Big Think How fiction reveals truths journalism cannot | Lawrence Wright
Oct 10, 2025
Lawrence Wright, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist, dives deep into the complexities of life in conflict-ridden Israel and Palestine through his novel, The Human Scale. He discusses how fiction uniquely reveals inner thoughts and emotions that journalism often overlooks. Wright passionately argues that storytelling can open empathy and address the unequal valuation of lives in the region. He shares insights from visits to Gaza, the moral dilemmas posed by prisoner exchanges, and the importance of crafting nuanced characters to combat polarization.
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Novel As Access To Interior Minds
- Novels uniquely allow access to characters' inner minds in ways journalism cannot.
- Lawrence Wright used fiction to explore motivations and longings that reporting can't fully capture.
The Unequal Valuation Of Lives
- Wright noticed extreme disparities in how lives are valued, asking why one life could equal a thousand.
- He argues that devaluing opponents makes the conflict durable and fuels violence.
October 7 Changed The Novel
- Wright returned to the region in Feb 2023 to fact-check and then October 7 reshaped his novel.
- He says including that tragedy made the book truer though it increased readers' grief.
