It really felt like my generation was deprived of a future that we believed was ours. I don't mean some hugely privileged future where we all have gigantic houses. I mean having a job.
Sally RooneyRead
When I read interviews with people like Kevin Barry or Colin Barrett, who I hugely admire, they don't really seem to come up against the question of likeability even though their characters, in some instances, are really horrible.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The likeability of characters can be secondary to their complexity and the admiration for the authors who create them.
Sally Rooney reflects on her admiration for writers like Kevin Barry and Colin Barrett, noting that their characters, despite being unlikable, do not elicit questions of likeability in the authors' works. This observation suggests that depth and authenticity in character creation hold greater significance than superficial appeal, challenging the traditional notion of character assessment in literature.
Themes
LikeabilityCharactersAdmirationAuthenticityLiterature
In practice
Example use cases
In a book club discussion about character development, this quote can illustrate the complexity of unlikable characters.
More from Sally Rooney
All quotes →I find myself consistently drawn to writing about intimacy and the way we construct one another.
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Class is something that I think seriously about and try to organise my politics around. I think there are lots of novels that don't really engage with questions of class at all, and they get less conversation about issues of social privilege than I do. But it's better to try and talk about it and maybe fail.
Sally RooneyRead
I gave myself the small task of writing honestly about the kind of life I knew. I believe there is some value in carrying out that task, however limited.
Sally RooneyRead
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