I spent a lot of time as a volunteer in a nursing home in…
““I spent a lot of time as a volunteer in a nursing home in Amherst last summer. I was reading Dante's Divine Comedy to an old man, Mr. Shulman. One day, I asked him where he was from. He said, 'Just east of here, the Rockies.' I said, 'Mr. Shulman, the Rockies are west of here.' He did a voilà with his hands, and then said, 'I move mountains.' That stuck with me. Fiction either moves mountains it it's boring; it moves mountains or it sits on its ass. -Interview with Larry McCaffery (1993)””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Fiction must either inspire profound change or be pointless; it should challenge and move readers like moving mountains.
In simple terms: Stories should inspire or be boring.
Key Takeaway
Seek narratives that shift perspectives.
Themes
creativity
purpose
literature
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- Teaching
- writing workshops
- personal growth
- community storytelling
Key Concepts
Narrative impact
transformative power
Questions to Reflect On
- What story has moved you?
- How do you assess a story’s impact?
A Different Perspective
Not all stories succeed in moving mountains; some may still entertain without deep impact.