Fiction and Narrative

Do fictions depend upon imagination? Derek Matravers argues against the mainstream view that they do, and offers an original account of what it is to read, listen to, or watch a narrative. He downgrades the divide between fiction and non-fiction, largely dispenses with the imagination, and in doing so illuminates a succession of related issues.

List of contents

• 1: Introduction


• 2: Walton on Fiction


• 3: Fiction and the Imagination


• 4: The Real Distinction


• 5: Understanding Narratives


• 6: Engaging with Narratives


• 7: Narrative and Belief


• 8: The (so-called) Paradox of Fiction


• 9: Narrators, Impossible Fictions, and the 'Fictionality Puzzle'


• 10: Coda: Film

About the author

After taking Philosophy for his first degree at University College London, Derek Matravers went on to complete his doctorate at Cambridge. He was a Post-Doctoral Lecturer at Cambridge, before moving to the Open University in 1994 where he is now Professor. He continues his links with Cambridge, where he is a Senior Member of Darwin College. He has published extensively on aesthetics, and to a lesser extent on ethics, political philosophy, and the philosophy of mind.

Summary

Do fictions depend upon imagination? Derek Matravers argues against the mainstream view that they do, and offers an original account of what it is to read, listen to, or watch a narrative. He downgrades the divide between fiction and non-fiction, largely dispenses with the imagination, and in doing so illuminates a succession of related issues.

Additional text

Fiction and Narrative is a concise work that consists of short chapters tightly packed with arguments; yet, it manages to do a lot. In addition to providing an intriguing theoretical reorientation, the book has substantial value in clarifying (and questioning) recent debates around fiction

Product details

• Authors: Derek Matravers, Derek (The Open University) Matravers, Matravers Derek
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 24.04.2014
• EAN: 9780199647019
• ISBN: 978-0-19-964701-9
• No. of pages: 180
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; PHILOSOPHY / Mind & Body, LITERARY CRITICISM / Semiotics & Theory, Philosophy of Mind, PHILOSOPHY / Aesthetics, Literary studies: general, PERFORMING ARTS / Film / History & Criticism, Literary theory, Film Theory & Criticism, Film history, theory or criticism