A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
It is in their 'good' characters that novelists make, unawares, the most shocking self- revelations.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Novelists unintentionally reveal deep truths about themselves through their characters.
C. S. Lewis suggests that when novelists create their characters, the traits they imbue in them often reflect their own values, beliefs, and internal struggles, revealing aspects of the authorsβ personalities that they may not even consciously recognize. This process not only emphasizes the role of character development in storytelling but also highlights the intricate connection between a writer's identity and their narrative creations.
Themes
NovelistsCharactersSelf-RevelationIdentityStorytelling
In practice
Example use cases
In a literary discussion about character depth, one could use this quote to highlight how characters often mirror the author's psyche.
More from C. S. Lewis
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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