Katherine Bolger Hyde | Why Read the Best Fiction?

Once again, we need to begin with definitions.

I am not talking about the distinction between “literary” and “commercial” or “genre” fiction. For one thing, I think these categories are largely artificial, ill-defined, and subject to change. For example, we consider the novels of Charles Dickens to be classic literature today, but in his time his work was highly commercial. And the best fiction of any genre transcends that genre to become, simply, great literature.

When I talk about “the best” fiction, I’m referring to works of any genre, any category, that are well written and in some way original (there’s nothing entirely new under the sun, but some books make you forget that). These works make you think, have significant themes and content, and have either stood the test of time or have a fair chance of doing so. They resonate with your deepest self and stay with you in a good way, causing you to ponder their characters and meanings long after you’ve finished reading. They enrich your life.

Fiction that does not make that grade in my personal scale may be poorly written (or just mediocre), fluffy, predictable, shallow, with a plot that is more wish fulfillment than timeless truth. It may leave no lasting impression, or it may leave you with a bad taste in your mouth or even with mental/spiritual indigestion. It can make you dissatisfied with a life that is less exciting than those of its two-dimensional characters.

Of course, we all want a little mindless comfort reading now and then, just as we all enjoy the occasional piece of candy or junk-food snack. But if you try to survive on junk food alone, you’ll soon find yourself very ill indeed. You need a steady diet of good nutritious food.

The problem is that too much salt, fat, and sugar not only don’t nourish you well but can ruin your taste for veggies and lean protein. Similarly, too much junky fiction can be addictive and ruin your taste for the good stuff. Our minds and bodies are naturally inclined toward laziness and taking the easy way. If we let them take it too often, we forget how wonderfully exhilarating a meal of fully realized characters in a compelling setting facing genuinely significant choices, with just the right seasoning of captivating prose and deeper meaning, can be.

The best fiction, like the best food, gives us strength for the journey of life. It elevates both mind and spirit and trains us to appreciate true beauty—in the arts, in nature, and most importantly, on the spiritual plane. The best fiction embodies ultimate truth, whether or not it has any deliberate spiritual orientation. Instead of the false hope of wish fulfillment, which lasts only as long as the reading, the best fiction gives us real and lasting hope for eternal redemption.

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