--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great novel is concerned primarily with…" description: "\"A great novel is concerned primarily with the interior lives of its characters as they respond to the inconvenient narratives that fate imposes on them..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/richard-schickel-35324_adaptation_a-great-novel-is-concerned-primarily-wit_1839221.png" --- # A great novel is concerned primarily with the interior… ![“A great novel is concerned primarily with the interior lives of its characters as they respond to the inconvenient narratives that fate imposes on them. Movie adaptations of these monumental fictions often fail because they become mere exercises in interior decoration.” quote by Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/richard-schickel-35324_adaptation_a-great-novel-is-concerned-primarily-wit_1839221.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/richard-schickel-35324_adaptation_a-great-novel-is-concerned-primarily-wit_1839221.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/524/richard-schickel-35324_adaptation_a-great-novel-is-concerned-primarily-wit_1839221.png) > “A great novel is concerned primarily with the interior lives of its characters as they respond to the inconvenient narratives that fate imposes on them. Movie adaptations of these monumental fictions often fail because they become mere exercises in interior decoration.” [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Novels focus on characters’ inner lives; movies often reduce this to visual flair. **In simple terms:** Books explore inner thoughts, films can miss depth. Key Takeaway Prioritize depth over surface in adaptations. Themes literature film adaptation character depth Mood analytical thoughtful Type critical educational When to use this quote - screenwriting - directing - reading - teaching Key Concepts Narrative fidelity visual storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How can a film convey inner conflict? - What techniques preserve narrative depth? A Different Perspective Films can’t fully capture interior monologue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adaptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) ## Related quotes > [As far as the novel is concerned in my own country, I think it's in a pretty healthy state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/as-far-as-the-novel-is-concerned-in-my-own-country-i-think-it-s-in-a/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [With the first novel, I was concerned I would be pigeon-holed as an Asian-American writer, and the book would be labeled for Asian-Americans only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/with-the-first-novel-i-was-concerned-i-would-be-pigeon-holed-as-an/) [Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/) > [I'm not a sociologist, and the novel has often concerned itself with sociology. It's one of the generating forces that's made fiction interesting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/i-m-not-a-sociologist-and-the-novel-has-often-concerned-itself-with/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [Those writers that have zero say in their movie adaptations have zero say because they sell it. If you don't sell it, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/those-writers-that-have-zero-say-in-their-movie-adaptations-have-zero/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [The movie adaptations of stage musicals that I've seen, without exception, in my opinion don't work. A lot of people would disagree with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/the-movie-adaptations-of-stage-musicals-that-i-ve-seen-without/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [Once we start seeing video games that have more memorable characters, you'll see better movie adaptations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/once-we-start-seeing-video-games-that-have-more-memorable-characters/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Honestly, I actually would really love to see more musical theatre actors do the movie adaptations of shows - I think that would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-degarmo/honestly-i-actually-would-really-love-to-see-more-musical-theatre/) [Diana DeGarmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-degarmo/) > [We are living in a time in which movies such as 'Super Size Me' and 'An Inconvenient Truth' have made box-office history, and books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/we-are-living-in-a-time-in-which-movies-such-as-super-size-me-and-an/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [“Great I was going into shock. That was just… so inconvenient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/great-i-was-going-into-shock-that-was-just-so-inconvenient/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [I have never been able to discover anything disgraceful in being a colored man. But I have often found it inconvenient - in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-williams/i-have-never-been-able-to-discover-anything-disgraceful-in-being-a/) [Bert Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-williams/) > [Mythology is like gravity, inconvenient at times, but necessary for cohesion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-janeway/mythology-is-like-gravity-inconvenient-at-times-but-necessary-for/) [Elizabeth Janeway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-janeway/) > [Churchill was fundamentally what the English call unstable - by which they mean anybody who has that touch of genius which is inconvenient in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/churchill-was-fundamentally-what-the-english-call-unstable-by-which/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [It's very inconvenient being a sculptor. It's like playing the double-bass; one's so handicapped by one's baggage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/it-s-very-inconvenient-being-a-sculptor-it-s-like-playing-the-double/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Finding out I was expecting a child was highly inconvenient for doing all the promotion for 'Venus.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keren-woodward/finding-out-i-was-expecting-a-child-was-highly-inconvenient-for-doing/) [Keren Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keren-woodward/) > [Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. If it happens that the question which we wish to examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/geometry-which-should-only-obey-physics-when-united-with-it-sometimes/) [Jean le Rond d'Alembert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/) ## More by Richard Schickel > [A movie star is not an artist, he is an art object.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/a-movie-star-is-not-an-artist-he-is-an-art-object/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [Luck always favors the comely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/luck-always-favors-the-comely/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [The current moguls understand that true media power lies not in firing up our outrage, as Hearst did, but in befuddling it or tranquilizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/the-current-moguls-understand-that-true-media-power-lies-not-in/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [This is a soul under perpetual migraine attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/this-is-a-soul-under-perpetual-migraine-attack/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [There is a limbo of the lost through which American males of a certain age and status almost inevitably must pass these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/there-is-a-limbo-of-the-lost-through-which-american-males-of-a/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [The law of unintended consequences pushes us ceaselessly through the years, permitting no pause for perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/the-law-of-unintended-consequences-pushes-us-ceaselessly-through-the/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [Divorced, not loving their abandoned children as much as they loathe their former wives, directing a combination of need and hostility toward the women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/divorced-not-loving-their-abandoned-children-as-much-as-they-loathe/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [He was the first to conceive of movies as an art form. His belief was that if the traditional art form would not find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/he-was-the-first-to-conceive-of-movies-as-an-art-form-his-belief-was/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [Any dramatic series the producers want us to take seriously as a representationof contemporary reality cannot be taken seriously as a representation ofanything -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/any-dramatic-series-the-producers-want-us-to-take-seriously-as-a/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [Memory is the personal journalism of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/memory-is-the-personal-journalism-of-the-soul/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [He who does not like you will defame you in jest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/he-who-does-not-like-you-will-defame-you-in-jest/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [That common cold of the male psyche, fear of commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/that-common-cold-of-the-male-psyche-fear-of-commitment/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) [Explore all 13 Richard Schickel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) ## More Adaptation quotes > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. 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The unfortunate consequence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rottenberg/the-tendency-for-depression-to-repeat-reflects-the-normal-default/) [Jonathan Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rottenberg/) > [“The unglamorous truth is that there are but a handful of uniquely human traits that we have clearly demonstrated are adaptations evolved to thrive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rutherford/the-unglamorous-truth-is-that-there-are-but-a-handful-of-uniquely/) [Adam Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rutherford/) > [“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/you-must-be-shapeless-formless-like-water-when-you-pour-water-in-a/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“On the rare occasions on which a movie was shown, there was as much suspense in the audience over whether the electricity would hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/on-the-rare-occasions-on-which-a-movie-was-shown-there-was-as-much/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [Working on an adaptation is not as satisfying, because it's not your original work: you're interpreting. With 'L.A. Confidential,' I loved the book. 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