Ong's Fictionalizing Process

In Ong’s essay “The Writer’s Audience is always Fiction,” he discusses what he refers to as the fictionalizing process of an audience, which is pivotal in establishing an author reader relationship. Ong believes that without this relationship a writer can not effectively speak to his audience. Ong briefly discusses the ways in which this relationship is created by an author with his examples of Faulkner and Hemingway. Faulkner’s diction and complexity make his works quite difficult to read, which Ong argues is Faulkner’s intention. Faulkner seems to have intended for highly educated, almost academic elite to be the ones studying his works, a very specific audience.

On the other hand, Hemingway can be read by almost anyone fairly easily. Ong states that Hemingway is able to create “writer-reader camaraderie” through his personal and conversational writings (Ong 15). This means that Hemingway tells his story in a way that the reader is supposed to feel as if they are a part of the group and present in the story. This relationship perfectly describes myself as a reader of Hemingway and why he is so enjoyable to read.

Ong draws parallels between the works of Hemingway and that of epic poetry. I personally see many similarities between these two styles in the sense that a main character is on somewhat of a journey. Ong believes that the fictionalizing relationship of an orator of an epic poem is different than that of a writer such as Hemingway. This is due to the fact that epic poems exist in a fairytale land while others take place in reality. I agree that the fictionalizing processes are different because obviously one is oral and the other written, both limited to the constraints of their respective mediums. However, I think that epic poetry and most writing for that matter attempts to create “writer-reader camaraderie” that Hemingway was known for. When reading or hearing an epic, one does not imagine it on a screen in front of them, but rather in the world around them. The sense of camaraderie makes the reader feel as if they’re going on an adventure with the author. A rough example of this type of fictionalizing process is in the film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” It begins with the audience in the shower with Ferris, who talks directly to them throughout the movie. Talking directly to the audience in such a relatable tone makes me feel like I’m skipping school and running around Chicago with Ferris, Sloan and Cameron.

Pete