You're asserting a dichotomy that I didn't make. Often, writing is like a connect-the-dots drawing where those points are the written details and the point is

You're asserting a dichotomy that I didn't make. Often, writing is like a connect-the-dots drawing where those points are the written details and the point is the overall shape. Yes, there is a "main point" that is not those details. But it's the details that convey it. Subtract all of them, and the shape disappears. For any given reader, some of those detail points won't resonate with them and will be basically ignored. But as long as there are enough other details, they will still trace the right shape and get the overall point. A big part of the art of writing is figuring out which constellation of details will lead to the right shape being traced in the minds of as many readers as possible.