Introduction
Fiction and the real life are closely connected, especially when it comes to literature, filming, or TV programming. Sometimes fictional aspects can be introduced into the real life in order to save peace or to prevent some outrageous actions; in this respect, lies can be considered a perfect representation of fiction in the real life. Moreover, some people tend to include as much fictional elements into the real life of their own that cannot distinguish between the real and fictional worlds. As lives of peoples are interconnected, we can observe and experience mutual influence of one’s life on other’s one. When this happens, the fiction of one person can easily become a universal truth for other.
Similar and different aspects in the real life and in the fictional world are not always easy to recognize, though it is possible to distinguish the real and invented aspects when at least one person knows the truth. When someone believes in the reality which surrounds him/her, this person is sure to live in the real world, as he/she believes it to be. The play Six Characters in Search of an Author written by Luigi Pirandello cleans away the border lines between reality and fiction, while the same effect can be traced in reality shows, suchlike The Jerry Springer Show.
Contrast of Reality With Illusion
Human beings are artistic creations, though they sometimes manage to confuse the reality and fiction in spite of being aware of their artistic talents and possibility of confusing something. This contrast can be vividly traced in the play Six Characters in Search of an Author written by Luigi Pirandello and in TV shows that tend to describe events from lives of real people, suchlike The Jerry Springer Show. As the reality is always contrasted to illusion, it is considered to be opposite to it, though these two aspects can be treated as integral parts of our life regardless of their origin and relevance to the world of real or fictional things.
How the Play Is Conducted
The first thing that should be analyzed is the method how the fiction is conducted in the play and in the show. The play seems to be very original and fresh because of this technique implied in order to distinguish the real world and the fictional one. Though the play itself is the fiction, the author introduces six more characters that are searching for an author that would be able to rewrite their play and their lives accordingly.
The characters wanted to live another lives for they were not able to change their own ones. As the reality is different for fictional characters and those who play the roles of actors, it is necessary to state that the reality cannot be changed for the fictional characters. “We want to live, sir!” – said the Father, while the Director asked if they were going to live in actors for eternity, the father replied, “No, sir. Just for a moment – in you” (Pirandello 16). The fictional characters are likely to play themselves, though they do not understand that this all cannot be changed.
The fiction in the show is obvious and the audience can recognize the lies when they see it. One of the shows by Jerry Springer includes a discussion of relationships between a grandmother and her grandson (Spidey008 n.p.). Though the whole story can have been taken from the real life, the participants of the discussion are obviously actors. This can be neither proved nor refuted; however, the theme is outrageous and is absolutely explainable.
How the Life Is Presented
The reality in the Pirandello’s play is doubtful, though everything seems to be very clear and understandable. There are many realities in the play as well as in day-to-day lives of all people. One reality is revealed when we think about us as we know who we are, and the opposite reality is what the others think us to be. These two realities are both presented in the play and they both are real for certain people. The actors treat the characters that came to search for their author as fictional ones, while the characters consider the actors that were rehearsing a play unprofessional and their acting inappropriate. When the director decides to conduct a play of these six characters, the professional actors fail to represent emotions and gestures as claimed by the characters.
The only reality in The Jerry Springer Show is the story where a grandmother and her grandson were in intimate relations. All the rest, including performers, their emotions, and feelings demonstrated for people are parts of a play conducted to entertain the audience. However, the audience treats the events on the scene as they were supposed to as if these were the real people with the stories of their lives.
Conclusion
As illusion and reality are integral parts of our life, we should distinguish between the real life and events in it and the fictional world that can become the real one if someone believes in it desperately.
Works Cited
Pirandello, Luigi. Six Characters in Search of an Author. London: Nick Hern Books, 2003.
Spidey008. “Jerry Springer Show – Grandma and Grandson.” Shocking Family Secrets. YouTube, 2007. Web.