Contemporary Realistic Fiction
The term contemporary realistic fiction implies that everything in a realistic story--including plot, characters, and setting--is consistent with the lives of real people in our contemporary world. The word realistic does not mean that the story is true, however; it means only that the story could have happened.
Contemporary realistic fiction requires that plots deal with familiar, everyday problems, pleasures, and personal relationships and that characters and settings seem as real as the contemporary world we know. The supernatural has no part in such stories, except occasionally in the beliefs of realistic human characters.
One of the greatest values of realistic fiction for children is that many realistic stories allow children to identify with characters their own age who have similar interests and problems. Children like to read about people they can understand; thus, their favorite authors express a clear understanding of children.
Realistic fiction can help children discover that their problems and desires are not unique and that they are not alone in experiencing certain feelings and situations.
Realistic fiction also extends children's horizons by broadening their interests, allowing them to experience new adventures, and showing them different ways to view and deal with conflicts in their own lives.
Realistic fiction also provides children with pleasure and escape. Realistic animal stories, mysteries, sports stories, and humorous stories are enjoyable getaways for young people.
Subjects in Realistic Fiction
The various subjects within the genre of contemporary realistic fiction encompass a wide range of themes: family life; growing up; survival; death; and people as individuals, not stereotypes.
Contemporary realistic fiction requires that plots deal with familiar, everyday problems, pleasures, and personal relationships and that characters and settings seem as real as the contemporary world we know. The supernatural has no part in such stories, except occasionally in the beliefs of realistic human characters.
One of the greatest values of realistic fiction for children is that many realistic stories allow children to identify with characters their own age who have similar interests and problems. Children like to read about people they can understand; thus, their favorite authors express a clear understanding of children.
Realistic fiction can help children discover that their problems and desires are not unique and that they are not alone in experiencing certain feelings and situations.
Realistic fiction also extends children's horizons by broadening their interests, allowing them to experience new adventures, and showing them different ways to view and deal with conflicts in their own lives.
Realistic fiction also provides children with pleasure and escape. Realistic animal stories, mysteries, sports stories, and humorous stories are enjoyable getaways for young people.
Subjects in Realistic Fiction
The various subjects within the genre of contemporary realistic fiction encompass a wide range of themes: family life; growing up; survival; death; and people as individuals, not stereotypes.
Family Life = The family stories of the late 1930s through the early 1960s depict some of the strongest, warmest family relationships in contemporary realistic fiction for children. The actions of characters often suggest that security is gained when family members work together, that each member has responsibility to other members, that consideration for others is desirable, and that family unity and loyalty can overcome hard times and peer conflicts.
Growing Up = Children face numerous challenges when they venture from the family environment and begin the often difficult process of growing up. Forming and maintaining relationships with peers are important tasks. In addition, children may need to overcome emotional problems, develop or recover self-esteem, and identify their roles in their widening world. Books that explore children's concerns can stimulate discussion with children who are facing these same concerns. Such books let children know that they are not alone, that other children experience the same problems and overcome them.
Survival = Physical and emotional survival are fundamental challenges. Confrontation with dangers in nature, society, or oneself require and, ideally, develop strength of character in young people and adults. The strong personalities of survival literature are especially popular with older children who enjoy adventure stories.
Authors of survival literature use several literary techniques to create credible plots and characters: Person-against-nature; person-against-society; and person-against-self conflicts are often the stimuli for complex and exciting plots.
Authors of survival literature use several literary techniques to create credible plots and characters: Person-against-nature; person-against-society; and person-against-self conflicts are often the stimuli for complex and exciting plots.
Death = Part of growing up is realizing and gradually accepting the fact of death. An increasing number of realistic fiction stories develop themes related to the acceptance of death and overcoming emotional problems following the death of a loved one. Children's literature experts Louis Rauch Gibson and Laura M. Zaidman (1992) identify the importance of literature that deals with death: "Since children, like adults, are so deeply affected by the loss of a relative or friend, contemporary realistic fiction and biography help resolve some of the conflicts death presents. Literature about real and fictional people satisfies a desperate need to comfort children who are justifiably bewildered and fearful about death."
People as Individuals, Not Stereotypes = Stereotypical views of males and females, people with disabilities, and the elderly are becoming less prevalent in children's literature.
People as Individuals, Not Stereotypes = Stereotypical views of males and females, people with disabilities, and the elderly are becoming less prevalent in children's literature.
Teaching with Realistic Fiction
If realistic fiction is to help children identify with others, extend their horizons, and gain personal insights, then adults who work with children must be aware of a wide range of realistic fiction and activities. It is not necessary, or even advisable, to attach literature-related activities to all realistic fiction that children read, but some activities are appropriate: role playing, using survival stories to motivate reading and interaction with literature, and developing questioning strategies.
If realistic fiction is to help children identify with others, extend their horizons, and gain personal insights, then adults who work with children must be aware of a wide range of realistic fiction and activities. It is not necessary, or even advisable, to attach literature-related activities to all realistic fiction that children read, but some activities are appropriate: role playing, using survival stories to motivate reading and interaction with literature, and developing questioning strategies.