--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And yet sometimes she worried about what…" description: "\"“And yet sometimes she worried about what those musty old books were doing to her. Some people majored in English to prepare for law school. Others bec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4b/jeffrey-eugenides-the-marriage_books_and-yet-sometimes-she-worried-about-what_39179.jpg" --- # And yet sometimes she worried about what those musty old… ![“And yet sometimes she worried about what those musty old books were doing to her. Some people majored in English to prepare for law school. Others became journalists. The smartest guy in the honors program, Adam Vogel, a child of academics, was planning on getting a Ph.D. and becoming an academic…” quote by Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4b/jeffrey-eugenides-the-marriage_books_and-yet-sometimes-she-worried-about-what_39179.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4b/jeffrey-eugenides-the-marriage_books_and-yet-sometimes-she-worried-about-what_39179.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4b/jeffrey-eugenides-the-marriage_books_and-yet-sometimes-she-worried-about-what_39179.jpg) > ““And yet sometimes she worried about what those musty old books were doing to her. Some people majored in English to prepare for law school. Others became journalists. The smartest guy in the honors program, Adam Vogel, a child of academics, was planning on getting a Ph.D. and becoming an academic himself. That left a large contingent of people majoring in English by default. Because they weren't left-brained enough for science, because history was too dry, philosophy too difficult, geology too petroleum-oriented, and math too mathematical--because they weren't musical, artistic, financially motivated, or really all that smart, these people were pursuing university degrees doing something no different from what they'd done in first grade: reading stories. English was what people who didn't know what to major in majored in.”” Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. English majors often choose the field by default, seen as a fallback for those not fitting other disciplines, reflecting societal stereotypes about intellect and practicality. **In simple terms:** Many study English because they lack a clear direction or are steered away from perceived harder subjects. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge stereotypes about academic choices. Themes education stereotypes career choice academic culture identity societal expectations Mood reflective critical curious Type Books:1 Law school:0 Old books:0 Reading stories:0 Smart people:0 Majored:0 Majored English:0 People Majored:0 Major Majored:0 When to use this quote - college advising - career counseling - personal reflection - academic planning Key Concepts social pressure self‑identity disciplinary bias career pathways cultural narratives Questions to Reflect On - How do societal expectations shape your academic path? - What value does literature bring beyond a fallback option? A Different Perspective Stereotypes can overlook individual passion and potential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Law school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-school/) [Reading stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-stories/) [Smart people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-people/) ## Related quotes > [“Some people majored in English to prepare for law school. Others became journalists. The smartest guy in the honors program, Adam Vogel, a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/some-people-majored-in-english-to-prepare-for-law-school-others/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“And yet sometimes she worried about those musty old books were doing to her. Some people majored in English to prepare for law school.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/and-yet-sometimes-she-worried-about-those-musty-old-books-were-doing/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“...a large contingent of people majoring in English by default. Because they weren't left-brained enough for science, because history was too dry, philosophy too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/a-large-contingent-of-people-majoring-in-english-by-default-because/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I majored in English with a specialization in creative writing along with Asian American Studies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-park/i-majored-in-english-with-a-specialization-in-creative-writing-along/) [Randall Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-park/) > [She’d majored in English, hoping that meant she could spend the next four years reading and writing. And maybe the next four years after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-d-majored-in-english-hoping-that-meant-she-could-spend-the-next/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [At Harvard, I majored in English Literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-brennan-jobs/at-harvard-i-majored-in-english-literature/) [Lisa Brennan-Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-brennan-jobs/) > [After high school, I went to Stanford University and majored in English. Of course, that gave me a chance to do lots more reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sue-park/after-high-school-i-went-to-stanford-university-and-majored-in/) [Linda Sue Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sue-park/) > [I went to Gettysburg College, where the famous Civil War battle was fought. I majored in English. I would've liked to major in writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/i-went-to-gettysburg-college-where-the-famous-civil-war-battle-was/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [I majored in English in college and that was my major in graduate school before switching to creative writing. I read a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dobyns/i-majored-in-english-in-college-and-that-was-my-major-in-graduate/) [Stephen Dobyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dobyns/) > [I majored in English in college, so I read the classic dystopian novels like '1984' and 'Brave New World.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/i-majored-in-english-in-college-so-i-read-the-classic-dystopian/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [I was enjoying myself writing, because I don't know what's going to happen when I take a ride around that corner. You don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-was-enjoying-myself-writing-because-i-don-t-know-what-s-going-to/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“I consider myself more of a story teller than a writer. My readers constantly say that reading one of my stories is like watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-a-morris/i-consider-myself-more-of-a-story-teller-than-a-writer-my-readers/) P.A. Morris > [in reading ... stories, you can be many different people in many different places, doing things you would never have a chance to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-babbitt/in-reading-stories-you-can-be-many-different-people-in-many-different/) [Natalie Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-babbitt/) > [“Bombs are falling and we're reading stories, I thought. I have entered the realm of the insane. -Jacob”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/bombs-are-falling-and-we-re-reading-stories-i-thought-i-have-entered/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [When we read a story, we inhabit it. The covers of the book are like a roof and four walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/when-we-read-a-story-we-inhabit-it-the-covers-of-the-book-are-like-a/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) ## More by Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot > [“She'd become an English major for the purest and dullest of reasons: because she liked to read. The university’s “British and American Literature Course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides-the-marriage-plot-2/she-d-become-an-english-major-for-the-purest-and-dullest-of-reasons/) Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot Explore all 2 Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot quotes ## 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 > [“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 > [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": "“And yet sometimes she worried about what those musty old books were doing to her. Some people majored in English to prepare for law school. Others became journalists. The smartest guy in the honors program, Adam Vogel, a child of academics, was planning on getting a Ph.D. and becoming an academic himself. That left a large contingent of people majoring in English by default. 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