When I was in my early teens, I was fascinated with all things Amy Carmichael. The story of a strong-willed Irish woman who rescued and raised dozens—probably hundreds—of temple slave girls in India was epically adventurous.

Amy Carmichael was my hero, and I trusted her strong-willed Irish opinions.

So when I read that Amy insisted her girls only read true, factual books and stories—no fiction allowed—I took her rule into my own life. No more fictional books for pre-teen me, even though I had practically lived in them before then. Amy was right, I was sure. Why read fiction when you could read something true?

Tolkien and Lewis

But I loved stories too much. Thankfully, others do, too.

It was C.S. Lewis who first showed me that, unlike what Amy Carmichael taught, fictional stories do have value.

“Since it is so likely that [children] will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage,” he wrote as he defended the teaching of fairy tales.

If fictional stories are good for children, could they be good for people of all ages, too? Can we learn something of living bravely in the reality we face through the bravery of fictional characters?

J.R.R. Tolkien sealed the deal for me. A friend of Lewis, Tolkien also thought highly of fictional stories:

“We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God…Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour…”

If these great thinkers found worth in fiction, why should we think it beneath us?

3 Reasons to Read Fiction

There are likely many more reasons fiction is good for us, but here are three reasons to chew on:

Fiction illustrates truth.

I’m not sure I like the distinction between fiction and non-fiction. I realize that there is a difference, and that both have their own unique value, but I dislike how it translates into “true” and “not-true.”

Because all fiction contains some truth.

You know what I mean. Think of Across Five Aprils. While there was a real Jethro Creighton, author Irene Hunt combined several stories that had been passed down to her and added many details that never happened. Her book is largely fictional.

But after I read Across Five Aprils, I will never again think of the difficulties families faced then in the same way. I realized how hard it must be to have family members on both sides as I watched Jethro miss his older brother Bill and Jethro’s mother worry that her sons might be shooting at each other.

I also realized how we can love and respect others while disagreeing with them—even on major issues. Jethro’s story arc inspires me to step up and take more responsibility where I can. And the story of neighbor Dave Burdow shows us the power of forgiveness and that people who failed once can still make a difference for good.

All of that truth can be found in a non-fiction book. We can read about the Civil War and true accounts of families who experienced it. We can read about responsibility. We can read about second chances. But Across Five Aprils gives us a chance to experience all three in deeper ways that stick with us long after we close the book. Case in point: I haven’t read Across Five Aprils in years, and while I had to go back to check a couple character’s names, the storyline itself I still remember.

Fiction opens our eyes to new perspectives.

Similarly, fiction gives us the chance to view the world from another set of eyes. I was not alive during the Civil War and have no way of knowing how that felt.

I have also never experienced living under the Bolshevik Revolution (Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow), or a small British island under Nazi occupation (Mary Ann Shaffer, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society), or the racial tensions of two school districts merging into one (Katie Ganshert, No One Ever Asked).

Authors do a ton of research before writing fiction, so while they may not have experienced those situations or time periods personally, their books give us access to the results of all that research: a deeper understanding of how someone else looks at the world.

Fiction reminds us of the beautiful complexity of life.

In a world increasingly automated and productivity-focused, we have to fight to remember we aren’t robots. “We are story people,” Jen Oshman writes in Enough About Me (a nonfiction book you should definitely read!).

We are hungry for all the emotion and the satisfaction of a happy ending that a story provides. This doesn’t mean we all like the same amounts of emotion in the stories we read (or even the same kinds of endings!), but everyone likes stories of some kind.

Not all fiction is created equal

As much potential and power as stories have, we have to remember that there are some trashy stories out there. Just because a story gives us a deeper perspective or reminds us of life’s beautiful complexity doesn’t mean it illustrates truth in an edifying way.

We need to be careful with the stories we allow to change our perspectives.

Enjoy your stories

Contrary to what Amy Carmichael thought, fiction does contain truth. While the stories take different forms, and not all are true (not all non-fiction books are true, either—yes, I’m looking at you, political autobiographies), fictional books show us truth in ways we will remember more deeply. They show us life and beauty. They show us diverse perspectives.

Non-fiction books are valuable. Fiction books are valuable.

Next time you reach for a good story, don’t feel guilty for choosing a fun novel instead of something on your must-read non-fiction list. Read. Enjoy. See what God shows you through a story.

Photo by Jeff Finley on Unsplash