"Je n'ai jamais apprécié les « héros positifs » en littérature. Le type d'épopées écrites en Union soviétique, où ils étaient agents du Parti, ne signifiait rien pour moi."
— Jose Saramago
Simplified Meaning:
The person in the quote is saying that they never liked reading stories about perfect, 'good' characters, especially those written in the Soviet Union that were always loyal to the Party. They did not find these characters interesting or believable. In real life, people are not perfect; they have flaws and make mistakes. For example, if you read a story about a person who never does anything wrong, it can be hard to connect with them because that's not how real people are. Instead, people often enjoy stories where characters have both good and bad traits because they seem more real and relatable. So, this quote suggests that stories should show real human nature instead of idealized versions of people. For instance, learning from our mistakes and growing as individuals can be more inspiring than trying to be perfect.