--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Literature is dead, my boy' the uncle…" description: "\"“Literature is dead, my boy' the uncle replied. 'Look at these empty rooms, and these books buried in their dust; no one reads anymore; I am the guardi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/jules-verne-795_books_literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-repl_1798030.jpg" --- # Literature is dead, my boy' the uncle replied. 'Look at… ![“Literature is dead, my boy' the uncle replied. 'Look at these empty rooms, and these books buried in their dust; no one reads anymore; I am the guardian of a cemetery here, and exhumation is forbidden.' . . . 'My boy, never speak of literature, never speak of art! Accept the situation as it is!…” quote by Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/jules-verne-795_books_literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-repl_1798030.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/jules-verne-795_books_literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-repl_1798030.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/jules-verne-795_books_literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-repl_1798030.jpg) > ““Literature is dead, my boy' the uncle replied. 'Look at these empty rooms, and these books buried in their dust; no one reads anymore; I am the guardian of a cemetery here, and exhumation is forbidden.' . . . 'My boy, never speak of literature, never speak of art! Accept the situation as it is! You are Monsieur Boutardins ward before being your Uncle Huguenin's nephew!”” [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) ## 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 dismissed as obsolete, but the narrator defends its value against censorship. **In simple terms:** Literature is declared dead, yet defended. Key Takeaway Protect cultural heritage. Themes literature censorship heritage authority rebellion Mood defiant reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - libraries - education - political regimes - family legacy Key Concepts cultural preservation intellectual freedom artistic value Questions to Reflect On - What role does literature play in society? - How can we resist cultural suppression? A Different Perspective Censorship can erase history. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accept The Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept-the-situation/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Buried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-buried-1163591/) [Huguenin Nephew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/huguenin-nephew-2006430/) [Literature Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-dead-2006428/) [Uncle Huguenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncle-huguenin-2006429/) [Uncle Replied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncle-replied-2006427/) ## Related quotes > [“...indeed it is in the General Cemetery that the results of progress are set out before the eyes of the studious or the merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/indeed-it-is-in-the-general-cemetery-that-the-results-of-progress-are/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [It is always difficult, but when you have been a manager for a while with different teams, sometimes you were only playing once a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/it-is-always-difficult-but-when-you-have-been-a-manager-for-a-while/) [Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/) > [Everyone wants to be in the first team, but you have to accept the situation and keep working hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willy-caballero/everyone-wants-to-be-in-the-first-team-but-you-have-to-accept-the/) [Willy Caballero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willy-caballero/) > [If peace is really what you want, then you will choose peace. If peace mattered to you more than anything else and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/if-peace-is-really-what-you-want-then-you-will-choose-peace-if-peace/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Sometimes the chains of love are too weak to be felt till they are too strong to be broken. Sometimes,you just have to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/sometimes-the-chains-of-love-are-too-weak-to-be-felt-till-they-are/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [We have fought this fight as long, and as well as we know how. We have been defeated. For us as a Christian people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/we-have-fought-this-fight-as-long-and-as-well-as-we-know-how-we-have/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Poets are always making waves. I mean, you know, in an ideal situation, the ideal republic can't tolerate poets because - it isn't that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-walcott/poets-are-always-making-waves-i-mean-you-know-in-an-ideal-situation/) [Derek Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-walcott/) > [Are we really going to accept the situation where the government of Lithuania has more power over our trading relationship with the Commonwealth than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-grayling/are-we-really-going-to-accept-the-situation-where-the-government-of/) [Chris Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-grayling/) > [As a woman, you accept the situation, adapt to it, and do your best, whereas men would choose violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/as-a-woman-you-accept-the-situation-adapt-to-it-and-do-your-best/) [Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/) > [Pause and remember - When you fight reality, you will lose every time. Once you accept the situation for what it truly is, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-young/pause-and-remember-when-you-fight-reality-you-will-lose-every-time/) [Jennifer Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-young/) > [Acceptance is not a state of passivity or inaction. I am not saying you can't change the world, right wrongs, or replace evil with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/acceptance-is-not-a-state-of-passivity-or-inaction-i-am-not-saying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As a child, I was told by my parents and teachers that if I didn't have what I wanted, I had to either accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleyne-mari-sharp/as-a-child-i-was-told-by-my-parents-and-teachers-that-if-i-didn-t/) [Eleyne-Mari Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleyne-mari-sharp/) > [ “When we take the present moment as our starting place, life is straightforward and easygoing.