--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can assure you Ernest Hemingway was…" description: "\"“I can assure you Ernest Hemingway was wrong when he said modern American literature began with Huckleberry Finn. It begins with Moby-Dick, the book th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/e-l-doctorow-2-10582_american-literature_i-can-assure-you-ernest-hemingway-was-wr_2576270.jpg" --- # I can assure you Ernest Hemingway was wrong when he said… ![“I can assure you Ernest Hemingway was wrong when he said modern American literature began with Huckleberry Finn. It begins with Moby-Dick, the book that swallowed European civilization whole.” quote by E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/e-l-doctorow-2-10582_american-literature_i-can-assure-you-ernest-hemingway-was-wr_2576270.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/e-l-doctorow-2-10582_american-literature_i-can-assure-you-ernest-hemingway-was-wr_2576270.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cf/e-l-doctorow-2-10582_american-literature_i-can-assure-you-ernest-hemingway-was-wr_2576270.jpg) > ““I can assure you Ernest Hemingway was wrong when he said modern American literature began with Huckleberry Finn. It begins with Moby-Dick, the book that swallowed European civilization whole.”” [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The claim is that the true origin of modern American literature is a novel that confronts Western civilization, not a river adventure story. **In simple terms:** Moby‑Dick is the real starting point of modern American lit. Key Takeaway Recognize deeper literary roots. Themes literature history culture Mood reflective critical Type analytical historical When to use this quote - college courses - book clubs - literary criticism - teaching curricula Key Concepts American canon colonial critique Questions to Reflect On - What makes a work foundational? - How does Moby‑Dick challenge European narratives? A Different Perspective Some argue earlier works also shaped the canon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-literature/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Huckleberry finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/huckleberry-finn/) ## Related quotes > [It would be hard to exaggerate Ernest Hemingway's influence over American literature, but his influence on our lives is probably larger still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-phillips/it-would-be-hard-to-exaggerate-ernest-hemingway-s-influence-over/) [Arthur Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-phillips/) > [“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemingway-ernest-2/all-modern-american-literature-comes-from-one-book-by-mark-twain-2/) [Hemingway, Ernest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemingway-ernest-2/) > [All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/all-modern-american-literature-comes-from-one-book-by-mark-twain/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [As factual and thoughtful literature began to seep in, against the Nazis' will, and replace the reams of Nazi propaganda, I began to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-dodd/as-factual-and-thoughtful-literature-began-to-seep-in-against-the/) Martha Dodd > [Underground literature only began in the '70s, when technical developments made it possible. Before that, we were involved in a game with the censors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/underground-literature-only-began-in-the-70s-when-technical/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [I remember having to read 'The Old Man and the Sea,' and I didn't want to read it; I didn't want to like Ernest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dree-hemingway/i-remember-having-to-read-the-old-man-and-the-sea-and-i-didn-t-want/) [Dree Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dree-hemingway/) > [“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.” ― Ernest Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway: A Literary Reference”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash/never-think-that-war-no-matter-how-necessary-nor-how-justified-is-not/) [Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash/) > [“I'm not a writer. Ernest Hemingway was a writer. I just have a vivid imagination and type 90 WPM.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-madison/i-m-not-a-writer-ernest-hemingway-was-a-writer-i-just-have-a-vivid/) [Tiffany Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-madison/) > [I'd say Ernest Hemingway would be a blast to get drunk with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-beckett/i-d-say-ernest-hemingway-would-be-a-blast-to-get-drunk-with/) [William Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-beckett/) > [“Redwing had read somewhere that one of his favourite writers, Ernest Hemingway, had been asked what was the best training for a novelist. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-benford/redwing-had-read-somewhere-that-one-of-his-favourite-writers-ernest/) [Gregory Benford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-benford/) > [“I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?” -Ernest Hemingway”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bextor/i-love-sleep-my-life-has-the-tendency-to-fall-apart-when-i-m-awake/) [A.C. Bextor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bextor/) > [I'm a fan of Ernest Hemingway work and specifically The Old Man and the Sea. I researched the relationship he had with the captain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-garcia/i-m-a-fan-of-ernest-hemingway-work-and-specifically-the-old-man-and/) [Andy Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-garcia/) > [The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” “Elton John?” “Close. Ernest Hemingway. In his own way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/the-best-way-to-find-out-if-you-can-trust-somebody-is-to-trust-them/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [Helpful to me over the years was some of Ernest Hemingway's writing, for example A Farewell to Arms. You have characters who speak Italian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-penkov/helpful-to-me-over-the-years-was-some-of-ernest-hemingway-s-writing/) [Miroslav Penkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-penkov/) > [Ernest Hemingway was always uneasy in New York and liked being there less than in any other city he frequented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-hotchner/ernest-hemingway-was-always-uneasy-in-new-york-and-liked-being-there/) [A. E. Hotchner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-hotchner/) ## More by E.L. Doctorow > [“I cite too the ordinary fears of mortality the inspection of a fast-growing mole on the side of the nose blood in the stool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/i-cite-too-the-ordinary-fears-of-mortality-the-inspection-of-a-fast/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“And what if neutrinos in their uncountable multitudinous dark-matteredness gravitationally directing the universe . . . are the souls of the dead?