“I would like [my readers] to better understand human beings and human life as a result of having read [my] stories. Id like them to feel that this was an experience that made things better for them and an experience that gave them hope. I think that the kind of things that we talk about at this conference -- fantasy very much so, science fiction, and even horror -- the message that were sending is the reverse of the message sent by what is called realistic fiction. (I happen to think that realistic fiction is not, in fact, realistic, but thats a side issue.) And what we are saying is that it doesnt have to be like this: things can be different. Our society can be changed. Maybe its worse, maybe its better. Maybe its a higher civilization, maybe its a barbaric civilization. But it doesnt have to be the way it is now. Things can change. And were also saying things can change for you in your life. Look at the difference between Severian the apprentice and Severian the Autarch [in The Book of the New Sun], for example. The difference beteween Silk as an augur and Silk as calde [in The Book of the Long Sun]. You see? We dont always have to be this. There can be something else. We can stop doing the thing that were doing. Moms Mabley had a great line in some movie or other -- she said, You keep on doing what you been doing and youre gonna keep on gettin what you been gettin. And we dont have to keep on doing what weve been doing. We can do something else if we dont like what were gettin. I think a lot of the purpose of fiction ought to be to tell people that.” ― Gene Wolfe
Posted on: Wed, 07 May 2014 17:49:41 +0000
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