American army Quote by Doris Lessing
“The point is, that the function of the novel seems to be changing; it has become an outpost of journalism; we read novels for information about areas of life we don't know - Nigeria, South Africa, the American army, a coal-mining village, coteries in Chelsea, etc. We read to find out what is going on. One novel in five hundred or a thousand has the quality a novel should have to make it a novel - the quality of philosophy.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Novel and Its Function, 1975
Notes shift of novels toward journalistic information, losing philosophical depth.
In simple terms: Novels now inform, not philosophize.
Key Takeaway
Seek depth in reading.
Themes
literature
journalism
philosophy
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
literary
critical
When to use this quote
- reading habits
- education
- book clubs
Key Concepts
cultural studies
media theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What makes a novel philosophical?
- How to balance info and art?
A Different Perspective
Information overload can dilute art.
