Of the widow's countless death-duties there is really just one that matters: on the first anniversary of her husband's death the widow should think I kept myself alive.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
To be true to life, a novel must have an ending that is inevitable given the specific personalities of the characters involved. The novelist must not impose an ending upon them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A novel's conclusion should naturally arise from its characters' personalities rather than being artificially imposed by the author.
Joyce Carol Oates emphasizes the importance of character-driven narratives in literature, suggesting that an authentic ending for a novel should stem from the inherent traits and decisions of its characters. This perspective advocates for a genuine representation of life, where the outcomes reflect the complexities and realities of human nature rather than being dictated by external forces or the author’s whims.
Themes
NovelCharactersEndingInevitableAuthenticity
In practice
Example use cases
In a writing workshop, to emphasize the importance of character development, I might quote this to inspire my peers.
More from Joyce Carol Oates
All quotes →I never really knew I wanted to 'be' a writer, but I was always writing from a very young age. It became more conscious as an ideal when I was in my twenties.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
I'm drawn to write about upstate New York in the way in which a dreamer might have recurring dreams. My childhood and girlhood were spent in upstate New York, in the country north of Buffalo and West of Rochester. So this part of New York state is very familiar to me and, with its economic difficulties, has become emblematic of much of American life.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
My writing is often a way of 'bearing witness' for others who lack the education and the opportunity to tell their own stories, so I hope that my writing won't be affected too much by my personal life.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
The worst cynicism: a belief in luck.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
. . . there is a wish in the heart of mankind to be distracted and confused. Truth is but one attraction, and not always the most powerful.
Joyce Carol OatesRead
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