Francesca Vallone & Gina DeSimone

Historical fiction is a literary genre where the story, characters, and events are
fictional but told within a historical context. When writing a historical fiction novel, authors
usually write based on research rather than personal experience. There are several
characteristics that are part of the historical fiction genre. Some of those characteristics are the
characters, plots, settings, dialogue, and impacts and benefits.

Chacters
The characters in historical fiction texts can be fictional characters or real
characters. Typically the main characters are fictional but they may interact with real
characters or engage in real events. In historical fiction books, the characters actions
and reactions drive the story forward. Readers are able to identify with a characters
problem as well as sympathize with them, worry about them, or be happy for them. With
that being said, over time the character may take a while to develop and become a
round character. This is to say that good and bad characters help the story and form
relationships with the readers. Additionally, because the book takes place in a certain or
specific time period, the characters moral values and ways of thinking must relate back
to how people acted or thought during that time period. In other words, characters in
historical fiction cannot think in modern day viewpoints (Rossiter). Thus, these
characters are lifelike. This means in order to fit the correct setting for a text, characters
thoughts and actions must fit that time period (Routman). Characters do not always
have to be real although, they have to be realistic. Lives of famous or well-known
people are well recorded and documented, thus when authors use a character of that
nature in their text, theyre character is controlled and the author may be limited on

incorporating things that will happen to them (Bee). Also, characters could be fake but
based on a real person. The conflict that the characters face allow readers to compare
the past with the present for them to learn about the world (Routman).
Plots
In the historical fiction genre, the time period of the story is clear to the reader..
Typically, the story is written about 30 years in the past. For instance, the Watsons go to
Birmingham was published in 1995 and Bud, Not Buddy was published in 1999 while
both books take place in 1963 (Historical Fiction). Plots for historical fiction texts are
real and fictional events that are mixed together but are based on real events. Common
plots for historical fiction books are as follows:
-1960s & the Civil Rights Movement

-Early Europe (Kings, Queens, & Knights)

-Civil War and Reconstruction

-Holocaust & WWII

-Cold War/Vietnam War

-Roaring Twenties/Great Depression

-Colonial America and the Revolutionary War -Victorian England

-WWI and the Great Depression (Historical Fiction Topics).
Settings
Settings are such an important element for genres because the author is writing
about a particular time in history. The settings for texts that are historical fiction include
a specific time and place. Historical fiction settings take place somewhere that is real
and during an important time in history. Having a real historical setting in a historical
fiction text is important because it helps the reader understand the content of the text.
For example, the book Watsons Go to Birmingham written by Christopher Paul Curtis
takes place in Michigan and Alabama in 1963. These two settings are important for this
book because it shows the difference in race and segregation between the north and

the south in The United States in the 1960s.The events and information presented from
a specific time period must be truthful and accurate. The setting in the texts that fit into
historical fiction are based upon dates, people, or events that really happened.
Typically, a major historical event is taking place (Routman). Authors will often conduct
intense research in order to associate the textual information with the specific dates.
Since the setting can be created by the author, the author needs to know what type of
housing people lived in, how they got around to places, and what people valued during
that certain time period. Although this is not to say that an author cant use a real setting
(Historical Fiction). There is also a lot of time spent talking and describing about the
setting. The stories in historical fiction are even centered on a historical situation. For
instance, Yellow Star, by Jennifer Roy centered on the Holocaust (Historical Fiction).
Thus, that is why it is important for the author have researched the time period of the
event. Furthermore, authors may even include their notes on their research (Routman).
Dialogue
Dialogue is an important aspect of middle grade historical fiction. Characters
typically do not sound like they are from modern day times. Most texts have language or
includes phrases that are from the time period the story takes place. This allows the
readers to get a taste of dialogue and also to represent the truthfulness of how people
talked during that time period. In some cases, the focus of the text can be lost if the
dialect of the book is too accurate of that time. Therefore stories do not contain many
words like forsooths or thees which is to prevent readers from getting bored,
confused, or tired. The books only incorporate a little of the language from the specific
time. The reason for this is that if someone from modern day times were to read a book

with many words like thees or thous the reader will become bored . Lastly, current and
common phrases are not in the books. This is to keep the focus on the period of time in
the text instead of the time period of which the text is written (Bee).

