--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tell my students, it's not difficult to…" description: "\"I tell my students, it's not difficult to identify with somebody like yourself, somebody next door who looks like you. What's more difficult is to iden..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/chinua-achebe-781_books_i-tell-my-students-it-s-not-difficult-to_1935360.png" --- # I tell my students, it's not difficult to identify with… ![“I tell my students, it's not difficult to identify with somebody like yourself, somebody next door who looks like you. What's more difficult is to identify with someone you don't see, who's very far away, who's a different color, who eats a different kind of food. When you begin to do that then…” quote by Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/chinua-achebe-781_books_i-tell-my-students-it-s-not-difficult-to_1935360.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/chinua-achebe-781_books_i-tell-my-students-it-s-not-difficult-to_1935360.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/chinua-achebe-781_books_i-tell-my-students-it-s-not-difficult-to_1935360.png) > “I tell my students, it's not difficult to identify with somebody like yourself, somebody next door who looks like you. What's more difficult is to identify with someone you don't see, who's very far away, who's a different color, who eats a different kind of food. When you begin to do that then literature is really performing its wonders.” [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Empathy expands when we imagine lives far from our own, unlocking literature’s power. **In simple terms:** Understanding others needs effort. Key Takeaway Practice seeing through different perspectives. Themes empathy diversity literature Mood inspirational thoughtful Type educational motivational When to use this quote - classroom discussions - reading diverse authors - community outreach - personal reflection Key Concepts social cognition cultural awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster empathy in resistant audiences? - What stories challenge your assumptions? A Different Perspective Some may resist uncomfortable viewpoints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Away Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away-different-788595/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Identify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-identify-2467059/) [Far away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-away/) [Identify Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identify-somebody-3052318/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Like Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-somebody/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next door](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-door/) [Performing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performing/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Students Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students-difficult-3052319/) ## Related quotes > [I find teaching - I like it, but I find just walking into the classroom and facing the students very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-find-teaching-i-like-it-but-i-find-just-walking-into-the-classroom/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [Because I'm short and slim, I can identify with somebody who's an unlikely fit for something and desperately wants to be part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/because-i-m-short-and-slim-i-can-identify-with-somebody-who-s-an/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [Everybody can identify with somebody in the Hundred Acre Wood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/everybody-can-identify-with-somebody-in-the-hundred-acre-wood/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [In blues music, there's a lot of borrowing, so it's often difficult to identify the originator of a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/in-blues-music-there-s-a-lot-of-borrowing-so-it-s-often-difficult-to/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Awkwardness comes from the realization that, when you look around the world, it's difficult to identify anyone who isn't either the victim or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/awkwardness-comes-from-the-realization-that-when-you-look-around-the/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [The trouble with unknown enemies is that they are so difficult to identify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-trouble-with-unknown-enemies-is-that-they-are-so-difficult-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...how many of us have a moved heart that shies away to a different angle, a millimetre or even less from the place where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/how-many-of-us-have-a-moved-heart-that-shies-away-to-a-different/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [We see signs of it perhaps for 28 das or 34 days, then it goes away. Yet we are different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-see-signs-of-it-perhaps-for-28-das-or-34-days-then-it-goes-away/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Walking away from her… Now that was a whole different section of the bookstore. -Markus, Dark Desires at Midnight”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lee/walking-away-from-her-now-that-was-a-whole-different-section-of-the/) [Jessica Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lee/) > [It sounds so far away and different. I like different places. I like any places that isn't here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/it-sounds-so-far-away-and-different-i-like-different-places-i-like/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [I think the good stories are those where the character decides to break away and do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-russell/i-think-the-good-stories-are-those-where-the-character-decides-to/) [Keri Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-russell/) > [We are far more like somebody watching ourselves than somebody in charge of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wiseman/we-are-far-more-like-somebody-watching-ourselves-than-somebody-in/) [Richard Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wiseman/) > [Everybody always going to sound like somebody. You got to separate yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-durk/everybody-always-going-to-sound-like-somebody-you-got-to-separate/) [Lil Durk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-durk/) > [I guess men like me - somebody out there must think I'm hot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-sky/i-guess-men-like-me-somebody-out-there-must-think-i-m-hot/) [Jennifer Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-sky/) > ['8 Mile' is so revered, it's like, everywhere I go, somebody's talking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-benson-miller/8-mile-is-so-revered-it-s-like-everywhere-i-go-somebody-s-talking/) [Omar Benson Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-benson-miller/) ## More by Chinua Achebe > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/do-not-despair-i-know-you-will-not-despair-you-have-a-manly-and-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [My son even if you want to fall, at least fall where your bones can be gathered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/my-son-even-if-you-want-to-fall-at-least-fall-where-your-bones-can-be/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“And so Mr. Brown came to be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/and-so-mr-brown-came-to-be-respected-even-by-the-clan-because-he-trod/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-have-learned-that-a-man-who-makes-trouble-for-others-is-also-making/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [In fact, I thought that Christianity was very a good and a very valuable thing for us. But after a while, I began to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-fact-i-thought-that-christianity-was-very-a-good-and-a-very/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I find Nigeria very frustrating. I am not alone in this. There are many Nigerians abroad. As you know, the brain drain is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-find-nigeria-very-frustrating-i-am-not-alone-in-this-there-are-many/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I do not actually see how art, literature can be anything other that being in that domain of trying to tell us, trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-do-not-actually-see-how-art-literature-can-be-anything-other-that/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Democracy is not something you put away for ten years, and then in the 11th year you wake up and start practicing again. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/democracy-is-not-something-you-put-away-for-ten-years-and-then-in-the/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When I began going to school and learned to read, I encountered stories of other people and other lands. In one of my essays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-i-began-going-to-school-and-learned-to-read-i-encountered/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane. H. P. LOVECRAFT, attributed, Telling It Like It Is Dancing is very important nowadays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/almost-nobody-dances-sober-unless-they-happen-to-be-insane-h-p/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [This is why I find racism impossible, because this is against humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/this-is-why-i-find-racism-impossible-because-this-is-against-humanity/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Then listen to me,' he said and cleared his throat. 'It's true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/then-listen-to-me-he-said-and-cleared-his-throat-it-s-true-that-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [What you must accept is that your life is not going to be the same while you are writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/what-you-must-accept-is-that-your-life-is-not-going-to-be-the-same/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) [Explore all 368 Chinua Achebe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tell my students, it's not difficult to identify with somebody like yourself, somebody next door who looks like you. What's more difficult is to identify with someone you don't see, who's very far away, who's a different color, who eats a different kind of food. 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