He emulated and imitated, standing on the shoulders of giants to gain perspective, and came to believe that attention to minor characters, a vibrant sense of life, and the sacredness of human nature were the purview of the novelist. "Once a writer broadens his horizons, he loses interest in anything except his art and becomes willing to suffer for it," says Jin.
對小人物的關懷、豐富的生命感以及人性的神聖，哈金相信這就是一個小說家的「眼界」，「一旦作家的眼界寬廣，他會願意吃苦，不計一切來完成他的藝術。」