--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Literature could be said to be a sort of…" description: "\"Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined technique for arousing certain emotions.\" — Iris Murdoch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/iris-murdoch-993_books_literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of_762863.png" --- # Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined… ![“Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined technique for arousing certain emotions.” quote by Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/iris-murdoch-993_books_literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of_762863.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/iris-murdoch-993_books_literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of_762863.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/iris-murdoch-993_books_literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of_762863.png) > “Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined technique for arousing certain emotions.” [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Literature is a disciplined method to evoke specific feelings in readers. **In simple terms:** Literature intentionally triggers emotions. Key Takeaway Use craft to shape emotional impact. Themes art emotion craft discipline Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative writing - teaching literature - therapy - marketing - public speaking Key Concepts Aesthetics psychology narrative technique Questions to Reflect On - How does structure influence feeling? - What emotions are most effective? A Different Perspective May not reach all audiences equally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Certain Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-emotions-688368/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Disciplined Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciplined-technique-5913084/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-said-489044/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technique/) [Technique Arousing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technique-arousing-5913083/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Do you know what the worst thing about literature is? said Don Pancracio. I knew, but I pretended I didn't. What? I said. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o-translated-from-the-spanish-by-natasha-wimmer/do-you-know-what-the-worst-thing-about-literature-is-said-don/) [Roberto Bolaño translated from the Spanish by Natasha Wimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o-translated-from-the-spanish-by-natasha-wimmer/) > [“I like literature," I said. "We started watching the film version of Romeo and Juliet today." I didn't tell them this, but the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/i-like-literature-i-said-we-started-watching-the-film-version-of/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [When Thomas Mann arrived in California from Germany, they asked him about German literature. And he said, 'German literature is where I am.' It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/when-thomas-mann-arrived-in-california-from-germany-they-asked-him/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [“I would have thought," said the prime minister, "that Your Majesty was above literature." "Above literature?" said the Queen. "Who is above literature? You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/i-would-have-thought-said-the-prime-minister-that-your-majesty-was/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Above literature?' said the Queen. 'Who is above literature? You might as well say one was above humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/above-literature-said-the-queen-who-is-above-literature-you-might-as/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [The Irishman in English literature may be said to have been born with an apology in his mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-irishman-in-english-literature-may-be-said-to-have-been-born-with/) [James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/) > [“Please write and tell me about London, I live for the day when I step off the boat-train and feel its dirty sidewalks under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-hanff/please-write-and-tell-me-about-london-i-live-for-the-day-when-i-step/) [Helene Hanff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-hanff/) > [“I looked into the literature on this," said Nightingale, "and it wasn't very helpful." "There's a literature about this?" "You'd be amazed, Constable, about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-looked-into-the-literature-on-this-said-nightingale-and-it-wasn-t/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [The first forms of writing emerged not for art, literature, or love, not for spiritual or liturgical purposes, but for business--all literature could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/the-first-forms-of-writing-emerged-not-for-art-literature-or-love-not/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [You have license in front of the camera to do things, feel certain emotions that you don't get to in real life. It can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-stan/you-have-license-in-front-of-the-camera-to-do-things-feel-certain/) [Sebastian Stan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-stan/) > [When I sing, I try to communicate certain emotions, and that's the voice that comes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romeo-santos/when-i-sing-i-try-to-communicate-certain-emotions-and-that-s-the/) [Romeo Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romeo-santos/) > [We form friendships so that we can feel certain emotions, like love, want, magic - of missing people, avoid others - like loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koena-mitra/we-form-friendships-so-that-we-can-feel-certain-emotions-like-love/) [Koena Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koena-mitra/) > [There are certain emotions in your body that not even your best friend can sympathize with, but you will find the right film or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/there-are-certain-emotions-in-your-body-that-not-even-your-best/) [Bjork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/) > [As individuals we all have a side to us where we will do anything for certain emotions we are experiencing, and one of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robson-green/as-individuals-we-all-have-a-side-to-us-where-we-will-do-anything-for/) [Robson Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robson-green/) > [Words are impotent to describe certain emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/words-are-impotent-to-describe-certain-emotions/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) ## More by Iris Murdoch > [Falling out of love is chiefly a matter of forgetting how charming someone is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/falling-out-of-love-is-chiefly-a-matter-of-forgetting-how-charming/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [One doesn't have to get anywhere in a marriage. It's not a public conveyance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/one-doesn-t-have-to-get-anywhere-in-a-marriage-it-s-not-a-public/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [“I think being a woman is like being Irish... Everyone says you're important and nice, but you take second place all the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/i-think-being-a-woman-is-like-being-irish-everyone-says-you-re/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [Art is the final cunning of the human soul which would rather do anything than face the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/art-is-the-final-cunning-of-the-human-soul-which-would-rather-do/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [The sending of a letter constitutes a magical grasp upon the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/the-sending-of-a-letter-constitutes-a-magical-grasp-upon-the-future/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [emotions really exist at the bottom of the personality or at the top. in the middle they are acted. this is why all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/emotions-really-exist-at-the-bottom-of-the-personality-or-at-the-top/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [I have used the word "attention," which I borrow from Simone Weil, to express the idea of a just and loving gaze directed upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/i-have-used-the-word-attention-which-i-borrow-from-simone-weil-to/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [Starting a novel is opening a door on a misty landscape; you can still see very little but you can smell the earth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/starting-a-novel-is-opening-a-door-on-a-misty-landscape-you-can-still/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [Art and morality are, with certain provisos…one. Their essence is the same. The essence of both of them is love. Love is the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/art-and-morality-are-with-certain-provisos-one-their-essence-is-the/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [being homosexual doesn't determine a man's whole character any more than being heterosexual does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/being-homosexual-doesn-t-determine-a-man-s-whole-character-any-more/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [All artists dream of a silence which they must enter, as some creatures return to the sea to spawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/all-artists-dream-of-a-silence-which-they-must-enter-as-some/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [“Oh if only I could take my mother away and never know of these things again. But it was impossible, the machine would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/oh-if-only-i-could-take-my-mother-away-and-never-know-of-these-things/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [We defend ourselves by descriptions and tame the world by generalizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/we-defend-ourselves-by-descriptions-and-tame-the-world-by-generalizing/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [“I'm sorry I was awful. I'm so full of terrors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/i-m-sorry-i-was-awful-i-m-so-full-of-terrors/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [I live, I live, with an absolutely continuous sense of failure. I am always defeated, always. Every book is the wreck of a perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/i-live-i-live-with-an-absolutely-continuous-sense-of-failure-i-am/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) [Explore all 306 Iris Murdoch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined technique for arousing certain emotions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Iris Murdoch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of-disciplined-technique-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of-disciplined-technique-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/iris-murdoch-993_books_literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of_762863.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/iris-murdoch-993_books_literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of_762863.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/iris-murdoch-993_books_literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of_762863.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined technique for arousing certain emotions.” — Iris Murdoch", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Iris Murdoch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Literature could be said to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of-disciplined-technique-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/literature-could-be-said-to-be-a-sort-of-disciplined-technique-for/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```