A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick -- a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.
Neil GaimanRead
Fiction gives us empathy: it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gifts of seeing the world through their eyes. Fiction is a lie that tells us true things, over and over.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Fiction allows us to understand others' perspectives and reveals deeper truths about life.
This quote by Neil Gaiman highlights the transformative power of fiction in fostering empathy. By immersing ourselves in stories, we can understand and experience the lives, thoughts, and feelings of others, even if those narratives are fictional. Fiction serves not just as entertainment but as a medium that conveys enduring truths about human nature and society.
Themes
FictionEmpathyPerspectiveTruthStorytelling
In practice
Example use cases
During a book club discussion about a novel that explores mental health.
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When I think of the books I love, there's always a little laughter in the dark.
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Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
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