Impacts and benefits of H>F and why we should teach it

Middle School students should be taught the wonderful genre of historical fiction
for a numerous of reasons. First off, historical fiction promotes academic equity because
every student comes into the classroom with different levels of prior knowledge. This is
a way for every student to understand the events and time period in the book and help
them make connections between different books of this genre. Additionally, it teaches
middle grade readers about history. The content in the texts are not as in depth as
history textbooks so student difficulties are eliminated. With that being said, reading
from historical fiction genres is a great way to incorporate interdisciplinary subjects.
Connecting lessons in different classes such as language arts, reading, and social
studies may be made possible with historical fiction books. Books of this genre also get
middle school readers familiar with different perspectives as well as respecting other
peoples opinions. For instance, not all characters in the same text have the same types
of views. Readers can learn how people or society has dealt with problems. Meanwhile
it teaches students about the interpretive nature of history, showing students about the
interpretive nature of history, and showing how authors and illustrators deal with an
issue in different ways (How and Why). A powerful reason why educators should teach
historical fiction texts is to inspire enthusiasm. According to Valerie Tripp, who is the
author of the American Girl doll book, teachers and writers want children readers to say,
Oh, look! Isnt that cook? Can you believe how wacky and wild and fascinating the

world is? The universe is abundant and its all out there waiting for you (Tripp).
Historical fiction is powerful because it enables educators to get students excited about
important facts, while creating strong emotions in young minds. Historical fiction
becomes powerful when it teaches lessons and builds relationships between students
and characters while stirring up emotions (Tripp).
Potential Problem/Criticism
According to Thomas Mallon, a novelist, essayist, and critic from the University of
Maryland, criticizes historical fiction. Mallon does not believe that this genre is as truthful
as actual written history. He believes that history cannot be changed. As an example,
the book Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy is about Syvia a Jewish girl who was sent to Lodz
Ghetto, a concentration camp. Mallon would argue that this text is not a good
representation of the history of what actually happened in Germany during that time.
Mallon says that only factual evidence can fully represent history. Mallon says historical
events happened one way and one way only. It's only their meaning that's open to
interpretation (Mallon).This means that history has already been written one way and
cannot be changed, but the interpretation and understanding of that history can be
viewed differently. This correlates with how readers understand a historical fiction text.
The facts of history are given, but interpreting and understanding the history can be
done in several ways.

Works Cited
Bee, Judi. Characteristics of a Historical Fiction Novel. Hub Pages. n.p. 12 Nov 2012.
Web. 19 Nov
Historical Fiction. ReadWriteThink. n.p. 2004. Web. 19 Nov 2014.
Historical-Fiction Topics. Whats Next Book Lists. n.p. n.d. Web. 19 Nov 2014.
Mallon, Thomas. Genre Theory & Criticism: Historical Fiction Annotated Bibliography.
Mitchell, Reid. Genre Theory & Criticism: Historical Fiction Annotated Bibliography.
Rossiter, Steve. Plot And Characters In Historical Novels, by Mary Nichols. Writing
Historical Novels. n.p. 16 July 2013. Web. 19 Nov 2014.
Routman, Reggie. Genre Characteristics. EIU. Scott Foresman and Company. 2005.
Web. 19 Nov 2014.
Tripp, Valerie. Vitamins in Chocolate Cake: Why Use Historical Fiction in the
Classroom?. Teaching History. n.p. 5 Sep 2011. Web. 19 Nov 2014
Why and How I teach Historical Fiction. Scholastic. Scholastic. n.d. Web. 19 Nov
2014.