Determine whether or not each of the following statements describes a work of historical fiction

An author writes about a real life scientist and how he discovered penicillin by accident in the 1920s.
An au tv or writes about two fictional brothers who go to California during the gold rush in the 1800s.
An author writes about a scientist who invents a time travel device and goes to prehistoric times.
An author writes about two sisters who work together to create a brand new social media platform.

1 answer

To determine whether each statement describes a work of historical fiction, we need to understand that historical fiction typically involves a narrative set in the past that includes real historical events, people, or contexts, interwoven with fictional elements. Here's an analysis of each statement:

  1. An author writes about a real-life scientist and how he discovered penicillin by accident in the 1920s.

    • This is historical fiction because it involves a real historical figure (the scientist) and a significant historical event (the discovery of penicillin).
  2. An author writes about two fictional brothers who go to California during the gold rush in the 1800s.

    • This is also historical fiction since it is set in a real historical period (the California Gold Rush) even though the characters are fictional.
  3. An author writes about a scientist who invents a time travel device and goes to prehistoric times.

    • This is not historical fiction. While it involves a journey to the past, the premise includes fictional elements (time travel) that place it more in the realm of science fiction rather than historical fiction.
  4. An author writes about two sisters who work together to create a brand new social media platform.

    • This is not historical fiction as it describes a contemporary scenario that does not involve historical events or contexts.

In summary:

  • Statement 1: Historical fiction
  • Statement 2: Historical fiction
  • Statement 3: Not historical fiction
  • Statement 4: Not historical fiction