Why people believe a novel that is fiction as being true?

I think people think the DaVinci Code is true because they are honestly too lazy to go and find the real answers themselves. It's much easier to believe what Hollywood tells you. It takes no effort but to swallow the hogwash they are feeding.

I think Ashley M has a point. People are too lazy or disinterested to investigate further. However I believe that is an overly harsh assessment. The simple fact is that some things have a ring of truth to them and it is hard to remind yourself that you are reading the product of a writer's fertile imagination. Still most fiction novels written, which are well researched, have a great deal of proven factual information. The writers then come in and fill in the blank or factually indetermined areas with their own theories. I tend to believe that there is much that we, the people, are quite conveniently kept in the dark about. The writers are also part of the 'we' that I just spoke about so in most instances they are not the first ones to have come across the 'theories' that they then build their stories around. I then think that the people who read these novels enjoy them so much because someone is game enough to put into print that which is unproven and unsubstantiated but which is a possible answer to some of those bits and pieces that we are kept in the dark about. In other words someone provides them with a possible answer. What is good is that the debates that follow end up educating the reading public. Of course people can choose to believe or not. It's their right. So ultimately a controversial novel is a good thing. Like throwing a stone into a pond and watching the ripples spread out wider and wider.

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In another instance or example, I have loved the Lord of the Rings since I first read it when I was 12. All through the years since I have struggled to understand why when I read it I believe I am reading actual historical happenings. It feels like it happened. I have come to terms with those feelings in my own slightly esoteric way. I believe in the existence of alternative realities existing conjointly with our own. Because of this I now realise my feelings regarding The Lord of the Rings could be because it is a middle earth history in an alternate reality or dimension. I also believe in people living many lives not all on planet earth. So because of the beliefs I now hold I am at ease with the way I feel every time I read The Lord of the Rings. It may seem very weird and silly to you...but I assure you that my beliefs have evolved over many years of intense reading and meditation. So you can see that for me, reading a book and having an overiding sense of truth ringing out from the book is not much of a bother. Quite frankly I think it is ok and everyone, no matter what their beliefs, should give themselves a break and acknowledge what they feel, acknowledge that the data is unproven, and accept that contradiction. You know we are constantly learning more about our past every day. Things that were once considered heretical are now a matter of historical accuracy. So you do not know what the future will bring as far as revelations are concerned.

Judging by how many people use the words "fictional novel" together, I'm not sure the average person knows what the word NOVEL means.

I haven't read The Da Vinci Code, but from what I hear, Brown presents his "facts" in a pretty authentic way that seems completely plausible - until you start doing real research and find out how bogus just about everything in the book is.

The debate around the Da Vinci Code is rediculous. Obviously, the book is fiction...it has never been sold as anything but. the biggest people claiming that the book "has its facts wrong" is the religeous set. These are the same people that claim that Harry Potter is evil or that playing D7D will drive people to murder. Of course the book has its facts wrong...otherwise it would be non-fiction.

I would guess it is because, to make a fictional story feel true, there is fact within the story. For instance, in Da Vinci Code it goes on and on about Opus Dei and people assume its a fictional group because the book is fiction. Then the book goes further into rituals with the Opus Dei, which again, people assume they are fictional only to find out in factual life, The Opus Dei does exist ( I will not comment on the rituals as I am not a member and would feel wrong for saying what is the true ritual and what isn't)

Basically, people need to research and discover what is true.

It's strange, isn't it? I think that the content is presented in a clear and "exciting" manner. It made people think for a bit, at least, which is a good thing.

I couldn't find the quote on Dan Brown, but Ron Howard, the director of the movie says directly, "This is a work of fiction that presents a set of characters that are affected by these conspiracy theories and ideas. Those characters in this work of fiction act and react on that premise. It's not theology. It's not history. To start off with a disclaimer ... spy thrillers don't start off with disclaimers."

Novels via definition are fiction... Nonfiction books are no longer stated as novels...Fiction = novel... Biographies& Autobiographies are discovered frequently interior the nonfiction areas of bookstores and libraries... maybe you may desire to concentration on his biographies and not his novels (sarcasm) i do no longer have faith he has any novels out...

Because they donly know whwat the media tells them. The truth is, that this piece of fiction is based on some NON-fiction works such as Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Look it up.

same reason they believe everything they hear on the tv in the corporate news is true.

same reason they believe everything their religious dogma is true and unquestionably true

emotional thinking is done 95% of the day and if we try real hard to have an open objective mind critical thinkig is done5% of the day and most of us can't be bothered to do that let alone think for ourselves who wants to not fit in with the popular crowd

The masses tend to be simple minded, and want to believe in fiction over their own dull reality. Much of organized religion caters to this flaw in humanity.

The same reason people ban books like Harry Potter and Huck Finn.

Ignorance.