Re: Is fiction important?
Aiculik,
I heartily agree with your comments about literature. It does depend on how capable the reader is of appreciating a book as to whether or not it is worthwhile. The same does indeed go for every form of art. To give one example, I went to see "Madame Butterfly" earlier this week. Although to me the opera was spectacular and fully engaging, I noticed that many people in the audience seemed to be bored. In fact, many of the men, who, it would seem, had been dragged there by their wives, were actually falling asleep. Considering the mesmerizing plot of this particular opera, it struck me as incredible that anyone could watch it without relishing it thoroughly. Why go to the opera at all if you don't really love it? Similarly, why bother to read books if you don't absolutely love literature? Unless the book is a requirement for school, it seems nonsensical that a person who would never be able to appreciate a good book should take the trouble to read one. Better for them to watch television or peruse fashion/entertainment magazines than to read something magnificent without appreciating its merit.
Titania
"If Botticelli were alive today he'd be working for Vogue."
~Sir Peter Ustinov
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