1. Historical Fiction

2. What is historical fiction?
form of fiction (not true)
based on historical events
authentic settings
characters portrayed in realistic manner
some characters may be actual people from history, but the story
is fictional
artistic mix of fiction and historical fact

3. Historical Fiction is
A fictional story with real and imaginary characters that takes place during a time in History

4. all history contains an element of fiction, or at least speculation
all history contains an element of fiction, or at least speculation. Ask four soldiers about the same battle an hour afterward, and you're likely to get four different recounts of the fight.
Can you think of a situation where the people involved would all give a different account of what happened?

5. Setting (time and place)
Has the author accurately described a particular historical period in the novel? Explain.
Are the details of locale authentic in the novel?
Does the description of the locale fit the historical period?

6. Characters
Are there real historical figures whose names you recognize?
Do the historical figures belong in the period described?
Does a check against the history textbook or biographical materials show that the historical characters are accurately portrayed?
Are fictional characters in keeping with the historical setting?
What is characters’ involvement in the historical setting and events.
How are the historical characters important to the action?

7. Plot (story line)
Does the plot focus on a specific historical incident? Explain
Do the historical characters in the novel participate in a well known historical incident? Explain.
Is the conflict real or fictional?
Do the characters dramatize an eventful moment in the history of some familiar place?

8. Theme
By theme we mean the author’s use of people and events from the past to elucidate some truth about a past era.

9. Is Titanic historical fiction?
What is
Some of the third class passengers are modeled after real people
Most of the underwater shots of the Titanic wreckage are real
Parts of the iceberg did land on the ship’s deck
The band did continue to play as the ship was sinking
As the bridge of the ship sunk below the surface, the first funnel fell forward into the water, crashing onto some of the swimmers
Isador and Ida Straus did go down with the ship
The lights did continue to burn even as the ship sunk
What isn’t
Jack and Rose are fictional characters
The love story is fictional
No one disguises himself as a woman to sneak onto a lifeboat
the Heart of the Ocean diamond is a fictional device

10. Is Pirates of the Caribbean Historical Fiction?
What is
Location is accurate
The weapons the pirates used are accurate
The type of ships are accurate
What isn’t
The clothing
The characters
The storyline

11. Thirteen-year-old C.J. records in a journal the conditions of the Dust Bowl that cause the Jackson family to leave their farm in Oklahoma and make the difficult journey to California, where they find a harsh life as migrant workers.

12. A diary account of fourteen-year-old Susanna Fairchild's life in 1849, when her father succumbs to gold fever on the way to establish his medical practice in Oregon after losing his wife and money on their steamship journey from New York. Includes a historical note.

13. A fictional journal kept by twelve-year-old Augustus Pelletier, the youngest member of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery.

14. Summary
Why do you think the author chose to write about this particular historical episode?
Is the author revealing any new insights about the historical characters or historical events?
Why is this considered a historical novel?
Is this novel a good or bad historical novel, based on the previous definition of historical fiction?
What social condition in history does the novel reveal?
What comment do you think the author is making about this social condition?
How can this social condition be related to contemporary life?
How do the characters reveal the theme?
Does this novel reflect more than one theme?
Is there more than one point of view about the theme(s)?