Great Tolstoy Quote
November 20, 2009
I discovered a great quote by Leo Tolstoy this week. As most readers will probably know, I am passionate about myth and fascinated by the fact that human beings have (seemingly) always told stories. One question that often arises in discussions about the meaning of a story is this: why didn’t the author write a non-fiction piece instead, an essay or an op-ed article. Here’s how Tolstoy responded when asked about what he was trying to say in Anna Karenina:
If I wished to say in words all that I intended to express in the novel, I would have to write from the very beginning the same novel that I had already written. And if critics understand and can express in a newspaper article what I want to say, I must congratulate them.
With some books, the author’s message and intentions can be so blatant that they are distracting; it feels like the author cares more about preaching his personal agenda than he does about telling a good story. This Tolstoy quote is a refreshing reminder that other authors see the narrative elements of their work as essential to the meaning, not just as an unnecessary cloak that can just easily be removed.