Throughout “Experiments in Life Writing,” Juila Novak argues that the line between fiction and non fiction is not as clear cut as we believe it to be. Elements of non fiction and fiction can intertwine and relate to each other, as it is discussed throughout the excerpt. Novak states that a fictional piece of writing could be a choice “of writing that more accurately reflects the condition of the modern subject,” citing Art Spiegelman’s Maus as an example of such a choice. An author can choose to write about a real topic but add an element to the piece of writing so that it is not a hundred percent a non fictional piece. When we hear the genre fiction, we immediately tend to think fairy tales and other crazy stories that would NEVER occur in real life. While that may be the case for a majority of fiction out there, there is also fiction that can be used to inform readers about certain topics that are relevant to the real world. Like Novak said, Spiegelman’s Maus conveys a real message about the vulnerability of Holocaust victims through a fictional setting.

Fiction can be used in a way that not only entertains, but informs readers as well. People tend to believe that fiction will always include fabricated characters, settings, and plots, but elements like these can also be factual so that the message the story conveys references the real world. Prior to reading this piece, I had tended to clearly differentiate between the two forms of non fictional and fictional writing. Of course I knew that in fictional pieces there could always be references to the real world, but after reading Novak’s piece, I am definitely more aware that there is no distinct line between the two genres.

Does a fully fictional piece truly exist? In my opinion, every fictional piece has to have some element that would relate back to us, whether it be the interaction between characters, the point of the story, or something else. We tend to connect things we see and read to our own lives; that is why I do not believe there is ever truly a full fictional text.