Ayn-rand Quote by Flannery O'Connor
““I hope you don’t have friends who recommend Ayn Rand to you. The fiction of Ayn Rand is as low as you can get re fiction. I hope you picked it up off the floor of the subway and threw it in the nearest garbage pail. She makes Mickey Spillane look like Dostoevsky.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussing Literature, Flannery O'Connor, 1965
The speaker condemns Ayn Rand’s fiction as lowbrow and compares it unfavorably to other writers, expressing strong disdain.
In simple terms: Ayn Rand’s books are considered low quality by the speaker.
Key Takeaway
Recognize personal taste in literature.
Themes
literary criticism
personal taste
cultural hierarchy
Mood
critical
defensive
Type
evaluative
subjective
When to use this quote
- book clubs
- literary debates
- personal reading choices
Key Concepts
aesthetics
genre
authorial intent
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do you react strongly to certain authors?
- How does literary taste shape your worldview?
A Different Perspective
Taste is subjective; dismissing others’ preferences can be alienating.
![“To sum it all up, the [Ayn] Rand belief system looks like this: 1. Facts are facts: things can be absolutely right or absolutely wrong, as determined by reason. 2. According to my reasoning, I am absolutely right. 3. Charity is immoral. 4. Pay for your own fucking schools.” quote by Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/454/matt-taibbi-2257_ayn-rand_to-sum-it-all-up-the-ayn-rand-belief-sys_734389.jpg)
