What does the word fiction mean? Definition of the word fiction and its historical meaning

29.08.2019

Fiction? To be precise, this word came to us from French and translated means “elegant literature.” This term refers to all world fiction in poetic or prose form.

Fiction today and always

Today, the question of what fiction is is answered very simply - it is mass literature. It is, as it were, opposed to “high literature”, that is, fiction, in fact, is called “light” literature, which manifests itself in such genres as mysticism, adventure, romance novels, detective stories. In works of this direction, you will rarely see a deep penetration into the characters of the characters, into the motives of their actions, into the depth of their relationships with other characters. Basically, those who work in this genre show some social phenomena, people's moods, characters that are closest and understandable to the masses. It is very rare to see a fiction writer project his personal vision into this space, into this background that he so carefully creates.

Fiction in literature is like a comedy, adventure or mystical genre in cinema, when the plot is already completely clear to us even before the film reaches its climax. This is, in fact, just an attraction of tricks in which there is no particular depth.

This frivolous genre

What is fiction? This is always a story about a situation, about some event, but never about the development of character or the transformation of a person’s personality. All literature, perhaps, can be divided into serious genres, which include novels, sagas, psychological prose, and fiction. A fiction writer's language is an explanatory dictionary. He must know a lot of what he describes and talks about. Rather, he should not be a philosopher and psychologist, but a walking encyclopedia that would contain all kinds of knowledge and facts from all over the world. Remember that we are most often caught up in adventure films or detective investigations? We are amazed at how broad the characters' horizons of knowledge are, how cunningly crimes are committed and solved, or traps are set on the way to treasured treasures.

Every attraction in literature perfectly explains what fiction is. This word is most often used in a disparaging way when talking about literature. There is practically no social subtext in this direction, there is no deep emphasis on acute and current problems society.

In principle, there is nothing unusual about this. After all, what is fiction if not a completely ordinary name for something frivolous in which the emphasis is placed only on loud effects? Fiction works include such worldwide famous novels, like "Notes about Sherlock Holmes", detective novels by Agatha Christie, fantastic works of the Strugatsky brothers, stories about James Bond and many other cult works. They are all excellent examples of this trend.

And Dmitry Pisarev, who sometimes used this word in relation to literature that did not fit into the framework of their social schemes.

In the broad sense of the word, fiction is opposed to journalism, that is, the documentary genre, which is very common in literary magazines XIX century. Since "fiction" is French word, the mentioned critics often used it in a disparaging manner in relation to literature that glorified bourgeois ideals, as well as “text for the sake of text,” “literature for the sake of literature,” where there is no social subtext.

IN in the narrow sense Fiction is light literature, reading for relaxation, a pleasant pastime at leisure.

Fiction represents the “middle field” of literature, the works of which are not distinguished by high artistic originality and are focused on the average consciousness, appealing to generally accepted moral and moral values. Fiction is closely related to fashion and stereotypes, popular topics, and may also concern serious and relevant public issues and problems. The types of heroes, their professions, habits, hobbies - all this correlates with the mass information space and the ideas of the majority circulating in it. However, in contrast to mass literature (often put on the “conveyor belt” using “literary blacks”), fiction is distinguished by the presence author's position and intonation, deepening into human psychology. However, there is no clear distinction between fiction and popular literature.

Basically, fiction writers reflect social phenomena, the state of society, moods, and very rarely project their own view into this space. Unlike classical literature, over time it loses its relevance and, as a result, popularity. There is an opinion that a number of works of “classics” actually belong to fiction. Soviet literature", for example, such as Chapaev, Iron Stream, How the Steel Was Tempered, Virgin Soil Upturned, Young Guard.

A fictional approach, focusing on generally accepted values and issues such as search life path, love, family, friendship, betrayal, etc. turns out to be in demand in women's prose. In modern Russian literature, authors such as Galina Shcherbakova, Victoria Tokareva, Dina Rubina, Irina Muravyova, Elena Dolgopyat stand out here.

By “fictionalization” we mean the presentation of documentary material using literary storytelling techniques. Although they started talking about fictionalized biography as a genre of literature only at the beginning of the 20th century in connection with the work of such authors as Andre Maurois and Stefan Zweig, elements of fiction were already characteristic of early written monuments that were not fiction as such - chronicles, lives of saints and etc. It was precisely this kind of fictionalization that served as one of the sources of modern belles-lettres.

