--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Axiom : Novel must have either one living…" description: "\"Axiom : Novel must have either one living character or a perfect pattern: fails otherwise.\" — E. M. Forster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/e-m-forster-1118_axiom_axiom-novel-must-have-either-one-living_2364409.png" --- # Axiom : Novel must have either one living character or a… ![“Axiom : Novel must have either one living character or a perfect pattern: fails otherwise.” quote by E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/e-m-forster-1118_axiom_axiom-novel-must-have-either-one-living_2364409.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/e-m-forster-1118_axiom_axiom-novel-must-have-either-one-living_2364409.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/e-m-forster-1118_axiom_axiom-novel-must-have-either-one-living_2364409.png) > “Axiom : Novel must have either one living character or a perfect pattern: fails otherwise.” [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A story must focus on a single living protagonist or a flawless structural pattern, otherwise it collapses. **In simple terms:** Stories need a central character or perfect design. Key Takeaway Prioritize a clear protagonist or tight structure. Themes narrative structure character design Mood analytical critical Type literary theoretical When to use this quote - writing workshops - novel planning - editing - literary analysis Key Concepts protagonist pattern coherence Questions to Reflect On - Can a novel succeed with multiple protagonists? - What defines a “perfect pattern”? A Different Perspective If both elements are present, the story may become unfocused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Axiom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/axiom/) [Axiom Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/axiom-novel-5801246/) [Axioms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/axioms/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Living Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-character-287015/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Pattern Fails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pattern-fails-5801247/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A seemingly simple task like taking a bath or wearing a condom feels like multitasking to someone who suffers from hemiplegia or has only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-seemingly-simple-task-like-taking-a-bath-or-wearing-a-condom-feels/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“The world economy would collapse if a significant number of people were to realize and then act on the realization that it is possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-world-economy-would-collapse-if-a-significant-number-of-people/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Many a survivor of a plane crash who is or was against cannibalism and had never eaten human flesh once found themselves in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/many-a-survivor-of-a-plane-crash-who-is-or-was-against-cannibalism/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most sane human beings who have managed to attain and retain fame each uses it to dramatically increase their name’s chances of being remembered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-who-have-managed-to-attain-and-retain-fame/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A maid’s yard, house, wardrobe, fridge, etc. sometimes also serve as her master’s dustbin or dumpsite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-maid-s-yard-house-wardrobe-fridge-etc-sometimes-also-serve-as-her/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most sane human beings’ chances of being alive in a thousand years’ time are a hundred times higher than their chances of being sincerely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-chances-of-being-alive-in-a-thousand-years/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Some people who have been working out regularly for months or even years are still out of shape because the number of cheat days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-who-have-been-working-out-regularly-for-months-or-even/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The Axiom of Choice is necessary to select a set from an infinite number of socks, but not an infinite number of shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-axiom-of-choice-is-necessary-to-select-a-set-from-an-infinite/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Some people would have killed themselves and/or someone else if they were single; and some people would not have done that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-would-have-killed-themselves-and-or-someone-else-if-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Millions of business people are each constantly forced to choose between their desire to not be a bad person and their desire to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/millions-of-business-people-are-each-constantly-forced-to-choose/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most human beings would have never been pained by the death of a human being if they had never seen a human being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-human-beings-would-have-never-been-pained-by-the-death-of-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“One of the main functions of a push-up bra is to lower the number of mothers who seem like mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/one-of-the-main-functions-of-a-push-up-bra-is-to-lower-the-number-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by E. M. Forster > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Reverence is fatal to literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/reverence-is-fatal-to-literature/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. M. 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Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [The final test for a novel will be our affection for it, as it is the test of our friends, and of anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/the-final-test-for-a-novel-will-be-our-affection-for-it-as-it-is-the/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [America is rather like life. You can usually find in it what you look for It will probably be interesting, and it is sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/america-is-rather-like-life-you-can-usually-find-in-it-what-you-look/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [A critic has no right to the narrowness which is the frequent prerogative of the creative artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/a-critic-has-no-right-to-the-narrowness-which-is-the-frequent/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [All men are equal — all men, that is to say, who possess umbrellas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/all-men-are-equal-all-men-that-is-to-say-who-possess-umbrellas/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Before the civil war, Pottibakia was a normal member of the Comity of Nations. She erected tariff walls, broke treaties, persecuted minorities, obstructed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/before-the-civil-war-pottibakia-was-a-normal-member-of-the-comity-of/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Chess is a forcing house where the fruits of character can ripen more fully than in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/chess-is-a-forcing-house-where-the-fruits-of-character-can-ripen-more/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [I distrust Great Men... I believe in aristocracy, though... Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and all through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/i-distrust-great-men-i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-its-members-are/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Liking one person is an extra reason for liking another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/liking-one-person-is-an-extra-reason-for-liking-another/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [We are not concerned with the very poor. They are unthinkable, and only to be approached by the statistician or the poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/we-are-not-concerned-with-the-very-poor-they-are-unthinkable-and-only/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) [Explore all 287 E. M. Forster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## More Axiom quotes > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Excess of strength alone is proof of strength”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/excess-of-strength-alone-is-proof-of-strength/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The principal axiom in their theory was: Everything can be proved, and everything can be disproved; and in the process, one must profit as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-mendelssohn/the-principal-axiom-in-their-theory-was-everything-can-be-proved-and/) [Moses Mendelssohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-mendelssohn/) > [“Most human beings would have never been pained by the death of a human being if they had never seen a human being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-human-beings-would-have-never-been-pained-by-the-death-of-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Millions of business people are each constantly forced to choose between their desire to not be a bad person and their desire to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/millions-of-business-people-are-each-constantly-forced-to-choose/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“an axiom of sorcery: If you come to know yourself no one else can know you ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-hall/an-axiom-of-sorcery-if-you-come-to-know-yourself-no-one-else-can-know/) [Rodney Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-hall/) > [“Some people would have killed themselves and/or someone else if they were single; and some people would not have done that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-would-have-killed-themselves-and-or-someone-else-if-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The Axiom of Choice is necessary to select a set from an infinite number of socks, but not an infinite number of shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-axiom-of-choice-is-necessary-to-select-a-set-from-an-infinite/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Some people who have been working out regularly for months or even years are still out of shape because the number of cheat days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-who-have-been-working-out-regularly-for-months-or-even/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most sane human beings’ chances of being alive in a thousand years’ time are a hundred times higher than their chances of being sincerely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-chances-of-being-alive-in-a-thousand-years/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A maid’s yard, house, wardrobe, fridge, etc. sometimes also serve as her master’s dustbin or dumpsite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-maid-s-yard-house-wardrobe-fridge-etc-sometimes-also-serve-as-her/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most sane human beings who have managed to attain and retain fame each uses it to dramatically increase their name’s chances of being remembered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-who-have-managed-to-attain-and-retain-fame/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Scientific axiology arises from the unfolding of the following axiom: Value is the degree in which a thing possesses the set of qualities corresponding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-william-davis/scientific-axiology-arises-from-the-unfolding-of-the-following-axiom/) [John William Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-william-davis/) [Browse all 116 Axiom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/axiom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Axiom : Novel must have either one living character or a perfect pattern: fails otherwise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E. 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