Rationalization

Rationalization is a really useful thing for us. It helps us understand our world and why people do things. However, it also enables us to lie to ourselves by denying things that we really know to be true.

The way a character rationalizes his or her or another person's behavior helps deepen the character and lets us inside.

For example in Scott Smith's very engrossing book A simple Plan Hank, the narrator, says to Jacob: "None of this would have happened if you hadn't killed Lou," which is a lie. It's absolutely not true, and the reader knows this. I took the quote from p. 242 of the St. Martin's paperback edition published in 1993.

If you haven't read this, read it. If you have already read it, reread it. You learn a lot more in the rereading.

I want to help move writers' careers along. Is what I am saying helpful?

I want to help move writers' careers along. Is what I am saying helpful?

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