George Saunders interview/2

I guess my point is, I know I write about class, but I try not to think about writing about class because then it can be reductive. Suddenly you're a crusader, whereas if you let the subconscious lead you, it often is about class and about something else.  That guy (in "The Semplica-Girl Diaries") has class issues, but he also has personal issues and you kind of don't know what they are until you let him talk for 30 or 40 pages. I do think in American life, work and scarcity — or maybe paucity — and the possibility of failure has always been just huge for me. I suspect it's the same for a lot of people whether they're wealthy or poor.

George Saunders interview/1