The confusion of a genre’s definitions: non-fiction or journalistic novel?

Abstract

This article discusses two definitions of the genre of novels mixing fact and fiction: “non-fiction novel” (in American usage) and “journalistic novel” (most frequent in Lithuanian usage) and compares the genre-related features of these novels as they are given in literary theory and criticism. The aim of this research is to find out whether the content inherent in these definitions is similar or even identical. The argument for this investigation is that, as opposed to American literary practice, in the Lithuanian practice the definition of the genre of novels mixing fact and fiction is not well-grounded and in general not clear; moreover, such novels are interpreted as part of popular literature and therefore get an initially negative connotation. Features of non-fiction novels and non-fiction writing are discussed on the basis of theoretical studies by Tom Wolfe, Robert Dardenne, and Frank Zipfel. Features of journalistic novel are discussed on the basis of critical works by Jūratė Sprindytė, Vitalija Pilipauskaitė and Dalia Zabielaitė. The context of the Lithuanian journalistic novel is important to this investigation as well, because these genre-related structures are introduced invoking critical analysis of Lithuanian journalistic novels. Features of non-fiction and journalistic novels are also illustrated by brief discussion of two specific literary works: In Cold Blood (2007 [1965]), the non-fiction novel by the American writer Truman Capote, and 14, 99 € (2006 [2000]), the journalistic novel by the French writer Frédéric Beigbeder. The research showed that both – non-fiction and journalistic novel – were sceptically evaluated by literary specialists. Nevertheless, eventually the non-fiction novel was recognized as being part of literature and was discussed in literary theory and criticism abroad. [...]