hawaii after D-Day
• Time-Slip Novels – characters travel back in time
• Historical Fantasy
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How Do We Separate Fiction from History?
• It is important to look at the events in the novel and determine if they are truly historical, or something that “could” have happened and is being depicted by a fictional character