Do you agree that reading historical fiction like the Silver Pigs is a better way of learning about history than history lessons?

Some people may say that reading historical fiction is better than history lessons. In some ways I do agree with this because you wouldn’t get homework, it would be more interesting and more atmospheres, you can read any where and as it is more interesting you would remember more. For example we read a passage from the silver pigs and I remember that they used hot turnip mash to cure chilblains. Also classes are at a set time so you can’t stop them when you like and sometimes you may not want to learn all the things you are told.

However others may say that history lessons are better than historical fiction. When you are in class the teacher is there to help when a student doesn’t understand something and to teach us in a way in which we can understand. For example we were given an exercise to do which involved drawing a hippo in a crate. This was to help us remember Hippocrates and all the things that he believed in, like observation and the Hippocratic Oath. Unlike lessons historical fiction may not all be true. Many of the writers may exaggerate for effect and to make it more interesting. The book may not have an index so that you can find the specific information you may need or any pictures to refer the information you have read to. Also in lessons we go in to more depth into the specific information that we need to learn and are able to share our ideas about the work with our teacher and our peers, to get a better understanding of the topic and put the information to practice.

Having examined the arguments I feel that the most useful method for learning history is in history lessons because there we are able to get help and only learn the information that we actually need for our exams. People who perhaps learn better when reading text, reading from another person’s point of view, or are studying history for a whole different reason may find Historical Fiction a better learning method.