Doing right Quote by Philip Pullman
““Stories don’t teach us to be good; it isn’t as simple as that. They show us what it feels like to be good, or to be bad. They show us people like ourselves doing right things and wrong things, acting bravely or acting meanly, being cruel or being kind, and they leave it up to our own powers of empathy and imagination to make the connection with our own lives. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t. It isn’t like putting a coin in a machine and getting a chocolate bar; we’re not mechanical, we don’t respond every time in the same way… The moral teaching comes gently, and quietly, and little by little, and weighs nothing at all. We hardly know it’s happening. But in this silent and discreet way, with every book we read and love, with every story that makes its way into our heart, we gradually acquire models of behaviour and friends we admire and patterns of decency and kindness to follow.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Philip Pullman discussing storytelling, 2015
Stories subtly shape moral understanding through empathy and imagination rather than explicit instruction.
In simple terms: Stories teach morals indirectly.
Key Takeaway
Read stories to develop empathy.
Themes
empathy
storytelling
morality
imagination
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education
- parenting
- literature clubs
- personal growth
Key Concepts
narrative influence
ethical development
Questions to Reflect On
- Which story impacted your values most?
- How does imagination affect moral decisions?
A Different Perspective
Not all stories have clear moral intent; interpretation varies.
