--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Characters on stage should be flat, like…" description: "\"Characters on stage should be flat, like clothes in a fashion show: what you get should be no more than what you see. Psychological realism is repulsiv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/elfriede-jelinek-4485_block_characters-on-stage-should-be-flat-like_2192836.jpg" --- # Characters on stage should be flat, like clothes in a… ![“Characters on stage should be flat, like clothes in a fashion show: what you get should be no more than what you see. Psychological realism is repulsive, because it allows us to escape unpalatable reality by taking shelter in the “luxuriousness” of personality, losing ourselves in the depth of…” quote by Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/elfriede-jelinek-4485_block_characters-on-stage-should-be-flat-like_2192836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/elfriede-jelinek-4485_block_characters-on-stage-should-be-flat-like_2192836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/elfriede-jelinek-4485_block_characters-on-stage-should-be-flat-like_2192836.jpg) > “Characters on stage should be flat, like clothes in a fashion show: what you get should be no more than what you see. Psychological realism is repulsive, because it allows us to escape unpalatable reality by taking shelter in the “luxuriousness” of personality, losing ourselves in the depth of individual character. The writer's task is to block this manoeuvre, to chase us off to a point from which we can view the horror with a dispassionate eye.” [Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that flat, surface‑level characters prevent audiences from hiding behind deep psychological realism, forcing a detached view of horror. **In simple terms:** Flat characters keep us from escaping into complex personalities. Key Takeaway Embrace simplicity to confront unsettling truths. Themes theatre psychology reality character horror Mood analytical critical detached Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stage direction - acting workshops - script analysis - audience critique Key Concepts flatness psychological realism dispassionate observation Questions to Reflect On - How does simplicity affect audience empathy? - Can horror be conveyed without deep character? A Different Perspective Flatness may limit emotional depth and audience connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Depth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depth/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Fashion show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion-show/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological/) [Realism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realism/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shelter/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I like it when characters are some combination of appealing and maybe flawed or self-interested. 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Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) Browse all 1,755 Block quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Characters on stage should be flat, like clothes in a fashion show: what you get should be no more than what you see. Psychological realism is repulsive, because it allows us to escape unpalatable reality by taking shelter in the “luxuriousness” of personality, losing ourselves in the depth of individual character. 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