Quote of the Day (Philip Roth, on Morality and Literature)

“Literature isn't a moral beauty contest. Its power arises from the authority and audacity with which the impersonation is pulled off; is pulled off; the belief it inspires is what counts. The question to ask about the writer isn’t ‘Why does he behave so badly?’ but “What does he gain by wearing this mask?” — American novelist Philip Roth (1933-2018), interview with Hermione Lee, “Philip Roth, The Art of Fiction No. 84,” The Paris Review, Issue 93, Fall 1984