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Notes

/ I. L. Popova // Great Russian Encyclopedia: [in 35 volumes] / ch. ed. Yu. S. Osipov. - M. : Great Russian Encyclopedia, 2004-.
, With. 15.
, With. 16.
, With. 14.
, Fictionalized Biography, p. 17-20.
Yakov Solomonovich Lurie and others.. - Science, 1970. - 596 p. - 3800 copies.
, Middle Literature, p. 110-111.

Literature

Fiction // Literary encyclopedia terms and concepts / A. N. Nikolyukin. - : Intelvac, 2001. - P. 79. - 1596 p. - ISBN 5-93264-026-X.
V. D. Chernyak, M. A. Chernyak. Fiction // Mass literature in concepts and terms. - Science, Flint, 2015. - pp. 14-17. - 250 s. - ISBN 978-5-9765-2128-5.
Sergei Ivanovich Chuprinin. Fiction // Life according to concepts: Russian literature today. - M.: Vremya, 2007. - 766 p. - 3000 copies.
- ISBN 5-9691-0129-X. Krivonos V. Sh.
The Art of Fiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers by Ayn Rand.

Links

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An excerpt characterizing fiction

- But you’re wrong! – the little girl overheard my thoughts again. - Sometimes they actually end up here very good people, and they pay very dearly for their mistakes... I really feel sorry for them...
– Do you really think that our missing boy ended up here too?! He certainly didn’t have time to do anything that bad. Do you hope to find him here?.. Do you think this is possible?
– Be careful!!! – Stella suddenly screamed wildly.
I was flattened on the ground like a big frog, and I just had time to feel as if a huge, terribly stinking thing was falling on me. mountain... Something was puffing, slurping and snorting, emitting a disgusting smell of rot and rotten meat. My stomach almost turned out - it’s good that we “walked” here only as entities, without physical bodies. Otherwise, I would probably get into the most unpleasant troubles.....
- Get out! Well, get out!!! - the frightened girl squealed.
But, unfortunately, this was easier said than done... The fetid carcass fell on me with all the terrible weight of its huge body and was already, apparently, ready to feast on my fresh vitality... And as luck would have it, I just couldn’t free myself from it, and panic was already starting to squeak treacherously in my soul, compressed by fear...
- Come on! – Stella shouted again. Then she suddenly hit the monster with some bright ray and screamed again: “Run!!!”
I felt that it became a little easier, and with all my might I energetically pushed the carcass hanging over me. Stella ran around and fearlessly hit the already weakening horror from all sides. I somehow got out, gasping for air out of habit, and was truly horrified by what I saw!.. Right in front of me lay a huge spiky carcass, all covered with some kind of sharply stinking mucus, with a huge, curved horn on a wide, warty head .
- Let's run! – Stella screamed again. – He’s still alive!..
It was as if the wind had blown me away... I didn’t remember at all where I was blown... But, I must say, it was carried very quickly.
“Well, you’re running...,” the little girl squeezed out, out of breath, barely pronouncing the words.
- Oh, please forgive me! – I exclaimed, ashamed. “You screamed so much that I ran away in fright, wherever my eyes were looking...
- Well, it’s okay, next time we’ll be more careful. – Stella calmed down.
This statement made my eyes pop out of my head!..
– Will there be a “next” time??? “I asked cautiously, hoping for a “no.”
- Well, of course! They live here! – the brave girl “reassured” me in a friendly manner.
– What are we doing here then?..
- We are saving someone, have you forgotten? – Stella was sincerely surprised.
And apparently, from all this horror, our “rescue expedition” completely slipped my mind. But I immediately tried to pull myself together as quickly as possible, so as not to show Stella that I was really, really scared.
“Don’t think so, after the first time my braids stood on end all day!” – the little girl said more cheerfully.
I just wanted to kiss her! Somehow, seeing that I was ashamed of my weakness, she managed to make me immediately feel good again.
“Do you really think that little Leah’s dad and brother could be here?..,” I asked her again, surprised from the bottom of my heart.
- Certainly! They could simply have been stolen. – Stella answered quite calmly.
- How to steal? And who?..
But the little girl didn’t have time to answer... Something worse than our first “acquaintance” jumped out from behind the dense trees. It was something incredibly nimble and strong, with a small but very powerful body, every second throwing out a strange sticky “net” from its hairy belly. We didn’t even have time to utter a word when we both fell into it... Frightened, Stella began to look like a small disheveled owlet - her big Blue eyes looked like two huge saucers, with splashes of horror in the middle.
I had to urgently come up with something, but for some reason my head was completely empty, no matter how hard I tried to find something sensible there... And the “spider” (we will continue to call it that, for lack of a better one) in the meantime was quite apparently dragged us into his nest, preparing to “supper”...
-Where are the people? – I asked, almost out of breath.
- Oh, you saw - there are a lot of people here. More than anywhere... But they, for the most part, are worse than these animals... And they will not help us.
- So what should we do now? – I asked mentally “chattering my teeth”.
– Remember when you showed me your first monsters, you hit them with a green beam? – Once again, her eyes sparkling mischievously (again, she came to her senses faster than me!), Stella asked cheerfully. - Let `s together?..
I realized that, fortunately, she was still going to give up. And I decided to try it, because we had nothing to lose anyway...
But we didn’t have time to hit, because at that moment the spider suddenly stopped and we, feeling a strong push, plopped down to the ground with all our might... Apparently, he dragged us to his home much earlier than we expected...
We found ourselves in a very strange room (if, of course, you could call it that). It was dark inside and there was complete silence... There was a strong smell of mold, smoke and the bark of some unusual tree. And only from time to time we heard some faint sounds, similar to moans. It was as if the “sufferers” had no strength left...
– Can’t you illuminate this somehow? – I asked Stella quietly.
“I’ve already tried, but for some reason it doesn’t work...” the little girl answered in the same whisper.
And immediately a tiny light lit up right in front of us.
“That’s all I can do here.” – The girl sighed sadly
In such dim, meager lighting, she looked very tired and as if grown up. I kept forgetting that this amazing miracle child was just nothing - five years old! she is still a very tiny girl, who this moment It must have been terribly scary. But she endured everything courageously, and even planned to fight...

