If certain books are to be termed 'immigrant fiction,' what do we call the rest? Native fiction? Puritan fiction? This distinction doesn't agree with me.
Jhumpa LahiriRead
It interests me to imagine characters shifting from one situation and one location to another for whatever the circumstances may be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the curiosity about characters and their experiences in different environments and situations.
Jhumpa Lahiri's quote expresses an interest in the dynamics of storytelling, highlighting how characters evolve and adapt when they encounter new situations and places. This concept underscores the complexity of human experiences, suggesting that our circumstances can significantly shape our identities and relationships.
Themes
CharactersSituationsLocationCircumstancesStorytelling
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a creative writing workshop to inspire writers to think about character development.
More from Jhumpa Lahiri
All quotes βWhen I sit down to write, I don't think about writing about an idea or a given message. I just try to write a story which is hard enough.
Jhumpa LahiriRead
When I am experiencing a complex story or novel, the broader planes, and also details, tend to fall away.
Jhumpa LahiriRead
I think each time you start a story or novel or whatever, you are absolutely at the bottom of the ladder all over again. It doesn't matter what you've done before.
Jhumpa LahiriRead
The sky was different, without color, taut and unforgiving. But the water was the most unforgiving thing, nearly black at times, cold enough, I knew, to kill me, violent enough to break me apart. The waves were immense, battering rocky beaches without sand. The farther I went, the more desolate it became, more than any place I'd been, but for this very reason the landscape drew me, claimed me as nothing had in a long time.
Jhumpa LahiriRead
On the technical side, I hope that my writing is evolving and maturing, ripening, deepening.
Jhumpa LahiriRead
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