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I think the effective use of quotation is an important…

“I think the effective use of quotation is an important point in the art of writing. Given sparingly, quotations serve admirably as a climax or as a corroboration, but when they are long and frequent, they seriously weaken the effect of a book. We lose sight of the writer - he scatters our sympathy…” quote by George Eliot
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“I think the effective use of quotation is an important point in the art of writing. Given sparingly, quotations serve admirably as a climax or as a corroboration, but when they are long and frequent, they seriously weaken the effect of a book. We lose sight of the writer - he scatters our sympathy among others than himself - and the ideas which he himself advances are not knit together with our impression of his personality.”

George Eliot

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Overusing quotations dilutes the author's voice, making the text feel scattered and less cohesive.

In simple terms: Too many quotes weaken the writer's voice.

Key Takeaway

Use quotes sparingly to maintain authorial presence.

Themes

writing literature voice

Mood

analytical instructive

Type

educational literary

When to use this quote

  • academic papers
  • novels
  • journalism
  • blog posts

Key Concepts

narrative structure authorship

Questions to Reflect On

  • When is a quotation essential to your argument?
  • How can you integrate quotes without losing your voice?
A Different Perspective

Risk of underutilizing valuable supporting evidence.

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