"It's a natural thing for people to say, you know, Who's in this book? I find myself get ting a little defensive. People come along and I'm waiting for that first question"

In this quote, playwright and author Hugh Leonard is expressing a typical experience dealt with by writers: the curiosity of others about the characters and motivations behind their work. When Leonard keeps in mind that it's "a natural thing for individuals to say, you understand, Who's in this book?" he's acknowledging a universal tendency amongst readers to probe into the autobiographical aspects of a text. Readers often presume that characters or occasions within a story are direct representations of the author's life, a testament to the intrigue and connection people seek with literary works.

Leonard's reaction, feeling "a little defensive," indicates a sense of vulnerability. Authors typically pour deep emotional, mental, and often individual product into their writing. Therefore, questions about the origins or identities of characters can feel invasive, as they pry into the personal components of the author's creativity or personal experience. The act of writing is both an intimate and creative procedure, and queries about who or what influenced specific characters can feel reductive, as if the work is being directly analyzed through the lens of the author's personal bio rather than appreciated as an art piece in its own right.

The anticipation of "that very first question" recommends that Leonard has actually encountered this situation repeatedly, showing a wider, possibly frustrating, pattern: the propensity to relate imaginary stories straight with real-life events or individuals known to the author. Leonard's protective impulse can be viewed as a protective measure for the sanctity and stability of the creative process-- maybe wanting readers to engage with the story, styles, and character advancement without focusing on possible autobiographical significances. This perspective welcomes readers to translate the literary world by itself terms, allowing creative encounters between the production and its audience freed from the restraints of seeking real-world correlatives.