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Admire Quote by Gene Wolfe

“The same authorities who insist upon beginnings, middles, and ends, declare that Great Literature (by which they mean the stories they have been taught to admire) is about love and death, while mere popular fiction like this is about sex and violence. One reader's sex, alas, is another's love; and…” quote by Gene Wolfe
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“The same authorities who insist upon beginnings, middles, and ends, declare that Great Literature (by which they mean the stories they have been taught to admire) is about love and death, while mere popular fiction like this is about sex and violence. One reader's sex, alas, is another's love; and one's violence, another's death.”

Gene Wolfe

About This Quote

Source Essay: The New York Review of Books, 1995

Literary value is subjective; what one deems high art may be dismissed by another.

In simple terms: Taste varies across cultures.

Key Takeaway

Respect diverse preferences.

Themes

subjectivity literature culture

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

  • reading groups
  • education
  • publishing

Key Concepts

aesthetics critical theory

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you judge a work’s worth?
  • Can popular fiction be profound?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on hierarchy can stifle creativity.

3.7 out of 5 (4 ratings)

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