Is it ok to make up facts in an essay?

Question

im doing an essay on david copperfield and the topic is a letter from mr. pegotty to little em'ly as a biography of her life

is it ok to 'fill' in the blanks left by charles dickens,

and is it ok to say that idk, Mr. Pegotty studied english gramar, so his letter is actually legible, and is it ok to say that Mr. pegotty overheard conversations that he really didnt, like little em'ly and david's walk on the beach

Answer 1

An essay is factual...anything made up is fictional, however, you could set up a hypothetical instance in which you could "fill" in the blanks with a supposition of what Dickens might have intended.

Also a hypothetical situation could be used to to describe the conversation Mr. Pegotty might have  heard had he heard the conversation between David and Emily..

I ff you use the hypothetical; just report what they said rather than writing it as conversation. That will save you from writing in dialect.

I.e. Suppose Pegotty had overheard them, hypothetically, Emily might have remarked to David that she wanted to sail far and wide while Mr Pegotty may well have doubted that could ever happen..

Answer 2

What you are writing is a work of fiction, based on a novel (another work of fiction)

So in this case everything about the subject is fiction..  I would write what ever I wanted and have fun with it

Answer 3

You cant make up a FACT, a fact is a peice of true information..  you cant make it up.  

Answer 4

just write a disclaimer...most books and tv shows have them,... NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THE INOCENT...."STORY BASED ON A BOOK BY DICKENS"    like that...10 pts please..

Answer 5

I'm not sure what grade you are in, but no; it's NOT okay to make up facts on any paper you are writing.  Thats a really good way to fail a paper.

Answer 6

no no and no. You are rerwriting the book.

What would be the point of doing this? There's enough to be said about this subject without having to change the reality, or facts, of the text.

Frankly, I really wonder what they teach you kids in school any more.