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Historical Fiction
Jessica Dockter University of Minnesota 2009Adapted from Beth Brendler 2008
Historical Fiction• Reflects life as it was lived in
the past • Imaginative writing• The history is true &
accurate• Requires careful & detailed
research
Helps students understand…• history is created by
people • people living now are
tied to people living in the past
• what we do now can make a difference in the future
Historical Fiction• Gives a human actor /
reactor to historical incidents– Extends students’ personal
connections to history
• Makes it is easier to approach difficult issues
Scott O’Dell Award
• Started in 1982 – annual • Writer from US for a meritorious
book of historical fiction published the preceding year
Scott O’Dell Award• 2009 -- Laurie Halse
Anderson Chains
• 2008 – Christopher Paul Curtis Elijah of Buxton
• 2007 – Ellen Klages The Green Glass Sea
• 2006 – Louise Erdrich The Game of Silence
Historical Realism • Written as
contemporary fiction – now historical – Little Women – Tom Sawyer– Huck Finn
Historical Accuracy • History interpreted• Facts understood only in
light of the present• Solid research is essential
Historical Research• Consistent with historical
evidence• Remain within the limits of
the chosen historical background
• Reflect people who are human, with strength and weaknesses
• Authentic social details• Richly detailed setting
Based on Family History• Bud Not Buddy by
Christopher Paul Curtis
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
Based on Family History• Birchbark House • Stories about Erdrich’s
family who lived on Madeline Island in Lake Superior
Evaluating Historical Fiction• Meets criteria for good
narrative fiction• Events and attitudes
– consistent with historical evidence
– appropriate to the time period• Social issues portrayed
honestly, without condoning racism and sexism
Evaluating Historical Fiction• THE SETTING
– integral to the story– VIVID– consistent with historical
and geographical evidence (no anachronisms)
Evaluating Historical Fiction• LANGUAGE PATTERNS
– historically authentic – in keeping with the
mood, setting, and characterization
– understandable
Evaluating Historical Fiction• Well-developed characters
– feelings, values, and behavior reflect the period
– dynamic (they grow & change)
• Plot based on authentic facts
• Theme echoes larger historical concerns
Plot and Theme• Historical facts …
– should not overburden the story
– should be part of the background, setting, events, characterizations, language, & ideas
• Reader should not consciously notice them, yet they shape & propel the story
Plot and ThemeThemes should reflect
a macrocosm of the era and microcosm of the story
Example: a war for
independence and a personal struggle for independence