The litter in littérateur. Ricky Opaterny on Books, Music, Art, and Sports

2/26/2009

Engaging the unpleasant

Filed under: General — Tags: , , , — Ricky @ 10:10 am

Today’s New York Times features a profile of Zoë Heller in which she says: “The point of fiction is not to offer up moral avatars, but to engage with people whose politics or points of view are unpleasant or contradictory.” It’s uncomfortable, but true; this is exactly what good fiction does. I think the first time I really felt this effect was during my freshman year of college when I read Lolita and found myself enthralled by HH’s prose and disgusted by his actions. Do you agree with Heller? Disagree? Comment.

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