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/and-what-if-neutrinos-in-their-uncountable-multitudinous-dark/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“It was as if God had decreed this characterless engagement of brainless forces as his answer to the human presumption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/it-was-as-if-god-had-decreed-this-characterless-engagement-of/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“Treason the only crime defined in the Constitution. Tyranny as under the Stuart and Tudor kings characterized by the elimination of political dissent under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/treason-the-only-crime-defined-in-the-constitution-tyranny-as-under/) [E.L. 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Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“Father looked at her and she was beautiful in the way she had been as a girl. He did not realize the pleasure he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/father-looked-at-her-and-she-was-beautiful-in-the-way-she-had-been-as/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“Happiness consists of living in the dailiness of life and not knowing how happy you are. True happiness comes of not knowing you're happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/happiness-consists-of-living-in-the-dailiness-of-life-and-not-knowing/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“Grandmamma had been the last connection to our past. I had understood her as some referent moral authority to whom we paid no heed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/grandmamma-had-been-the-last-connection-to-our-past-i-had-understood/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“I asked this question: How can I think about my brain when it’s my brain doing the thinking? So is this brain pretending to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/i-asked-this-question-how-can-i-think-about-my-brain-when-it-s-my/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“She's some kind of Socialist-anarchist-anarcho-syndicalist-Communist. Unless you're one of them you can't tell exactly what any of them are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/she-s-some-kind-of-socialist-anarchist-anarcho-syndicalist-communist/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“I didn’t actually have to write a thing because the act of reading was my writing. I thought of myself as a writer for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/i-didn-t-actually-have-to-write-a-thing-because-the-act-of-reading/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“You're nothing more than a clever prostitute. You accepted the conditions in which you found yourself and you triumphed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/you-re-nothing-more-than-a-clever-prostitute-you-accepted-the/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [“Writing teachers invariably tell students, write about what you know. That's, of course, what you have to do, but on the other hand, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow-2/writing-teachers-invariably-tell-students-write-about-what-you-know/) [E.L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) [Explore all 64 E.L. Doctorow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) ## More American literature quotes > [American literature was enriched with Men Who Loved Allison … Of the actual and eventual worth of this romance I cannot pretend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/american-literature-was-enriched-with-men-who-loved-allison-of-the/) [James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/) > [“I have seen them stagger out of their movie palaces and blink their empty eyes in the face of reality once more, and stagger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/i-have-seen-them-stagger-out-of-their-movie-palaces-and-blink-their/) [John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/) > [Janet Mock's honest and sometimes searing journey is a rare and important look into la vida liminal, one that she manages to negotiate remarkably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raquel-cepeda/janet-mock-s-honest-and-sometimes-searing-journey-is-a-rare-and/) [Raquel Cepeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raquel-cepeda/) > [Héctor Tobar's accomplished first novel affords a perspective that is overdue and urgently needed in North American literature- -an insider's vision of L.A. as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dybek/h-ctor-tobar-s-accomplished-first-novel-affords-a-perspective-that-is/) [Stuart Dybek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dybek/) > [It is one of the paradoxes of American literature that our writers are forever looking back with love and nostalgia at lives they couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-broyard/it-is-one-of-the-paradoxes-of-american-literature-that-our-writers/) [Anatole Broyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-broyard/) > [I think most Native American literature is unreadable by the vast majority of Native Americans. 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For example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ligon/throughout-african-american-literature-the-writer-has-in-a-sense-been/) [Glenn Ligon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ligon/) > [“Don Raimondo tells me what he can’t tell them. “The emptiness on the surface of a wall left by a sold bookshelf is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erri-deluca/don-raimondo-tells-me-what-he-can-t-tell-them-the-emptiness-on-the/) Erri DeLuca > [What had brought me to New York in the autumn of 1972 was a letter of recommendation written by Norman Mailer, the author of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/what-had-brought-me-to-new-york-in-the-autumn-of-1972-was-a-letter-of/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Here is one of the fundamental defects of American fiction--perhaps the one character that sets it off sharply from all other known kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/here-is-one-of-the-fundamental-defects-of-american-fiction-perhaps/) [H. 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