Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-06-03
INFLUENCE oF FICTION.
Not amount to as Much as Some
would Have Us Believe

Does not Amount to as Much as soms
would Have Us Believe.
ms tlme being one in which fiction
mas triumphantly asserted its supremacy
over every other form of literature. II is
not strange that 1t has occurred to more
'han one thinker to inquire how far the
conventional views OF the influence ~
Notion upon morals and life is the cor.
rect one There are those who hold that
.ne aim OF narrative is simply to enter
tain, and there are those who hold. on
Inc other hand, that It's true function is
70 instruct, Wow in which thew find
themselves much supported by the fact
.hhe SO much OF the greatest teaching of
the world has been done in the guise of
parallels There is perhaps third school
who hold some sort of a moderate and
very nkely most rational view, but no
oooy ever pays much attention to mod.
crate views, so that these do not really
count for much. The age is one of which
we hear every day that it is exceedingly
materlalistic, and to this is not infre-
quently added the charge that even art
mas come TO be looked at from its utili.
itarlan sides, so that one expects to find
tnat notion has come to be the vehicle
OF instruction in the practical details Of
life. To be logical, novels nowadays
should be simply disguised treatises
upon some practical phase of life-and
as matter of fact such some of them are.
Whatever may be theory, however, In
practice the reading of fiction does not
put one in frame of mind to receive
instruction. We have never been able
TO believe that there is much good in
the strictly practical realms of human
aHalrs. The utilitarian is SO far outside
OF the province of art that art does not
touch 1t even when it strains after II.
but only gets outside of its own domain
without comprising that OF the other.
Ii good Is TO be done by fiction it must
be done in the realms which belong to
its own domain. The reach OF the tale
must be toward the imaginative, the in
tellectual or the ethical. Even then If
there be conscious and obvious inten.
ton to teach it all goes for little. Fic-
ton must lead by being, not by preach.
ing.
But, quite aside from what fiction
might or might not be theoretically, is
the question what it is in its influence.
As plain, every day matter of fact, fc-
ton is usually matter of amusement,
pure and simple. People read and for
get what they are, what encompasses
them, and the things that wear life out
If looked at too long or too closely In
other words, it may as we'll be accepted
as fact that fiction is what George Eliot
was fond OF calling opium eating;" 1t
lie one of those things which dis
guise the taste of life and transform
one from mortal into a dispassionate
being SO far as realities arc concerned,
by absorbing the attention upon IN
realities. OF course, if meanwhile fc-
ton is what it should be, and appeals
to its readers through its proper sphere,
/ its influence may be high and good; but
/ the conscious purpose Of the reader is
| only to be amused. 1t follows that the
/ fiction which is Intentionally didactic is
least of all likely to effect its purpose.
1t Is precisely when they do not know
that they are being preached TO that
/ people are most influenced. The age is
I one of unbelief and doubt, and it is To
/ comfort themselves in their restlessness
that people so generally take to the
/ reading of fiction. II the tales they
read repicture for them the same world
they are trying to escape, are they so
/ likely to be elevated and cheered as if
/ they are shown the ideal and the possiblef
Theories are all very well, but in the
presence OF the great fact that mankind
can only be led by its inclinations, not
even it's convictions proving in the long
run very powerful tractor, is it not wise
to reach them through their prefer
ences; in other words, to reach them in
the only way in which they can be
reached effectively?