Is there Value in Learning from Fiction?

As an English major, I answer that with a estatic YES! (woohoo) Even though fiction is not wholly true, there are so many life lessons portrayed in all that we read. Through all of Shakespeare's works we learn of love, jealousy, lust, hatred, and power, just to name a few. From Elizabeth Bennett we learn what it takes to be an independent woman falling in love. Through Tom Sawyer we learn about consequences of our actions and the overwhelming love of adventure throughout our young lives. Each fiction novel, or even a modern fiction story, exemplifies some kind of value that allows students to connect their own lives with these stories. Of course, as an English major... I may be a tad biased, but I whole heartedly believed that learning from fiction is very valuable indeed.