--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In general, I think every novel is a…" description: "\"In general, I think every novel is a political novel, in that every novel is an argument about how the world works, who has power, who has a voice, wha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/micah-perks-26964_argument_in-general-i-think-every-novel-is-a-poli_1689593.jpg" --- # In general, I think every novel is a political novel, in… ![“In general, I think every novel is a political novel, in that every novel is an argument about how the world works, who has power, who has a voice, what we should care about. But political novels can be boringly polemical if they end up being too black and white, too one dimensional, like war is…” quote by Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/micah-perks-26964_argument_in-general-i-think-every-novel-is-a-poli_1689593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/micah-perks-26964_argument_in-general-i-think-every-novel-is-a-poli_1689593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/micah-perks-26964_argument_in-general-i-think-every-novel-is-a-poli_1689593.jpg) > “In general, I think every novel is a political novel, in that every novel is an argument about how the world works, who has power, who has a voice, what we should care about. But political novels can be boringly polemical if they end up being too black and white, too one dimensional, like war is bad, killing people is wrong.” [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Novels inherently argue about power and values, but must avoid one‑dimensional moralizing. **In simple terms:** Stories are political arguments that need nuance. Key Takeaway Balance critique with complexity. Themes politics power morality literature Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - book clubs - political science courses - author talks - media criticism - creative writing classes Key Concepts ideology nuance narrative bias Questions to Reflect On - What makes a political novel engaging? - How can authors show complexity without losing focus? A Different Perspective Risk of becoming preachy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black and white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-and-white/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Killing people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-people/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novel Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-novel-1041157/) [Novel Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-political-621442/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-novel-1041155/) [Political Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-novels-1041156/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Think Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-novel-369890/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I would not describe myself as a political writer except in the sense that the personal is political, which is something that I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-would-not-describe-myself-as-a-political-writer-except-in-the-sense/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I think overtly political novels - those that never transcend or contest their author's conscious intentions and prejudices - are problematic. This is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/i-think-overtly-political-novels-those-that-never-transcend-or/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [I've never felt powerful enough to write a true political novel, or deeply knowledgeable enough to draw a character like, say, Tolstoy's Prince Kutuzov.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-simpson/i-ve-never-felt-powerful-enough-to-write-a-true-political-novel-or/) [Mona Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-simpson/) > [For me Oliver Twist is a political novel. It is a furious critique of the treatment of orphans and poor children who were forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/for-me-oliver-twist-is-a-political-novel-it-is-a-furious-critique-of/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [THE ABULON DANCE is an intricate and fast-paced novel of political intrigue and clashing alien cultures. 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While I was on a long surf trip, supporting myself with various day jobs, I was working hard on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-finnegan/i-always-wanted-to-write-while-i-was-on-a-long-surf-trip-supporting/) [William Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-finnegan/) > [It's hard enough to make a novel a novel. I wouldn't know how to make it something else at the same time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-specktor/it-s-hard-enough-to-make-a-novel-a-novel-i-wouldn-t-know-how-to-make/) [Matthew Specktor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-specktor/) > [The novel ceases to be looked at as a novel. Such is the overwhelming power of motion pictures. Gore Vidal pointed out that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/the-novel-ceases-to-be-looked-at-as-a-novel-such-is-the-overwhelming/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [In reading a novel, any novel, we have to know perfectly well that the whole thing is nonsense, and then, while reading, believe every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/in-reading-a-novel-any-novel-we-have-to-know-perfectly-well-that-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Clearly she knew that between book lovers, a novel is not a novel is not a novel. It's a symbol, an offering -- and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-nelson/clearly-she-knew-that-between-book-lovers-a-novel-is-not-a-novel-is/) [Sara Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-nelson/) > ['Annapurna' is a sort of novel. It's a novel, but a true novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-herzog/annapurna-is-a-sort-of-novel-it-s-a-novel-but-a-true-novel/) [Maurice Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-herzog/) > [Only one novel is a novel: that is a successful novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/only-one-novel-is-a-novel-that-is-a-successful-novel/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [Why would somebody just read a novel when they can see it on TV or in the cinema? I really have to think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/why-would-somebody-just-read-a-novel-when-they-can-see-it-on-tv-or-in/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## More by Micah Perks > [I love ghost stories, I love to read them, and I love the idea of being haunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-love-ghost-stories-i-love-to-read-them-and-i-love-the-idea-of-being/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [It is radical for a woman to choose to survive and to choose to eat anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/it-is-radical-for-a-woman-to-choose-to-survive-and-to-choose-to-eat/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [There are so many people who write really interesting work and try super hard and still don't get published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/there-are-so-many-people-who-write-really-interesting-work-and-try/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [I don't make fun of my characters. I just like to laugh and I think people are funny and the world is funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-don-t-make-fun-of-my-characters-i-just-like-to-laugh-and-i-think/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [Nice girls are not supposed to be hungry. They are not supposed to feed themselves or care about their own food. They're definitely not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/nice-girls-are-not-supposed-to-be-hungry-they-are-not-supposed-to/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [I know books that are really good and writers that are really good and they have become oppressed and ground down from the rejection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-know-books-that-are-really-good-and-writers-that-are-really-good/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [My natural tendency is to fall in love with language and character and setting, and kind of forget about pacing. Narrative tension doesn't come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/my-natural-tendency-is-to-fall-in-love-with-language-and-character/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [I laugh when I'm writing. I feel like all my work is funny to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-laugh-when-i-m-writing-i-feel-like-all-my-work-is-funny-to-me/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [I've always been a teaser, even as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-ve-always-been-a-teaser-even-as-a-kid/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [When the kids were growing up, I think they thought the worst thing about me being a mom is that I would laugh at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/when-the-kids-were-growing-up-i-think-they-thought-the-worst-thing/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [I think someone who writes a ghost story probably needs to believe it in some way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-think-someone-who-writes-a-ghost-story-probably-needs-to-believe-it/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [Don't you think almost anything can be funny? Almost anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/don-t-you-think-almost-anything-can-be-funny-almost-anything/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [I'm really interested in the United States, what it means to be American - maybe because my father's an immigrant and my grandparents were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-m-really-interested-in-the-united-states-what-it-means-to-be/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [When I was in college, I had a friend who was an artist and her theory was that all the best art in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/when-i-was-in-college-i-had-a-friend-who-was-an-artist-and-her-theory/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [Writers like Twain, Whitman, Dickinson, Melville, Louise Erdrich, Toni Morrison, Russell Banks, Carolyn Chute, Alice Walker, so many others that I read coming up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/writers-like-twain-whitman-dickinson-melville-louise-erdrich-toni/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) [Explore all 21 Micah Perks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. 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They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. 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