Why Fiction?

People always say that they “never read” when starting a book list. They lament the fact that they have too little time or energy to get cozy with a book. But for me to say that I never read would be inaccurate at best: as a philosophy major, words and arguments have become my bread and butter. I spend hours in the cavernous basement of my college library, poring over lengthy treatises penned by dead white men. It’s not always the most exciting reading, but I certainly clock in my fair share of the written word. I’m not doing this for lack of exposure to ideas and ink.

So the question becomes, why am I bothering with an enormous book list? Why do I even need fiction?

Because fiction is the best therapy I can afford. It is, quite simply, one of few healthy ways we can resolve our lingering frustrations, our shortcomings, our fears. When we feel trapped and lonely, we need look no further than Flaubert’s Emma and her desperate longing for something more. When society seems harsh and unforgiving, characters like Lily Bart and Jude Fawley stand as testaments to its cruelty. And when we reach into the labyrinthine mind of Kafka, we often find our own darkest thoughts reflected back. I like the way that fiction forces me to feel, to confront the things that I’d rather shove under the carpet. It’s much like pressing on a bruise- it serves to remind me that I'm only human, after all.

I'm excited to begin this project, to explore the workings of my innermost thoughts. If there are any readers out there, I hope you'll bear with me. And who knows? You just might discover that you need fiction as desperately as I do.

-Claire