Comparing the Elements of Fictional Stories and Essays Essay

In this comparison, I will discuss the comparison of fictional stories and nonfiction essays. I will also discuss how narrative is used very differently in both genres. Some of these fictional stories and nonfiction essays may be more superior to others when discussing workplace themes. I have chosen to write about A Delicate Balance by Jose Armas and The Boy and the Bank Officer by Phillip Ross. Why did I choose these stories, for one although one of them is fiction and the other non-fiction I can relate to them both on a personal level such as both writers did. In this paper I will discuss the difference between the way the characters were written about and portrayed and I will also compare some of the ways they acted alike. In my review of a Delicate Balance I found that in this story Jose Armas has two main characters, Romero Estrada the town sweeper and Seferino the eldest son of Barelas the town barber. Romero Estrada is the main character in this fiction story, whose part is featured throughout the story. The writer goes to great lengths to put great emphasis on how Romero takes care of the streets in the town of Golden Heights Centro where he lives, he pays great attention to detail and never ask for anything, but yet in return he has always been taken care of by the other shop owners of the town, making sure they have provided from him, by giving him things that he needs instead of money for his work. Although Romero volunteers his time and effort he loves and takes great pride in what he does. The next story I would like to discuss is The Boy and the Bank Teller in which no names are given and it seems that there is one main character. This character is a man who reflects on how a friend of his feels about banks as he himself enters a bank to open an account. There are two other characters which are the bank teller and the boy. At first, because of the title, I thought that  the boy was the main character. After reading it, it seems that the man who walked into the bank was the main character. He was the one who stepped up and was trying to represent the boy and his cause. In the end, though, he finds out that the bank teller was the one who was trying to protect the boy’s interests. The author draws attention to how a situation can be interpreted one way, but in reality, is something completely different. We all so often do this in real life. The main characters in these two stories are very loyal to their cause. One who takes pride in his work and the other who takes pride in defending someone’s cause. Although in the first story more detail is given so that the reader is getting all the facts and in the second story no names are given so that the reader can relate more to the cause and urgency of the boy and use ones imagination. The narrative in a fictional story can be superior in discussing workplace themes because of the attention to detail. Sometimes giving step-by-step instructions on how certain situations should be handled. The narrative in a nonfictional story can be superior because the reader is allowed to use their imagination and it also leaves room for more alternative and choices on dealing with real workplace situations. In conclusion, the literary writings of the past and the present pose a great point of view to the reader. These points of views from different times and the present serve as tools to our future.