Literary fiction, also known as serious fiction, is a term principally used for
fictional works that hold
literary merit, that is to say, they are works that offer deliberate
social commentary,
political criticism, or focus on the individual to explore some part of the
human condition. Literary fiction is deliberately written in dialogue with existing works, created with the above aims in mind. Literary fiction is focused more on themes than on plot, and it is common for literary fiction to be taught and discussed in schools and universities.