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The storyteller and poet of our time, as in any other time, must be an entertainer of the spirit in the full sense of the word, not just a preacher of social or political ideals. There is no paradise for bored readers and no excuse for tedious literature that does not intrigue the reader, uplift him, give him the joy and the escape that true art always grants. Nevertheless, it is also true that the serious writer of our time must be deeply concerned about the problems of his generation. He cannot but see that the power of religion, especially belief in revelation, is weaker today than it was in any other epoch in human history. More and more children grow up without faith in God, without belief in reward and punishment, in the immortality of the soul and even in the validity of ethics. The genuine writer cannot ignore the fact that the family is losing its spiritual foundation.

Isaac Bashevis Singer#17

WritingLiteratureSocietyMoralityEntertainment

About this quote

What does it mean?
Writers must entertain readers while seriously addressing the moral and social problems of their time.
In plain terms
Writers should entertain people but also care about serious world problems.
What can you take from it?
Good writing balances entertainment with serious social concerns.

Where it applies

  • writing fiction
  • journalism
  • literary criticism

Putting it to work

  • write engagingly
  • address social issues
  • value good literature

Questions to consider

  • How should writers treat serious topics?
  • Is entertainment enough?

Another view

Balancing entertainment and seriousness can be difficult for writers.

More from Isaac Bashevis Singer

  1. I started to 'write' even before I knew the alphabet. I would dip a pen in ink and scribble. I also liked to draw - horses, houses, dogs. The Sabbath was an or…

    Permalink to quote #16
  2. Not only has our generation lost faith in Providence but also in man himself, in his institutions and often in those who are nearest to him. In their despair a…

    Permalink to quote #18
  3. If Moses had been paid newspaper rates for the Ten Commandments, he might have written the Two Thousand Commandments.

    Permalink to quote #15

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