Herman Melville's "The Confidence-Man" reflects on the nature of human inconsistency, asserting that no author can match the complexity and contradictions found in real life. He suggests that readers must be astute in distinguishing between a character's inconsistencies stemming from artistic imagination versus those that reflect the unpredictable nature of actual humans. This discernment requires significant insight and an understanding of human experience.

Melville emphasizes that personal experience is vital for this judgment, yet acknowledges that one individual's life experiences cannot encompass the entirety of human existence. Therefore, it may be imprudent to rely solely on one's own encounters to interpret the diverse and multifaceted nature of characters and human behavior in fiction. This perspective invites a deeper contemplation of how authors portray characters and the challenges readers face in navigating these narratives.