Fiction

Literary encyclopedia. - At 11 t.; M.: Publishing House of the Communist Academy, Soviet Encyclopedia, Fiction. Edited by V. M. Fritsche, A. V. Lunacharsky. 1929-1939 .

Fiction

(from the French belles lettres - belles-lettres), a term denoting literary prose, and sometimes used as an evaluative definition. In particular, V.G. Belinsky understood fiction as “easy reading” for the poorly educated mass of readers - literature that, in its artistic and aesthetic quality, does not reach the level of “fine literature”, is frankly secondary in relation to it, but nevertheless performs an important educational function, introducing wide layers of literate population to art - “beneficially affecting their education and providing them with intelligent and noble entertainment.” Today, fiction refers to mass literary production of an entertaining nature.

Literature and language. Modern illustrated encyclopedia.. - M.: Rosman 2006 .

Fiction

Edited by prof. Gorkina A.P.- according to the literal meaning of the word (French) it should mean so-called fine literature, i.e. poetry in all its forms, in verse and prose. But it has long been established for us special meaning behind this word. It is precisely B. that is contrasted with poetry - also taken in a special and narrow sense - like artistic prose - with poetry. However, drama in the broad sense, i.e. as a literary work written for the stage, and, in any case, having a similar character and dialogical form, belongs to the field of drama, and not fiction. Thus, fiction is artistic prose of a narrative nature, i.e. containing a generally consistent (this is not hampered by breaks, as well as going back) - a statement of a series of events, actions, relationships between the persons described, etc. Types of literature: novels, novellas, short stories, fairy tales, as well as satires written in prose (for example, Saltykov Shchedrin) and even poems (for example, “ Dead Souls" - Gogol). The internal feature of B. is an artistically developed plot, plot (see these words). The presence of this quality of plot in the poem makes it like a small story in verse; and vice versa, small piece artistic prose, which does not contain this sign of fiction and is marked by that special connection of images that characterizes lyric poetry, is already a prose poem proper. Among the examples of this kind of works, which by external features belong to the field of artistic prose and fiction, but by their internal and essential features belong more likely to the field of lyricism and poetry, we should mention, first of all, the brilliant “Poems in Prose” by Turgenev. In our time, numerous works of this kind were given by F. Sollogub and A. Remizov; “Ogonki” is popular - V. Korolenko. In old literature, this intermediate class between lyrics and fiction includes, for example, wonderful fantasies: “Life” by Gogol, “A View of the Earth from the Sky” by Zhukovsky (also “Three Sisters” by him). In Belarus they often use forms borrowed from non-artistic areas. For example, novels and stories, even large novels can be written in the form of memoirs, autobiographies, diaries, letters, travels. On the other hand, memories, travels, letters that have artistic merit already belong to B. (such, for example, “Past and Thoughts” by Herzen, “Frigate Pallas” by Goncharov). It should be noted that there are falsifications and forgeries under fiction, which consist in giving the form of a novel or story to works that are non-fiction in their main tasks. This is the so-called tendentious works. A famous, although perhaps least artistic, but very significant in many other respects, work of this kind is “What is to be done?” - Chernyshevsky. Here, perhaps, the most artistic pages are those on which the heroine’s dreams are described. And this is not a mere coincidence, because dreams and artistic creativity- states closest to each other. At the same time, the usual identification of one image with another in dreams provides the basis for lyrics with comparisons of all kinds characteristic of it, as an external expression