--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There must always be some pretentiousness…" description: "\"There must always be some pretentiousness about literature, or else no one would take its pains or endure its disappointments.\" — Glenway Wescott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a4/glenway-wescott-37305_books_there-must-always-be-some-pretentiousnes_2911241.jpg" --- # There must always be some pretentiousness about… ![“There must always be some pretentiousness about literature, or else no one would take its pains or endure its disappointments.” quote by Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a4/glenway-wescott-37305_books_there-must-always-be-some-pretentiousnes_2911241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a4/glenway-wescott-37305_books_there-must-always-be-some-pretentiousnes_2911241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a4/glenway-wescott-37305_books_there-must-always-be-some-pretentiousnes_2911241.jpg) > “There must always be some pretentiousness about literature, or else no one would take its pains or endure its disappointments.” [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Literature requires a degree of pretentiousness to be taken seriously and to endure its challenges. **In simple terms:** Pretentiousness makes literature meaningful. Key Takeaway Embrace complexity in reading and writing. Themes literature pretentiousness artistic value Mood thoughtful critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - book clubs - creative writing workshops - academic courses Key Concepts aesthetics critical theory Questions to Reflect On - What balance between pretentiousness and accessibility works for you? - How does pretentiousness affect your engagement with a text? A Different Perspective Excessive pretentiousness can alienate readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure/) [Endure Disappointments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure-disappointments-2180992/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Pains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-pains-4193939/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pretentiousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretentiousness/) [Pretentiousness Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretentiousness-literature-4193938/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [The pretentiousness of literature really annoys me; the way a writer is held as this sort of magical person to be revered on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/the-pretentiousness-of-literature-really-annoys-me-the-way-a-writer/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Round and round in circles we go, clutching at successes that we never grasp, endlessly tripping over the same old failures. 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