--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it is written and read with serious…" description: "\"If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation that helps us to make a painf..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/karen-armstrong-1053_art_if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-a_10876.jpg" --- # If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel… ![“If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation that helps us to make a painful rite of passage from one phase of life, one state of mind, to another. A novel, like a myth, teaches us to see the world differently; it shows…” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/karen-armstrong-1053_art_if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-a_10876.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/karen-armstrong-1053_art_if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-a_10876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/karen-armstrong-1053_art_if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-a_10876.jpg) > “If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation that helps us to make a painful rite of passage from one phase of life, one state of mind, to another. A novel, like a myth, teaches us to see the world differently; it shows us how to look into our own hearts and to see our world from a perspective that goes beyond our own self-interest.” [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A novel can serve as a rite of passage, reshaping perception and fostering self‑reflection, much like mythic narratives do. **In simple terms:** Novels act as transformative initiations. Key Takeaway Stories can shift worldview and self‑understanding. Themes Transformation Self‑Discovery Mythic Resonance Perspective Shift Rite of Passage Mood Contemplative Inspirational Reflective Type Literary Insight Philosophical Observation Educational When to use this quote - Reading during life transitions - Using literature in therapy - Teaching empathy in classrooms - Personal introspection - Creative writing workshops Key Concepts Narrative Power Psychological Growth Cultural Insight Practical Applications - Designing curricula that use novels for personal development - Therapeutic reading programs Questions to Reflect On - How does a story change your sense of self? - What mythic elements appear in modern novels? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Our world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-world/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Phases of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phases-of-life/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Rite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rite/) [Rite of passage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rite-of-passage/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [State of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-of-mind/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Works of art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-of-art/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“...a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation that helps us to make a painful rite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/a-novel-like-a-myth-or-any-great-work-of-art-can-become-an-initiation/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [It's almost a rite of passage for the middle-aged, it seems, to invent generational stereotypes for dumping on the young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/it-s-almost-a-rite-of-passage-for-the-middle-aged-it-seems-to-invent/) [Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/) > [Getting a tattoo should hurt. It's a rite of passage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-jameson/getting-a-tattoo-should-hurt-it-s-a-rite-of-passage/) [Jenna Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-jameson/) > [Many of the rites of passage, those rituals of growing up found in our society, are in the form of such comic, practical joking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/many-of-the-rites-of-passage-those-rituals-of-growing-up-found-in-our/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [As an actor, I relish and delight in doing things that I'm not necessarily the demographic for. This is a demographic that is touching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/as-an-actor-i-relish-and-delight-in-doing-things-that-i-m-not/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [When my father finally got around to teaching me to drive, he was impressed at my "natural" talent for driving, not knowing that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/when-my-father-finally-got-around-to-teaching-me-to-drive-he-was/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Death is the least civilized rite of passage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/death-is-the-least-civilized-rite-of-passage/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [It's a rite of passage for the everyman, to a higher ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/it-s-a-rite-of-passage-for-the-everyman-to-a-higher-ground/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [The ethical life... is maintained in being by a common culture, which also upholds the togetherness of society... Unlike the modern youth culture, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-ethical-life-is-maintained-in-being-by-a-common-culture-which/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I think that we all have to have that rite of passage of dating the tortured artist who seems cooler than we think we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-think-that-we-all-have-to-have-that-rite-of-passage-of-dating-the/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [When I was younger, there was the sex thing. That's par for the course.When you're a movie star, it went with it. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/when-i-was-younger-there-was-the-sex-thing-that-s-par-for-the-course/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [To me rites of passage through life, that's a wonderful, beautiful thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/to-me-rites-of-passage-through-life-that-s-a-wonderful-beautiful-thing/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) > [I choose to surround myself with happy human beings. I went through the angsty period. I think every single person does. I think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/i-choose-to-surround-myself-with-happy-human-beings-i-went-through/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [Having a phone call from Steven Spielberg was just a fantastic rite of passage. I loved it, and he was very focused, very likable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/having-a-phone-call-from-steven-spielberg-was-just-a-fantastic-rite/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I think it's sort of a rite of passage for a British actor to try and get the American accent and have a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-bloom/i-think-it-s-sort-of-a-rite-of-passage-for-a-british-actor-to-try-and/) [Orlando Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-bloom/) ## More by Karen Armstrong > [A gentleman is not born but crafted. He had to work on himself in the same way as a sculptor shaped a rough stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/a-gentleman-is-not-born-but-crafted-he-had-to-work-on-himself-in-the/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [In the past some of the most influential Jewish, Christian and Muslim theologians, such as Maimonides, Aquinas and Ibn Sina, made it clear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/in-the-past-some-of-the-most-influential-jewish-christian-and-muslim/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The great task of our time is to build a global society, where people can live together in peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-great-task-of-our-time-is-to-build-a-global-society-where-people/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [We want to create, never mind the leaders or the bishops or chief rabbis or imams, or Popes. We want to create a grassroots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/we-want-to-create-never-mind-the-leaders-or-the-bishops-or-chief/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [If we don't manage to implement the Golden Rule globally, so that we treat all peoples, wherever and whoever they may be, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-don-t-manage-to-implement-the-golden-rule-globally-so-that-we/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [After I left the convent, for 15 years I was worn out with religion, I wanted nothing whatever to do with it. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/after-i-left-the-convent-for-15-years-i-was-worn-out-with-religion-i/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“As we have seen, so many of the things we once took for granted have proved unreliable that we may have to “forget” old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/as-we-have-seen-so-many-of-the-things-we-once-took-for-granted-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Yet a personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/yet-a-personal-god-can-become-a-grave-liability-he-can-be-a-mere-idol/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“I discovered that I felt at home and alive in the silence, which compelled me to enter my interior world and around there. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-discovered-that-i-felt-at-home-and-alive-in-the-silence-which/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Each of the world religions has its own particular genius, its own special insight into the nature and requirements of compassion, and has something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/each-of-the-world-religions-has-its-own-particular-genius-its-own/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“all rightly guided religion that submitted wholly to God, refused to worship man-made deities and preached that justice and equality came from the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/all-rightly-guided-religion-that-submitted-wholly-to-god-refused-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“advocates of evolutionary theory since Thomas H. Huxley (1825–95) have found altruism problematic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/advocates-of-evolutionary-theory-since-thomas-h-huxley-1825-95-have/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [If we try to hold on to our partial glimpses of the divine, we cut it down to our own size and close our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-try-to-hold-on-to-our-partial-glimpses-of-the-divine-we-cut-it/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) [Explore all 296 Karen Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation that helps us to make a painful rite of passage from one phase of life, one state of mind, to another. 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