"I do like to embed a fictional character firmly in an occupation"

This quote by Penelope Lively suggests that she delights in creating characters that have a clear and specified function in the story. By securely embedding a character in an occupation, it gives them a function and a place in the story. It likewise allows the reader to better understand the character and their motivations. It can also supply a sense of realism to the story, as the character is placed in a scenario that recognizes to the reader. By having a character firmly embedded in a profession, it can also offer a sense of structure and order to the story, as the character is given a set of responsibilities and objectives to accomplish. This can assist to produce a sense of tension and suspense as the character works to attain their goals. Overall, this quote suggests that Penelope Lively delights in creating characters that have a clear and specified function in the story, as it can help to develop a sense of realism and structure.