Able Quote by Peter Carey
“One has to be able to twist and change and distort characters, play with them like clay, so everything fits together. Real people don't permit you to do that.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Unusual Life of Tristan Smith, 1994
Creative freedom allows reshaping characters like malleable material, unlike real people who resist manipulation.
In simple terms: You can mold fictional characters, but not real people.
Respect boundaries between fiction and reality.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- writing
- character development
- storyboarding
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What ethical lines exist in portraying others?
- How does control affect storytelling?
Real people have agency that cannot be overridden.