Q&A Question 1

Is fiction necessarily comprised of pretend assertions as claimed by Searle?

In his attempt to break down the art of fiction into a series of illocutionary acts, Searle claims that fiction is comprised of a series of pretend assertions. Searle's defense of this claim seems to be strong; that a work of fiction must correspond to the pretend world in the same way that a series of assertions must correspond to reality. For the majority of fictional works, this seems to be the case. But what happens if a work is not comprised of pretend assertions, as part or all of the story does not adhere to the four criteria of an assertion? For instance, in the novel The Catcher in the Rye, the story is narrated by the main character, who at first appears to be making assertions. As the reader follows the story, however, the "truth" behind much of Holden Caulfield's narration comes into question. By the end of the story, it's not even apparent that Holden himself believes that much of what he is saying is true.

Would the Catcher in the Rye be eliminated from fiction under Searle's definition?