of the dream experience of identifications; the unfolding of the entire complex variety of images and events that creates the dream that we always remember is the basis of dreaming. The so-called fake dreams should also be classified as false dreams. tabloid literature. Its main task lies in the field of satisfying not artistic aspirations, but low and vulgar interests (pornography, criminal sensation, etc.). Often found in works of this kind, a good style, an entertaining story, etc., do not yet make them artistic, because artistry literary work depends not so much on the merits of the language and the author’s ability to present events in an interesting way, but on that unique experience of the images, for the sake of which some shortcomings of the presentation can be forgiven; although, of course, in B.’s true achievements, figurative experience merges with verbal-sound experience in a kind of complex unity of identification.

B., perhaps more than all other types of literature, is capable of containing all the diversity of our lives, aspirations, and interests. As Turgenev responded to reproaches regarding the journalistic themes of his novels, an artist can describe anything he wants, as long as it “fits the soul of the writer” (Prev. to the collected novels), i.e. novels and stories can be everyday, social, historical, psychological, philosophical.

The mixed genre of B. includes artistic and philosophical works, for example, the book “Russian Nights” by V. Odoevsky (in which the narrative element alternates with the dialogical, but the artistic side predominates). This also includes “Three Conversations” by the philosopher Vl. Solovyov, in which there is a certain element of B. In general, the highest examples of proper philosophical dialogues, which at the same time reveal the greatest qualities of artistry, were given by Plato (Symposium, Phaedrus, Phaedo, etc.). As for scientific biology, it should be taken into account that the spirit of precise research that forms science contradicts the spirit of free creativity, without which art is unthinkable. Wide only scientific hypotheses, in contact with the philosophical consideration of the world as a whole, and even fantasies, based on more or less well-founded premonitions of future scientific successes and conquests, may be included in works of art without violating their unity. Utopian works of a social, scientific and technical nature can undoubtedly have artistic merit (K. Lasswitz, Wells, etc.).

Joseph Eiges. Literary Encyclopedia: Dictionary literary terms: In 2 volumes / Edited by N. Brodsky, A. Lavretsky, E. Lunin, V. Lvov-Rogachevsky, M. Rozanov, V. Cheshikhin-Vetrinsky. - M.; L.: Publishing house L. D. Frenkel, 1925

Synonyms:

See what “Fiction” is in other dictionaries:

- (from the French belles iettres belles lettres). Non-poetic works of literature, such as stories, novels, short stories, dramas, etc. Dictionary foreign words, included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. FICTION [fr. belles... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

fiction- and, f. Belles lettres. 1. Fiction (as opposed to scientific, journalistic, etc. literature). BAS 2. Let me first explain to you the meaning of only those words that, as you yourself say, are more disturbing than others... ... Historical Dictionary Gallicisms of the Russian language

Cm … Synonym dictionary

- (from French belles lettres fiction), 1) fiction. 2) In the 20th century. mainly light reading: mass literary production of a topically fashionable or entertaining nature... Modern encyclopedia

- (from French belles lettres fiction) 1) fiction2)] In the 20th century. also mass literary production of an everyday writing, entertaining nature, as opposed to works high art … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- [barely], fiction, pl. no, female (from the French belles lettres belles lettres). 1. Narrative fiction in prose (novels, stories, short stories, etc.). 2. transfer A light, not quite relevant presentation instead of a serious one... ... Dictionary Ushakova

