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
Great, big, serious novels always get awards. If it's a battle between a great, big, serious novel and a funny novel, the funny novel is doomed.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Funny novels often struggle to receive recognition compared to serious ones, despite their value.
In this quote, Neil Gaiman reflects on the literary awards landscape, suggesting that serious novels tend to overshadow their humorous counterparts. He implies that there is a cultural bias that favors gravitas over humor, despite the impact and importance that funny novels can have on readers and society as a whole.
Themes
HumorNovelsLiteratureAwardsBias
In practice
Example use cases
This quote is perfect for a literary discussion on the recognition of comedy in literature.
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