--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is in their 'good' characters that…" description: "\"It is in their 'good' characters that novelists make, unawares, the most shocking self- revelations.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/c-s-lewis-2-132_character_it-is-in-their-good-characters-that-nove_826535.png" --- # It is in their 'good' characters that novelists make… ![“It is in their 'good' characters that novelists make, unawares, the most shocking self- revelations.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/c-s-lewis-2-132_character_it-is-in-their-good-characters-that-nove_826535.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/c-s-lewis-2-132_character_it-is-in-their-good-characters-that-nove_826535.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/c-s-lewis-2-132_character_it-is-in-their-good-characters-that-nove_826535.png) > “It is in their 'good' characters that novelists make, unawares, the most shocking self- revelations.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers unintentionally expose their own deepest truths through the characters they create. **In simple terms:** Authors reveal hidden selves via their stories. Key Takeaway Recognize personal insights in creative work. Themes self‑discovery creativity psychology Mood introspective thoughtful Type literary psychological When to use this quote - writing workshops - literary analysis - therapy sessions Key Concepts unconscious bias authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - How do your characters reflect your own fears? - What hidden truths have you uncovered through writing? A Different Perspective The revelation may be distorted by narrative constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Good character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-character/) [Novelists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelists/) [Revelations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revelations/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self revelation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-revelation/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [There were several points where I would kind of turn to the book and say, "Get thee behind me." I don't think real novelists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/there-were-several-points-where-i-would-kind-of-turn-to-the-book-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [God gets the great stories. Novelists must make do with more mundane fictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/god-gets-the-great-stories-novelists-must-make-do-with-more-mundane/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [The value of the Old Testament may be dependant on what seems its imperfection. It may repel one use in order that we may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-value-of-the-old-testament-may-be-dependant-on-what-seems-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The greatest act of self-revelation occurs when we choose what we will believe, in that space of freedom that exists between knowing that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-act-of-self-revelation-occurs-when-we-choose-what-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How can we know ourselves by ourselves? . . . Soul needs intimate connection, not only to individuate, but simply to live. For this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/how-can-we-know-ourselves-by-ourselves-soul-needs-intimate-connection/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [“The call to faith, in this light, is not some test of a coy god, waiting to see if we "get it right." It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terryl-l-givens/the-call-to-faith-in-this-light-is-not-some-test-of-a-coy-god-waiting/) [Terryl L. Givens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terryl-l-givens/) > [I've never been much for self-revelation. In two decades of public life, I always approached the limelight with extreme caution. Not that I kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-ve-never-been-much-for-self-revelation-in-two-decades-of-public/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [“Don't wait for the law of attraction to happen to you; make it happen for you, by taking action. 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But my generation needs to realize that Christianity is more than chic fragility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/sincerity-is-a-christian-virtue-as-is-honesty-about-our-struggles-but/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [The traditional gender ideals of the strong-silent man who plays his cards close to his chest and the mysterious woman who disguises her feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/the-traditional-gender-ideals-of-the-strong-silent-man-who-plays-his/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) > [In anthropology, which historically exists to 'give voice' to others, there is no greater taboo than self-revelation. The impetus of our discipline, with its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-behar/in-anthropology-which-historically-exists-to-give-voice-to-others/) [Ruth Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-behar/) > [The transformation of silence into language and action is an act of self-revelation .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-transformation-of-silence-into-language-and-action-is-an-act-of/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“Literature, like magic, has always been about the handling of secrets, about the pain, the destruction, and the marvelous liberation that can result when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/literature-like-magic-has-always-been-about-the-handling-of-secrets-2/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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