--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Class is the most difficult subject for…" description: "\"Class is the most difficult subject for American writers to deal with as it is the most difficult for the English to avoid.\" — Gore Vidal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/gore-vidal-466_american-writer_class-is-the-most-difficult-subject-for_3159134.jpg" --- # Class is the most difficult subject for American writers… ![“Class is the most difficult subject for American writers to deal with as it is the most difficult for the English to avoid.” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/gore-vidal-466_american-writer_class-is-the-most-difficult-subject-for_3159134.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/gore-vidal-466_american-writer_class-is-the-most-difficult-subject-for_3159134.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/gore-vidal-466_american-writer_class-is-the-most-difficult-subject-for_3159134.jpg) > “Class is the most difficult subject for American writers to deal with as it is the most difficult for the English to avoid.” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. American writers struggle with class because it is a pervasive, hard‑to‑avoid social reality that shapes language and perspective. **In simple terms:** Class is hard for writers to ignore. Key Takeaway Acknowledge class in storytelling. Themes literature social critique American culture class awareness Mood critical thought‑provoking Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - novel writing - journalism - screenwriting - academic curricula Key Concepts sociology literary theory political economy Questions to Reflect On - How can writers portray class without stereotyping? - What responsibility do authors have to address class? A Different Perspective Class analysis can alienate some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-writer/) [American writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-writers/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Difficult subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-subjects/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Economics is a very difficult subject. I've compared it to trying to learn how to repair a car when the engine is running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/economics-is-a-very-difficult-subject-i-ve-compared-it-to-trying-to/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [When I have a difficult subject before me - when I find the road narrow, and can see no other way of teaching a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/when-i-have-a-difficult-subject-before-me-when-i-find-the-road-narrow/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [The American struggle for the vote was much more difficult than the English for the simple reason that it was much more easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/the-american-struggle-for-the-vote-was-much-more-difficult-than-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“English grammar and composition is difficult even for the English, but worse and worse for a Welsh boy. 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Some of them are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-americans-only-like-things-they-can-label-even-if-it-kills-them/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [American writers want to be not good but great; and so are neither.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/american-writers-want-to-be-not-good-but-great-and-so-are-neither/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I hope they make a show like M\*A\*S\*H, which dealt with a lot of difficult subject matter but was very funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-severance/i-hope-they-make-a-show-like-m-a-s-h-which-dealt-with-a-lot-of/) [Joan Severance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-severance/) > [As an artist, I feel a certain responsibility to write about difficult subject matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/as-an-artist-i-feel-a-certain-responsibility-to-write-about-difficult/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [Of the thousands of people, celebrated and unknown, who have sat before my camera, I am often asked who was the most difficult subject,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-halsman/of-the-thousands-of-people-celebrated-and-unknown-who-have-sat-before/) [Philippe Halsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-halsman/) > [I'm not the authority on the subject. I'm a middle-aged white guy speaking about racism. I'm just finding it a really difficult subject to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-southgate/i-m-not-the-authority-on-the-subject-i-m-a-middle-aged-white-guy/) [Gareth Southgate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-southgate/) > [“Attempting to alert the American public to an impending crisis becomes more difficult when the subject itself is complicated and defies easy or brief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/attempting-to-alert-the-american-public-to-an-impending-crisis/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“Unfortunately, psychology has not adequately come to grips with the difficult subject of entertainment (or with its opposite, boredom). Despite a few initial efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/unfortunately-psychology-has-not-adequately-come-to-grips-with-the/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [“I have also figured out that for many people death is a difficult subject, not at all as simple as it is for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maija-haavisto/i-have-also-figured-out-that-for-many-people-death-is-a-difficult/) [Maija Haavisto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maija-haavisto/) ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. 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The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More American writer quotes > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. 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It's 50/50 on men/women, and also African-American/white writers, it's the same thing. I have four African-American writers, and four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-sykes/i-have-a-well-balanced-show-it-s-50-50-on-men-women-and-also-african/) [Wanda Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-sykes/) > [Henry David Thoreau, who never earned much of a living or sustained a relationship with any woman that wasn't brotherly -- who lived mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hoagland/henry-david-thoreau-who-never-earned-much-of-a-living-or-sustained-a/) [Edward Hoagland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hoagland/) > [To an American writer, I should think it must be a flattering distinction to escape the admiration of the newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-trollope/to-an-american-writer-i-should-think-it-must-be-a-flattering/) [Frances Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-trollope/) > [“Failing to be American (The Sonnet) I've tried to rekindle the American sentiment of my early days of writing, but in vain. 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