Novels can be more than just entertainment—they can be mirrors held up to society, tools of persuasion, and vehicles for change. With the turn of a page, fiction can take us into the minds of people with vastly different experiences than our own, transport us to unfamiliar places, and introduce us to ideas that challenge, inspire, and even transform our worldview. History has shown that a novel can do far more than move a reader emotionally; it can move the world itself.
Probably the most famous example of such a novel is Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in 1852, this anti-slavery novel didn't just tell a powerful story—it galvanized the abolitionist movement in the United States. By portraying the brutal realities of slavery through deeply human characters, Stowe helped awaken the conscience of a nation.
Another transformative novel is 1984 by George Orwell. Published in 1949, Orwell's dystopian vision warned of the dangers of intensive surveillance long before such fears became widespread in the digital age. Of course, the totalitarianism that Orwell highlighted had recently become manifest in countries like Germany and the Soviet Union, but his warnings have only gained credence as the years have passed and seem particularly relevant in today's society.
Other examples of novels that have had an impact on the real world include To Kill a Mockingbird, The Handmaid's Tale, and The Kite Runner. I'm sure you can think of many others, and I'd love to hear about the novels you think have had a big effect on the world.
Such books are the kinds of novels that interest me the most. In writing The Ignoble Lie, I tried to contribute to societal debate on the one of the most important issues facing us today, namely the role of religion in politics. I won't give anything away for those who haven't read the novel, but it rests, ultimately, on an attempt to bring people together, rather than drive them further apart, because I think that despite our obvious differences, we have more in common than we think.
Most people desire food, clothing, and shelter, and the chance for their loved ones to have meaningful lives. These goals may exist on the low end of Maslow's hierarchy, but that's just the point. Until basic needs are met, higher order needs (e.g., esteem and self-actualization) are irrelevant. This is the fundamental problem with politics in the United States. Both parties have lost sight of the fact that the majority of people are just trying to get by. The partisanship that has poisoned society is the fault of both sides and does nothing but keep us divided when we should all be working together to give ourselves and each other the best chance at living rewarding lives.
This is the spirit in which The Ignoble Lie was written. I think it is time there are more stories that try to bring people together and attempt to provide answers to real-world problems instead of simply distracting people from the difficulties in their lives.