"Although this is a fictitious story the history is real. You don't want to re-write history but you certainly want to portray events and characters as realistically as you can"
- James D'arcy
About this Quote
In this quote, James D'arcy is stressing the value of accurately portraying historic occasions and characters in fiction. He acknowledges that the story itself may be made up, however the historical context and background ought to be based upon real events. D'arcy also cautions versus rewriting history, as this can distort the truth and mislead readers. Rather, he motivates writers to pursue realism in their depictions of occasions and characters, in order to provide a more authentic and significant reading experience. By doing so, the reader can get a much deeper understanding of the past and its effect on today.
"A lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect"
"We have our own history, our own language, our own culture. But our destiny is also tied up with the destinies of other people - history has made us all South Africans"
"It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins. To make a people great it is necessary to send them to battle even if you have to kick them in the pants. That is what I shall do"
