--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The master always keeps a piece of…" description: "\"“The master always keeps a piece of learning--that is to say, a piece of the student's ignorance--up his sleeve. I understood that, says the satisfied ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/jacques-ranciere-37477_achilles_the-master-always-keeps-a-piece-of-learn_1479158.jpg" --- # The master always keeps a piece of learning--that is to… ![“The master always keeps a piece of learning--that is to say, a piece of the student's ignorance--up his sleeve. I understood that, says the satisfied student. You think so, corrects the master. in fact, there's a difficulty here that I've been sparing you until now. We will explain it when we get…” quote by Jacques Rancière](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/jacques-ranciere-37477_achilles_the-master-always-keeps-a-piece-of-learn_1479158.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/jacques-ranciere-37477_achilles_the-master-always-keeps-a-piece-of-learn_1479158.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/jacques-ranciere-37477_achilles_the-master-always-keeps-a-piece-of-learn_1479158.jpg) > ““The master always keeps a piece of learning--that is to say, a piece of the student's ignorance--up his sleeve. I understood that, says the satisfied student. You think so, corrects the master. in fact, there's a difficulty here that I've been sparing you until now. We will explain it when we get to the corresponding lesson. What does this mean? asks the curious student. I could tell you, responds the master, but it would be premature: you wouldn't understand at all. It will be explained to you next year. The master is always a length ahead of the student, who always feels that in order to go farther he must have another master, supplementary explications. Thus does the triumphant Achilles drag Hector's corpse, attached to his chariot, around the city of Troy.”” [Jacques Rancière](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The master deliberately maintains a gap of ignorance in the student to keep the learning process ongoing and challenging. **In simple terms:** Masters keep some unknowns to push students forward. Key Takeaway Embrace the unknown as a catalyst for growth. Themes education learning authority humility Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - classroom teaching - mentor-ment - self‑directed study - skill acquisition Key Concepts Pedagogy Socratic method Dialectic Questions to Reflect On - How can a teacher balance mystery and clarity? - What unknowns can you keep to stay curious? A Different Perspective If the gap is too large, students may feel discouraged rather than motivated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achilles/) [Corresponding Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corresponding-lesson-5387715/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson/) [Next year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-year/) [Responds Master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responds-master-5387716/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Student Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student-think-918127/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes when I teach a student something that I think is really simple, I realize I'm teaching them something they can do 90 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-molsky/sometimes-when-i-teach-a-student-something-that-i-think-is-really/) [Bruce Molsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-molsky/) > [From the time I was a student, I think I was very confident in my raw abilities. 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My Achille's heel, if you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ah-beer-my-one-weakness-my-achille-s-heel-if-you-will/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [Suppose that we are wise enough to learn and know-and yet not wise enough to control our learning and knowledge, so that we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/suppose-that-we-are-wise-enough-to-learn-and-know-and-yet-not-wise/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) ## More by Jacques Rancière > [To speak only well of Jacques Ranciere is not an easy task, given the positions that the two of us occupy. Perhaps my constant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ranciere/to-speak-only-well-of-jacques-ranciere-is-not-an-easy-task-given-the/) [Jacques Ranciere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) > [“Upravo to je književnost: umetnost pisanja koja ublažava raliku između sveta umetnosti i sveta običnog života tako što izjednačava sve teme.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ranciere/upravo-to-je-knji-evnost-umetnost-pisanja-koja-ubla-ava-raliku-izme-u/) [Jacques Rancière](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) > [“Whoever teaches without emancipating stultifies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ranciere/whoever-teaches-without-emancipating-stultifies/) [Jacques Ranciere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) > [“To teach what one doesn't know is simply to ask questions about what one doesn't know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ranciere/to-teach-what-one-doesn-t-know-is-simply-to-ask-questions-about-what/) [Jacques Rancière](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) > [“It is easier to compare oneself, to establish social exchange as that swapmeet of glory and contempt where each person receives a superiority in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ranciere/it-is-easier-to-compare-oneself-to-establish-social-exchange-as-that/) [Jacques Rancière](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) > [“Keeping a monopoly on legitimate violence is still the proven best way to limit violence and allow reason some asylum where it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ranciere/keeping-a-monopoly-on-legitimate-violence-is-still-the-proven-best/) [Jacques Rancière](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) > [The domination of capitalism globally depends today on the existence of a Chinese Communist party that gives delocalised capitalist enterprises cheap labour to lower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ranciere/the-domination-of-capitalism-globally-depends-today-on-the-existence/) [Jacques Ranciere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) > [“Poetic language that knows itself as such doesn't contradict reason. 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Over and over until it is sound only.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/patroclus-he-says-patroclus-patroclus-over-and-over-until-it-is-sound/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [There comes a point where certain things are becoming my Achilles heel; you know when you start repeating yourself and saying the same anecdotes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elson/there-comes-a-point-where-certain-things-are-becoming-my-achilles/) [Karen Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elson/) > [To reveal imprudently the spot where we are most sensitive and vulnerable is to invite a blow. 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Her hands are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/briseis-is-kneeling-by-my-body-she-has-brought-water-and-cloth-and/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [When we consider the weak and nerveless periods of some literary men, who perchance in feet and inches come up to the standard oftheir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-consider-the-weak-and-nerveless-periods-of-some-literary-men/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Personal integrity in Achilles achieves the form and authority of immanent divinity, with its inviolable, lonely singleness, half repellent because of its almost inhuman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedric-h-whitman/personal-integrity-in-achilles-achieves-the-form-and-authority-of/) [Cedric H Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedric-h-whitman/) > [As the Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe has presciently pointed out, neoliberal corporate globalism threatens to exploit that advantage like never before, and it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-naffis-sahely/as-the-cameroonian-philosopher-achille-mbembe-has-presciently-pointed/) [Andre Naffis-Sahely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-naffis-sahely/) > [“I listened and did not speak. Achilles’ eyes were bright in the firelight, his face drawn sharply by the flickering shadows. I would know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-listened-and-did-not-speak-achilles-eyes-were-bright-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At Achilles tomb, O fortunate youth, to have found Homer as the herald of your glory!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/at-achilles-tomb-o-fortunate-youth-to-have-found-homer-as-the-herald/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [The Achilles Heel of the Americas was the lack of cultural confidence typical of new settlers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-erickson/the-achilles-heel-of-the-americas-was-the-lack-of-cultural-confidence/) [Arthur Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-erickson/) [Browse all 180 Achilles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achilles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The master always keeps a piece of learning--that is to say, a piece of the student's ignorance--up his sleeve. I understood that, says the satisfied student. You think so, corrects the master. in fact, there's a difficulty here that I've been sparing you until now. We will explain it when we get to the corresponding lesson. What does this mean? asks the curious student. I could tell you, responds the master, but it would be premature: you wouldn't understand at all. It will be explained to you next year. The master is always a length ahead of the student, who always feels that in order to go farther he must have another master, supplementary explications. 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