“I never appreciated 'positive heroes' in literature. The type of epopees written in the Soviet Union, where they were agents of the Party, meant nothing to me.”
— Jose Saramago
Simplified Meaning:
The author is saying they never liked the perfect, good-guy characters in Soviet stories. These characters, who always did what the Party wanted, felt fake and uninteresting. Imagine reading a book where the hero always agrees with the boss and never makes mistakes. It can be boring because real people are not like that. They have flaws and make errors. The author prefers characters who are more realistic, with their own thoughts and imperfections, not just following orders without question. This shows us that stories with real, relatable characters can be more meaningful and engaging.
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