[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fwZ4y--783OvJJdd6l2Q1EtSpnBTp5Z46g19Ild8qQ94":3,"$fTucwcNs8N3RbHDE6cKjabkPWjz5IntXGhDawq9OkiSU":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},77491,"Peter Washington","P",2,null,"peter-washington",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":78},[14,41],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":8,"has_image":17,"author":18,"source":19,"quote_tag":20,"commentary":9},667797,"But in spacious, vigorous story-telling, in the use of an historical framework, in the relating of human events to a larger philosophical and spiritual context, in the deployment of fiction as a social and political weapon, in the exultation of 'the people' as a supreme authority, in the treatment of suffering as a dominant theme--in all these matters Hugo exerted a profound influence on Tolstoy.",false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[21,26,31,36],{"id":22,"tag":23},3374624,{"id":24,"tag_name":25},7798,"les-miserables",{"id":27,"tag":28},3374626,{"id":29,"tag_name":30},7804,"victor-hugo",{"id":32,"tag":33},3374623,{"id":34,"tag_name":35},19472,"leo-tolstoy",{"id":37,"tag":38},3374627,{"id":39,"tag_name":40},26209,"war-and-peace",{"id":42,"quote_text":43,"author_id":5,"source_id":8,"has_image":17,"author":44,"source":45,"quote_tag":46,"commentary":77},549658,"That was the trouble with formulating a system: what could you do but repeat it?",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[47,52,57,62,67,72],{"id":48,"tag":49},2980631,{"id":50,"tag_name":51},102,"religion",{"id":53,"tag":54},2980626,{"id":55,"tag_name":56},1867,"belief",{"id":58,"tag":59},2980632,{"id":60,"tag_name":61},2877,"system",{"id":63,"tag":64},2980630,{"id":65,"tag_name":66},6618,"mysticism",{"id":68,"tag":69},2980627,{"id":70,"tag_name":71},11239,"belief-system",{"id":73,"tag":74},2980629,{"id":75,"tag_name":76},32211,"mystic","**The Backstory**\n\nPeter Washington, an American author and poet, penned these words in his 1987 essay \"The Oxford Book of Life Stories,\" a collection of biographical essays that delve into the lives of notable writers. As Washington navigated the complexities of writing about others' lives, he was likely grappling with the limitations of structuring narratives to convey meaning.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\n\nWashington's words reveal a profound tension between the desire for control and order in storytelling and the inherent chaos of human experience. The phrase \"what could you do but repeat it?\" suggests that any attempt to formalize or systematize the telling of stories inevitably leads to repetition, oversimplification, or even disservice to the complexity of real lives.\n\n**How to Use This**\n\nWhen crafting a narrative about someone else's life, resist the urge to impose rigid structures or formulas. Instead, seek to capture the essence and nuance of the subject's experiences by embracing the messy, unpredictable nature of human existence. By doing so, you may uncover fresh insights that challenge your initial assumptions and create more compelling stories.",{"currentPage":79,"totalPages":79,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":80},1,10]