"Perfection irritates as well as it attracts, in fiction as in life"

This quote by Louis Auchincloss suggests that excellence can be both preferable and off-putting. In fiction, characters who are too ideal can be challenging to associate with and can lack the intricacy and depth of characters with defects. Similarly, in life, people who appear to have it all can be intimidating and can make us feel insufficient. Perfection can be attractive, but it can also be irritating due to the fact that it can be hard to live up to. Auchincloss suggests that it is very important to discover a balance in between perfection and flaw in order to create meaningful stories and relationships. Perfection can be an objective to pursue, but it is very important to remember that it is not constantly necessary and even desirable.