--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are some subjects that can only be…" description: "\"There are some subjects that can only be tackled in fiction.\" — John le Carre" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b9/john-le-carre-651_fiction_there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be_1701981.jpg" --- # There are some subjects that can only be tackled in fiction. ![“There are some subjects that can only be tackled in fiction.” quote by John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b9/john-le-carre-651_fiction_there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be_1701981.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b9/john-le-carre-651_fiction_there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be_1701981.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b9/john-le-carre-651_fiction_there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be_1701981.jpg) > “There are some subjects that can only be tackled in fiction.” [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fiction can explore topics that reality cannot safely address. **In simple terms:** Some ideas only work in stories. Key Takeaway Use fiction to examine taboo subjects. Themes truth politics ethics imagination Mood thoughtful serious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - political satire - psychological thriller - educational storytelling - public discourse Key Concepts censorship social critique Questions to Reflect On - What subjects feel unsafe to discuss openly? - How can fiction responsibly handle sensitive topics? A Different Perspective Fiction may oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Subjects Tackled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects-tackled-1159010/) [Tackled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tackled-612092/) [Tackled Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tackled-fiction-1159009/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know technique-wise, just I've always tackled the same. I've never even really thought about how I tackle or any of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-mccourty/i-don-t-know-technique-wise-just-i-ve-always-tackled-the-same-i-ve/) [Devin McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devin-mccourty/) > [Congratulations to the Auburn team and coach Malzahn. The piece for us was that we took some first and ten's and could not get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-miles/congratulations-to-the-auburn-team-and-coach-malzahn-the-piece-for-us/) [Les Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-miles/) > [I didnt fall...the floor called me stupid so I tackled it DUH!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/i-didnt-fall-the-floor-called-me-stupid-so-i-tackled-it-duh/) [Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [Whenever you're falling or getting tackled, try to protect yourself. But that's part of the game; that's part of football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deshaun-watson/whenever-you-re-falling-or-getting-tackled-try-to-protect-yourself/) [Deshaun Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deshaun-watson/) > [Soccer is an uncomfortable sport. You're running; you're getting tackled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-sauerbrunn/soccer-is-an-uncomfortable-sport-you-re-running-you-re-getting-tackled/) [Becky Sauerbrunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-sauerbrunn/) > [As a player, I loved being tackled, whether it was in training or in a game. I took a full-blooded challenge as an invitation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/as-a-player-i-loved-being-tackled-whether-it-was-in-training-or-in-a/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [We can be tackled but referees are there to police dangerous challenges. Forwards are protected by the laws of the game and the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eniola-aluko/we-can-be-tackled-but-referees-are-there-to-police-dangerous/) [Eniola Aluko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eniola-aluko/) > [If I'm compelled to do something, I don't shy away from it simply because I haven't tackled it before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/if-i-m-compelled-to-do-something-i-don-t-shy-away-from-it-simply/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [He started to sing as he tackled the thing. That couldn't be done, and he did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-guest/he-started-to-sing-as-he-tackled-the-thing-that-couldn-t-be-done-and/) [Edgar Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-guest/) > [“Sorcha tackled him from the side. For so small a girl, she hit hard. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-savage/sorcha-tackled-him-from-the-side-for-so-small-a-girl-she-hit-hard-he/) [Vivienne Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-savage/) > [When I was a winger, I hated being tackled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/when-i-was-a-winger-i-hated-being-tackled/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [I played football at uni right up until I broke my leg. This girl slide-tackled me, studs up and broke it on impact. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vick-hope/i-played-football-at-uni-right-up-until-i-broke-my-leg-this-girl/) [Vick Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vick-hope/) > [It's been one week since you looked at me, threw your arms in the air and said you're crazy. Five days since you tackled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bare-naked-ladies/it-s-been-one-week-since-you-looked-at-me-threw-your-arms-in-the-air/) [Bare Naked Ladies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bare-naked-ladies/) > [I got tackled once in a movie theater. I was with my mom and brother, and then suddenly I got hit from behind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wolf/i-got-tackled-once-in-a-movie-theater-i-was-with-my-mom-and-brother/) [Scott Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wolf/) > [“Get up, will you? Come and see all the presents!" Marcus pulled back the blanket in a flash. Ryan grabbed Marcus with his legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-rooney/get-up-will-you-come-and-see-all-the-presents-marcus-pulled-back-the/) [R.A. Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-rooney/) ## More by John le Carre > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“You're history, Donohue. You think countries run the fucking world! Go back to fucking Sunday school. It's 'God save our multinational' they're singing these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/you-re-history-donohue-you-think-countries-run-the-fucking-world-go/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [When you're my age and you see a story, you better go for it pretty quickly. I'd just like to get a few more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/when-you-re-my-age-and-you-see-a-story-you-better-go-for-it-pretty/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The trouble is, when professional spies go out of their way to make a definitive statement about one of their own, the public tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-trouble-is-when-professional-spies-go-out-of-their-way-to-make-a/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Ideologies have no heart of their own. They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/ideologies-have-no-heart-of-their-own-they-re-the-whores-and-angels/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Home's where you go when you run out of homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/home-s-where-you-go-when-you-run-out-of-homes/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Pain observed is journalistic pain. It's diplomatic pain. It's television pain, over as soon as you switch off your beastly set.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/pain-observed-is-journalistic-pain-it-s-diplomatic-pain-it-s/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The greatest threat to mankind comes from the renunciation of individual scruple in favor of institutional denominators. . . . Real heroism lies, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-greatest-threat-to-mankind-comes-from-the-renunciation-of/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“and the wood smoke will roll out of the fireplace on to the carpet we paid too much for on that rainy afternoon in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/and-the-wood-smoke-will-roll-out-of-the-fireplace-on-to-the-carpet-we/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Middle children weep longer than their brothers and sisters. Over her mother’s shoulder, stilling her pains and her injured pride, Jackie Lacon watched the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/middle-children-weep-longer-than-their-brothers-and-sisters-over-her/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [For decades to come the spy world will continue to be the collective couch where the subconscious of each nation is confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/for-decades-to-come-the-spy-world-will-continue-to-be-the-collective/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I happen to write by hand. I don't even type. John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-happen-to-write-by-hand-i-don-t-even-type-john-le-carre/) [John Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The more identities a man has, the more they express the person they conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-more-identities-a-man-has-the-more-they-express-the-person-they/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) [Explore all 409 John le Carre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## More Fiction quotes > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [Fiction is a way of exploring possibilities present but undreamt of in the living of a single life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/fiction-is-a-way-of-exploring-possibilities-present-but-undreamt-of/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [I love writing fiction and can do it anywhere - I once even missed a flight because I was so engrossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-love-writing-fiction-and-can-do-it-anywhere-i-once-even-missed-a/) [Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/) > [“The fiction will seek the real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coheed-and-cambria/the-fiction-will-seek-the-real/) [Coheed and Cambria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coheed-and-cambria/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“His hands on my waist he gently pulled me n embrace. I could feel his breath on my face our lips were about to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-eglinger/his-hands-on-my-waist-he-gently-pulled-me-n-embrace-i-could-feel-his/) [Nicole Eglinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-eglinger/) > [In early drafts, one of the trickiest things for me to do was to realize that the techniques and devices that make readable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-rooney/in-early-drafts-one-of-the-trickiest-things-for-me-to-do-was-to/) [Kathleen Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-rooney/) > [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [Metafiction says something. It has to do with taking a large fiction itself and writing within it; that kind of self-reflecting writing that emerges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coover/metafiction-says-something-it-has-to-do-with-taking-a-large-fiction/) [Robert Coover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coover/) [Browse all 7,410 Fiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are some subjects that can only be tackled in fiction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John le Carre" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be-tackled-in-fiction/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fiction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be-tackled-in-fiction/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b9/john-le-carre-651_fiction_there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be_1701981.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b9/john-le-carre-651_fiction_there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be_1701981.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b9/john-le-carre-651_fiction_there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be_1701981.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are some subjects that can only be tackled in fiction.” — John le Carre", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John le Carre", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are some subjects that can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be-tackled-in-fiction/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-are-some-subjects-that-can-only-be-tackled-in-fiction/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```