FICTION, and, female. 1. Narrative fiction. 2. transfer About literature, heaven is easy to read, without difficulty. | adj. fictional, oh, oh (to 1 meaning). Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Female, French elegant literature, elegant writing. Fiction writer husband. fiction writer writer for this part. Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dahl. 1863 1866 … Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

Fiction- FICTION, according to the literal meaning of the word (French), should mean so-called fine literature, that is, poetry in all its forms, in verse and prose. But we have long established a special meaning behind this word. It is B. that is opposed... Dictionary of literary terms

Fiction- (from the French belles lettres fiction), 1) fiction. 2) In the 20th century. mainly light reading: mass literary products of a topical fashionable or entertaining nature. ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Number of fiction lovers in last years decreased significantly. The younger generation prefers not to read complex works, raising psychological and social problems and watch an entertaining video.

Many of those who do pick up books choose those with which they can relax, dream, and escape from the monotonous everyday life. It is not surprising that the most large editions Publishing houses produce just such unburdensome literature.

What is fiction, what is its significance for literary heritage humanity, what is the definition of this term? Let's figure it out.

The word "fiction" has several meanings. Previously, it was used to designate all fiction.

Now fiction is literature that belongs to the middle level: not classical, but not mass either. Over time, it becomes irrelevant and is not included in the golden fund of works.

These are books that are not elitist, classical literature, but at the same time they also have some artistic value.

According to Wikipedia, Aristotle began to divide literature into “high” and “low” in the era of antiquity. The second type included works written for common people. Philosophers argued that this literature is simple, superficial.

In the Pre-Renaissance era, readers began to need light entertaining literature. She was characterized by the following symptoms:

using the same literary schemes in different works;
repetition of plots;
simple heroes of the same type.

Over time, new ones were formed: short stories, various novels (adventure, love, knightly). They were created schematically: the authors took a certain plot as a basis and strung them onto it different heroes, diluted with typical events.

Signs of fiction

Fiction and classics are distinguished by the following features:

Important! Fiction is not without meaning and depth; just like other literature, it reflects the author’s worldview and also conveys a sense of the world to its readers. Because of its ease of presentation and accessibility to many categories of literature lovers, it is always more popular than classical works.

Functions and meaning

Fictional literature performs three main functions:

Helps diversify the range of literature. There are many topics that are covered in books. Modern reader has no limits in his choice and can change his preferences as often as he wishes.
Instills a love of reading. Because of the diversity in literature, there is more chances that people will get involved in reading. There are books to suit every interest: a variety of themes, genres, plots, stories, writing styles and design opens up a wide range of choices for today's readership.
Satisfies mass literary requests. People are interested in watching and reading about current topics. If there is a war somewhere in the world, they will be happy to learn about it from a book. Historical works Only a few will choose, but fiction will find thousands of readers. People have a need to “consume” information on sensitive social topics (religion, politics, relationships, reforms), which are more easily perceived in a “light” form than in memoirs and treatises.

Examples of genres

Fiction is rich in genres. In order to satisfy the maximum range of reader requests, this literature has an extensive system genre types and directions, the most popular among which:

Important! The king of fiction in the thriller genre is Stephen King, who in his books, through fear and depiction of the otherworldly, also reveals many social themes, human vices and the shortcomings of modern society.

FICTION

And, well. , collected

1) Narrative fiction.

He said: “There are very few major works on each subject... Let’s take Russian fiction.” I say: first of all I will read Gogol (Chernyshevsky).

2) decomposition Works for easy reading, as opposed to classical literary works.

Related words:

fictional, fictional, fictional

Etymology:

From French belles-lettres ‘beautiful literature’ (< belle ‘прекрасный’ и lettre ‘буква’, ‘письмо’). В русском языке - с первой half of the 19th century V.

Encyclopedic commentary:

The word “fiction” became widespread thanks to Belinsky, who contrasted fiction and fiction writers with truly artistic (poetic) works and real writers (poets). Fiction for Belinsky is not so much a genre concept as an aesthetic one, since on these grounds he contrasted not only prose writers, but also poets and playwrights. Later the word "fiction" came to mean "light reading" light literature, understandable and accessible to the masses.

Popular explanatory and encyclopedic dictionary of the Russian language. 2012