In
the creative writing activity we did last class, we wrote down several aspects
that differentiate adventure narratives from a simple retelling of a past
experience. Every aspect we mentioned made sense from the incorporation of
vivid detail to the addition of dialogue between characters, which have
generally made for effective adventure narratives in our books throughout the
semester. One of the key differences is the act of embellishing/dramatization
of a story. Albanov kept a diary on his 235 mile journey after he left the
Saint Anna. In the introduction by David Roberts, he mentions that Albanov “In
his book, he recasts the narrative as that diary, though without doubt the
entries have been enhanced and polished” (pg. xix).
I thought it was righteous to admit that there is certainly
a level of enhancement that takes place when writing an adventure narrative,
even if a direct account of the experience is being used (i.e. a diary). It is
almost impossible to recount a story objectively as it is happening because the
act of writing down an experience requires the filtering of said experience
through the writer’s mind and thus a completely objective adventure narrative is
nearly impossible.
Your comment distinctively reminds me of how movies frequently advertise "Based on a True Story." In doing so, they are attempting to increase historical interest in their film, and foster emotional attachment to the events that get depicted. That said, the words "based on a true story" do not legally bind them in any way to accurately recreating anything. Their film could be "creatively based on a true story," or "dramatically based on a true story." So why say anything in the first place? This brings us back to the class' discussion about what there is to gain for an author by marketing their story as nonfiction. What is the significance to the reader/viewer? Do audiences more readily relate to a nonfiction story, or are they more willing to embrace an armchair adventurer's detachment, therefore accepting slanted truths as facts, and appreciating the adventure.
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