Really good books need a chaos element: something weird or inexplicable.
Michel FaberRead
Total oblivion is the fate of almost everything in this world. I'm very likely to suffer that same fate; my work will probably not be remembered, and if any of it is, if any of those novels is fated to be one of those novels that is still being read 50 or 100 years after it was written, I've probably already written it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the inevitability of being forgotten and the fleeting nature of legacy.
Michel Faber's quote explores the idea that most of human effort and creation will eventually fade into obscurity over time. He suggests that while he acknowledges the likelihood of his own work being forgotten, he also believes that if any of his novels are to endure, they have likely already been written. This contemplation invites a deeper discussion about the significance of our contributions and the transient nature of fame and recognition.
Themes
OblivionLegacyMemoryCreationTransience
In practice
Example use cases
This quote is perfect for a literary discussion on the nature of art and immortality.
More from Michel Faber
All quotes →Of course I know that the twins are only words on a page, and I'm certainly not the sort of writer who talks to his characters or harbours any illusions about the creative process. But at the same time, I think it's juvenile and arrogant when literary writers compulsively remind their readers that the characters aren't real. People know that already. The challenge is to make an intelligent reader suspend disbelief, to seduce them into the reality of a narrative.
Michel FaberRead
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