Causation Fallacy in Literature

Causation Fallacy in Literature: Introduction

The causation fallacy in literature manifests when a writer erroneously attributes cause-and-effect relationships between events or characters without adequate evidence or logical support. This fallacy can distort the narrative’s intended meaning, leading to oversimplified conclusions about character motivations or plot developments.

Writers may inadvertently engage in causation fallacy by assuming that sequential occurrences inherently imply causation, neglecting the nuanced complexities that contribute to the story’s unfolding. Detecting and understanding causation fallacies in literature is crucial for readers and critics alike, as it promotes a more nuanced and accurate interpretation of the author’s intended message. Ultimately, recognizing and avoiding causation fallacies enhances the depth and authenticity of literary analysis.

Causation Fallacy in Literature: Shakespearean Examples

1. Post Hoc Fallacy in “Macbeth”:
   • Example: Macbeth sees the witches’ prophecies come true and believes that their predictions caused his actions, overlooking his own choices and ambitions.
2. Cum Hoc Fallacy in “Othello”:
   • Example: Othello becomes jealous of Cassio due to Iago’s manipulations, assuming Cassio’s presence with Desdemona is the cause of her perceived infidelity.
3. Ignored Third Variable Fallacy in “Romeo and Juliet”:
   • Example: The deaths of Romeo and Juliet are often attributed to their love, ignoring the feud between their families as a significant third variable contributing to the tragedy.
4. Regression Fallacy in “Hamlet”:
   • Example: After the ghost appears, Hamlet’s erratic behavior is attributed to supernatural influence, ignoring the natural grief and turmoil he experiences after his father’s death.
5. False Analogy in “Julius Caesar”:
   • Example: Brutus believes killing Caesar is akin to preventing the rise of a tyrant, falsely analogizing the situation to justify his actions without considering the complexities of leadership.
6. Cherry Picking in “King Lear”:
   • Example: Lear fixates on Cordelia’s refusal to flatter him, attributing her supposed lack of love as the cause of their strained relationship, while neglecting his own role in the family dynamic.
7. Misleading Causation in “The Tempest”:
   • Example: Prospero uses his magical powers to manipulate events on the island, leading characters to believe that the magical elements directly cause the unfolding events, rather than Prospero’s orchestrated schemes.

Causation Fallacy in Literature: Examples

1. Post Hoc Fallacy in “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia):
   • Example: The character Remedios dies after ascending to the sky, and some characters attribute her death to her ascension, assuming a causal link.
2. Cum Hoc Fallacy in “The Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov (Russia):
   • Example: Woland, the devil, arrives in Moscow, and chaos ensues. Characters mistakenly associate the devil’s arrival with the ensuing mayhem.
3. Ignored Third Variable Fallacy in “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel (Mexico):
   • Example: Tita’s emotions influence the kitchen and the food she prepares. The narrative sometimes overlooks external factors, such as family dynamics, contributing to the outcomes.
4. Regression Fallacy in “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia):
   • Example: The Vicario twins kill Santiago Nasar based on a perceived threat to their sister’s honor, assuming this act will restore their family’s honor, overlooking the irreparable consequences.
5. False Analogy in “The Trial” by Franz Kafka (Czech Republic):
   • Example: Josef K. is arrested without being informed of the charges, and he falsely analogizes the legal proceedings to his everyday life, assuming they follow the same logical principles.
6. Cherry Picking in “Blindness” by Jose Saramago (Portugal):
   • Example: In the face of an epidemic of sudden blindness, characters fixate on specific instances of violence, attributing the collapse of social order solely to the loss of sight.
7. Misleading Causation in “Death and the Maiden” by Ariel Dorfman (Chile):
   • Example: Paulina believes that Dr. Miranda is the man who tortured her years ago. Her quest for justice becomes a focal point, misleading characters and readers about the true nature of the past events.
8. Post Hoc Fallacy in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka (Czech Republic):
   • Example: Gregor Samsa wakes up transformed into an insect, and family members attribute his transformation to the stress he faced at work, oversimplifying the situation.
9. Cum Hoc Fallacy in “Norwegian Wood” by Haruki Murakami (Japan):
   • Example: Naoko experiences mental health struggles after her boyfriend’s suicide, and characters associate her condition solely with the trauma, overlooking other contributing factors.
10. Regression Fallacy in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria):
    • Example: The Igbo society undergoes changes with the arrival of the colonialists, and characters like Okonkwo assume that returning to traditional values will restore their former way of life, ignoring irreversible external influences.

Causation Fallacy in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance to Causation Fallacy in Literature
Formalism	Causation fallacies can distort the internal coherence of a literary work, impacting its structure and narrative integrity.
Structuralism	Structuralist analysis may identify how causation fallacies affect the underlying patterns and relationships within a literary text.
Feminist Criticism	Causation fallacies may perpetuate gender stereotypes or oversimplify character motivations, impacting feminist interpretations of literature.
Marxist Criticism	Marxist critics might explore how causation fallacies reflect or reinforce class-based ideologies in literature, influencing character agency and social dynamics.
Postcolonial Criticism	Causation fallacies may contribute to misrepresentations of historical events or cultures in postcolonial literature, influencing the narrative’s ideological impact.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Psychoanalytic perspectives might examine how causation fallacies reveal characters’ subconscious motivations, impacting the psychological depth of literary analysis.
Reader-Response Theory	Reader responses may be influenced by causation fallacies, affecting how readers interpret characters’ actions and relationships within the narrative.

Recognizing and analyzing causation fallacies in literature is essential across various literary theories, as they can impact the interpretation and understanding of characters, plot developments, and overarching themes within a literary work.

Causation Fallacy in Literature: Relevant Terms

Fallacy Type	Brief Definition	Example in Literature
Post Hoc Fallacy	Incorrectly assuming causation because one event follows another.	In “Macbeth,” Macbeth believes the witches’ prophecies directly cause his actions.
Cum Hoc Fallacy	Incorrectly associating two events occurring simultaneously as causally related.	In “Othello,” Othello believes Cassio’s presence with Desdemona causes her infidelity.
Ignored Third Variable Fallacy	Overlooking other factors that may influence the observed relationship.	In “Romeo and Juliet,” attributing the tragedy solely to the love between the protagonists.
Regression Fallacy	Assuming a trend will continue without considering natural fluctuations.	In “Hamlet,” attributing Hamlet’s erratic behavior solely to supernatural influence.
False Analogy	Drawing a flawed comparison to justify a conclusion.	In “Julius Caesar,” Brutus falsely analogizes killing Caesar to preventing tyranny.
Cherry Picking	Selectively choosing evidence to support a predetermined conclusion.	In “King Lear,” focusing only on Cordelia’s refusal to flatter, neglecting other dynamics.
Misleading Causation	Creating a false impression that one event directly causes another.	In “The Tempest,” characters assume magical elements directly cause unfolding events.

Causation Fallacy in Literature: Suggested Readings

1. Aristotle. On Rhetoric: A Theory of Civic Discourse. Translated by George A. Kennedy, Oxford UP, 2007.
2. Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. 4th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2016.
3. Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2014.
4. Heinrichs, Jay. Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion. 3rd ed., Three Rivers Press, 2017.
5. Lanham, Richard A. A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms. 2nd ed., University of California Press, 1991.
6. Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everything’s an Argument with Readings. 8th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2019.
7. Perelman, Chaim, and Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca. The New Rhetoric: A Treatise on Argumentation. Translated by John Wilkinson and Purcell Weaver, University of Notre Dame Press, 1969.
8. Strunk, William, and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. 4th ed., Pearson, 1999.