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- aml2602
- Students
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:06 am
Using Fiction in Arguments
I have never seen a statement restricting the use of fiction in an argument. If I'm struggling with examples on the analyze an issue essay, what's stopping me from conjuring up a fictitious story about Abraham Lincoln to support my point? Or what if I need a million dollar quote and none come to mind. Why not just make one up and pin it to an influential figurehead?
- aml2602
- Students
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:06 am
Re: Using Fiction in Arguments
Perhaps I should have stated that this question was addressed to the form experts. Tommy, Jen, is there any consensus regarding this topic?
thanks
thanks
- tommywallach
- Manhattan Prep Staff
- Posts: 1917
- Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:18 am
Re: Using Fiction in Arguments - Yes We Can!
Hey Ami,
Sorry to take so long to respond. In answer to your question, NOTHING is stopping you! There is no reason not to use fictional examples or even quotes in your essay. In fact, I regularly make things up in my own essays, if I can't come up with enough good stuff on my own. The length of your essay directly correlates to the score, so sometimes you gotta get a little fictional.
Fiction rules to live by:
1) Do not be ridiculous. If you make something up, it should be something that you're pretty sure is true, only you don't know all the details for certain. And make sure it SOUNDS true.
2) Don't do it more than once. If you need to make up more than one example, that reflects badly on you. Your readers are smart, and there's a good chance they'll notice when you fictionalize. However, they don't care. You're not being graded on originality or knowledge, but on your grasp of Standard Written English. But if you make up the whole thing, that's gonna look silly (see rule #1).
3) Don't do it if you don't have to. Real examples carry a certain magical whiff of truth that your reader will notice. ALSO, if you mention a real event, you have to do less work, because the reader probably already knows something about it (i.e. Steve Jobs or World War II). But if you make it up, you have to explain it really well, because your reader will know nothing about it!
Hope that helps!
-t
Sorry to take so long to respond. In answer to your question, NOTHING is stopping you! There is no reason not to use fictional examples or even quotes in your essay. In fact, I regularly make things up in my own essays, if I can't come up with enough good stuff on my own. The length of your essay directly correlates to the score, so sometimes you gotta get a little fictional.
Fiction rules to live by:
1) Do not be ridiculous. If you make something up, it should be something that you're pretty sure is true, only you don't know all the details for certain. And make sure it SOUNDS true.
2) Don't do it more than once. If you need to make up more than one example, that reflects badly on you. Your readers are smart, and there's a good chance they'll notice when you fictionalize. However, they don't care. You're not being graded on originality or knowledge, but on your grasp of Standard Written English. But if you make up the whole thing, that's gonna look silly (see rule #1).
3) Don't do it if you don't have to. Real examples carry a certain magical whiff of truth that your reader will notice. ALSO, if you mention a real event, you have to do less work, because the reader probably already knows something about it (i.e. Steve Jobs or World War II). But if you make it up, you have to explain it really well, because your reader will know nothing about it!
Hope that helps!
-t
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