Thursday, February 18: Femme Fatale
THE TRUTH ABOUT FICTION
by Deborah Elliott-Upton
“Fiction is easier to write,” a nonfiction writer told me. “You can just make everything up as you go.”
“True,” I answered, “but, in nonfiction, don’t you just collect the facts?”
In the end, we agreed neither fiction nor nonfiction was “easier” to write, just different and depended on the writer’s skills whether readers would be interested enough to pay hard-earned cash to read. So, what happens when we decide to create a fictional story based on a real person and create a bit of creative nonfiction?
Besides the problems dodging copyright laws, slander lawsuits and attempts of rewriting history in order to make the story more dramatic, where does the diligent writer begin to write about a real person’s life?
If they are living, there are permissions to secure. If they are celebrities, is their story in public domain? If they are of interest, has their story been done to death?
Several modern-day movies have made it to the big screen declaring their need to set the story straight and tell the truth about Wyatt Earp. Many believe he wasn’t as glorious a hero as history would have us believe.
Randolph Scott, Burt Lancaster, Joel McCrea, Hugh O’Brien, James Garner, Will Geer, James Stewart, Leo Gordon, Guy Madison, Gale Harold, Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner have all taken onscreen turns portraying Wyatt Earp. Most of them played the dime store novel version of Good Cop, but each undertaking was designed to fit the needs of the writer, the actor and the director’s shaping.
Was the truth shared in television’s 1955-1961’s “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp” starring Hugh O’Brien? Or closer to the truth in the 1971 film, “Doc,” told from Doc Holliday’s point of view (played by Stacy Keach) and professing to shed light on the true happenings of the OK Corral shootings where Earp was not quite heroic? Was Wyatt Earp in reality much closer to Bad Cop?
History books aren’t the final judgment. In fact, many are being rewritten with “new” facts telling a different story. If we can believe what we see in print, dare we contradict “news” detailing denial of the Holocaust, a United States involvement in a 9/11 conspiracy, or Lee Harvey Oswald not acting as a lone gunman?
I don’t mean to spark a debate on any of these “news” items, but I am concerned many people may believe something strictly because someone with access to a computer or print publication said so.
Check the facts in more than one place. What you’re reading or hearing could be someone’s opinion and only loosely-based on fact – or perhaps based on conjecture.
If your knowledge of history is based on what you saw on a movie or television screen or read between covers of a book or online, it could be based on up to 95% fiction. Even those writing creative nonfiction are fudging the truth a bit to make the tale more dramatic. Entertainment is one thing; history lessons are another.
Who really knows the truth? Is it even out there? Or is it being tweaked by whoever’s in charge of the storytelling?
Lastly, think for yourself.
“Each age tries to form its own conception of the past. Each age writes the history of the past anew with reference to the conditions uppermost in its own time.” – Frederick Jackson Turner
“History is written by the victors.”–Winston Churchill
Are you saying Ron Soble was not the definitive Wyatt Earp?
Vis-à-vis Lee Harvey Oswald, I’ve heard about a fringe group of non-conspiracy theorists.
Good advice this week! I am always appalled at the people who will believe ANYTHING just because they saw it written down somewhere…..it’s scary….and amusing at the same time!! :]]
Ron Soble? Hmm, how did I miss that? And where would I find it?
Deborah, “The Spectre of the Gun” was an eerie and surreal Star Trek episode, but intriguing. Kirk and crew were forced to reenact the OK Corral events as part of the Clanton gang. It is worth watching.
Ohhhhhhh. I actually did find a Star Trek reference in my research. I’ll have to keep a look out.
Reminds me of the new translate the Bible project. You too can become a Bible scholar and decide what God really meant.
That Star Trek episode was good. They did several “historical” based episodes. I remember a two part episode that had Mark Twain.
Great Post Deborah!
I remember that one, Kerry. The Next Generation, in San Francisco, right?
Kerry, Conservapedia’s project, besides ‘toughing up’ Jesus, they have him saying, “Listen up!” For some reason, they left off “dudes”. (Luke 13:35)
Even non fiction writers make up fiction—such as a most recent climate “scientific discovery” conversation in which many have collected millions and awards.
Or those that lived through the Nazi regme destroying of Jews and have pictures etc vs those that call it a hoax.
If one doesn’t have the ability to think for themselves and delve further than what they hear or read– they probably deserve the uh…..ability to believe anything they read or see.
Rewriting history it appears may work for some.
Even in mystery fiction and the Basil vs Downey and producers/directors “vision” of Sherlock.
We each see, read, write, and do…sometimes what we see and more times what we want to see. Or believe.
Great article.