Somewhere Between Fact & Fiction...

I don't feel that either Grey Owl or James Frey are liars. I believe that in the case of Grey Owl he felt that he was this person that he became. He wasn't a white englishman, he was a native american; he lived it, loved it, and felt it within himself. It was because of his beliefs and love of the preservation of the land that he hoped to "evoke sympathy and caring for the land that sustains us all."

James Frey's memoir, A Million Little Pieces was a major success until it/he was banned from 'Oprah's Kingdom'. It was noted that although the events that took place did happen, that the details were exaggerated and fabricated for mass appeal. The book in my opinion however, is beyond entertaining ; it is informative. I thought that even knowing that all the details may not have taken place exactly as Frey describes, the important issue is the underlying theme: Overcoming addiction and the process by which this is done. The dark side of addiction. The dark side of drug use.

In both of these cases, the issue is not about the lie. Lies are a part of the world that we are in, everyone lies for some reason, whether to protect themselves or protect others. Lies are details. Details bring attention to the larger issue. They both used illustration and imagery to bring attention. People are naturally drawn to details and exaggerations, they keep us connected to what we are doing. It was important for both men to use their details to their advantage. Sometimes it is important to blur the lines between fact and fiction. Blurring these lines helps to better understand the larger issues.