Achieve Quote by John D'Agata
“I'm not worried about what part of their life they needed to massage in order to achieve something that I get to experience as transcendent. Because that's the point of literature, I think: to connect.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "What Is Literature?" in The Book of My Lives, 2017
The quote suggests that literature’s purpose is to bridge personal experiences, allowing readers to feel a shared transcendence beyond specific details.
In simple terms: Literature connects us to others’ deep experiences.
Seek connections that transcend surface details.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- reading clubs
- creative writing workshops
- personal reflection
- teaching literature
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does literature enable you to feel another’s transcendence?
- What personal experiences do you bring to reading?
May overlook individual context, risking overgeneralization.