\[145\] Truth is self-existing. There is nothing to create or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-riggs/when-we-take-the-present-moment-as-our-starting-place-life-is/) [Benjamin Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-riggs/) > [“In the world of my imagination, Esther was still my companion, and her love gave me the strength to go forward and explore all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/in-the-world-of-my-imagination-esther-was-still-my-companion-and-her/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“When people are down and having problems or insecurities. Its better to slap them with the truth or scowl at them so that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arriene/when-people-are-down-and-having-problems-or-insecurities-its-better/) [Arriene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arriene/) ## More by Jules Verne > [Look with all your eyes, look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/look-with-all-your-eyes-look/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“As I remarked before, the Asiatic elephant is smaller than the African, which is frequently twelve feet high, and its tusks are in proportion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/as-i-remarked-before-the-asiatic-elephant-is-smaller-than-the-african/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [As long as a man's heart beats, as long as a man's flesh quivers, I do not allow that a being gifted with thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/as-long-as-a-man-s-heart-beats-as-long-as-a-man-s-flesh-quivers-i-do/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Now, when an American has an idea, he directly seeks a second American to share it. If there be three, they elect a president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/now-when-an-american-has-an-idea-he-directly-seeks-a-second-american/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Well, my friend, this earth will one day be that cold corpse; it will become uninhabitable and uninhabited like the moon, which has long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-my-friend-this-earth-will-one-day-be-that-cold-corpse-it-will/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Ah! Young people, travel if you can, and if you cannot - travel all the same!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/ah-young-people-travel-if-you-can-and-if-you-cannot-travel-all-the/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [It is always a vulgar and often an unhealthy pastime, and it is a vice which does not go alone; the man who gambles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/it-is-always-a-vulgar-and-often-an-unhealthy-pastime-and-it-is-a-vice/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“My uncle” is the natives’ usual name for the tiger, they believing that the soul of each of their ancestors is lodged for eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/my-uncle-is-the-natives-usual-name-for-the-tiger-they-believing-that/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“Kâlagani evidently knew this thinly-peopled region perfectly, and guided us across it most admirably. On the 29th September our train began to ascend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/k-lagani-evidently-knew-this-thinly-peopled-region-perfectly-and/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Well, I feel that we should always put a little art into what we do. It's better that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-i-feel-that-we-should-always-put-a-little-art-into-what-we-do-it/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“— Isola in vendita per contanti, più le spese, al miglior offerente! — andava ripetendo a perdifiato Dean Felporg, banditore dell'auction, in cui venivano…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/isola-in-vendita-per-contanti-pi-le-spese-al-miglior-offerente-andava/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [It is certain," exclaimed my uncle in a tone of triumph. "But silence, do you hear me? silence upon the whole subject; and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/it-is-certain-exclaimed-my-uncle-in-a-tone-of-triumph-but-silence-do/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Man, a mere inhabitant of the earth, cannot overstep its boundaries! But though he is confined to its crust, he may penetrate into all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/man-a-mere-inhabitant-of-the-earth-cannot-overstep-its-boundaries-but/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [On the surface of the ocean, men wage war and destroy each other; but down here, just a few feet beneath the surface, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/on-the-surface-of-the-ocean-men-wage-war-and-destroy-each-other-but/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [In presence of Nature's grand convulsions man is powerless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/in-presence-of-nature-s-grand-convulsions-man-is-powerless/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) [Explore all 331 Jules Verne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) ## 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 is dead, my boy' the uncle replied. 'Look at these empty rooms, and these books buried in their dust; no one reads anymore; I am the guardian of a cemetery here, and exhumation is forbidden.' . . . 'My boy, never speak of literature, never speak of art! Accept the situation as it is! You are Monsieur Boutardins ward before being your Uncle Huguenin's nephew!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jules Verne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-replied-look-at-these-empty-rooms/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-replied-look-at-these-empty-rooms/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/jules-verne-795_books_literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-repl_1798030.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/jules-verne-795_books_literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-repl_1798030.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/jules-verne-795_books_literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-repl_1798030.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Literature is dead, my boy' the uncle replied. 'Look at these empty rooms, and these books buried in their…” — Jules Verne", "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": "Jules Verne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Literature is dead, my boy' the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-replied-look-at-these-empty-rooms/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/literature-is-dead-my-boy-the-uncle-replied-look-at-these-empty-rooms/#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 } } ] } ```