Books Quote by Laurence Perrine
““A final caution to students: in making judgments on literature, always be honest. Do not pretend to like what you really do not like. Do not be afraid to admit a liking for what you do like. A genuine enthusiasm for the second-rate is much better than false enthusiasm or no enthusiasm at all. Be neither hasty nor timorous in making your judgments. When you have attentively read a poem and thoroughly considered it, decide what you think. Do not hedge, equivocate, or try to find out others' opinions before forming your own. But having formed an opinion and expressed it, do not allow it to petrify. Compare your opinion then with the opinions of others; allow yourself to change it when convinced of its error: in this way you learn. Honestly, courage, and humility are the necessary moral foundations for all genuine literary judgment.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Literary Criticism and Theory, Laurence Perrine, 1970
Encourages honest, courageous, and humble literary judgment, avoiding pretense and rigidity while staying open to revision.
In simple terms: Be honest, brave, and modest when judging literature, and be ready to change your view.
Key Takeaway
Judge with integrity and stay open to growth.
Themes
honesty
courage
humility
critical thinking
open‑mindedness
Mood
thoughtful
reflective
Type
advisory
philosophical
When to use this quote
- college literature class
- book club discussion
- personal essay writing
- academic peer review
Key Concepts
ethical judgment
literary analysis
self‑reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance honesty with appreciation?
- When should you revise a literary opinion?
A Different Perspective
May become overly self‑critical, hindering enjoyment of reading.
![“The nearest approach to the infallible in literary judgment is represented in the colossal work of the teacher of all these three [Edmund Gosse, Edward Dowden and George Saintsbury], the greatest critic that ever lived - not an Englishman, but a Frenchman, the wonderful Sainte-Beuve.” quote by Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/74e/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve_approach_the-nearest-approach-to-the-infallible-i_848491.jpg)
