Historical fiction writers must treat dead figures as real living people.

Evidence

I need a solid house for characters to live in. In fact, I should not call them “characters,” I should call them “people”—they are real, even if they happen to be dead. — Hilary Mantel, A Memoir of My Former Self- A Life in…, 859

Categorization

• XREF: XREF to Mantel’s view of historical figures as living people rather than literary constructs. — connects to: The task of historical fiction is bringing past archives into living bodies. — Hilary Mantel, A Memoir of My Former Self- A Life in…, 860; Recognizable fictional characters must be recorded faithfully from life, not softened — Hilary Mantel, A Memoir of My Former Self- A Life in…, 1039
• SEED: SEED to an essay on the shift from cardboard historical tropes to fully embodied characters.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Hilary Mantel, A Memoir of My Former Self- A Life in…, 859

Broader Connections

• The task of historical fiction is bringing past archives into living bodies. #expands (0.85) — Hilary Mantel, A Memoir of My Former Self- A Life in…, 860
• Recognizable fictional characters must be recorded faithfully from life, not softened #corroborates (0.75) — Hilary Mantel, A Memoir of My Former Self- A Life in…, 1039