I don't think the relationship between novels and realities are one to one. Of course novels play different roles. It's essentially just a long narrative form. What you use that long narrative form for can be very different.
War is what happens when language fails.
I feel an intense intimacy with those who have this loathing interest in me....
It was amazing to me that all of a sudden I was hearing my music on the radio and coming out of cars.
