--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is commonly called literary history…" description: "\"What is commonly called literary history is actually a record of choices.\" — Louise Bernikow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/louise-bernikow-32961_choices_what-is-commonly-called-literary-history_1843508.jpg" --- # What is commonly called literary history is actually a… ![“What is commonly called literary history is actually a record of choices.” quote by Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/louise-bernikow-32961_choices_what-is-commonly-called-literary-history_1843508.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/louise-bernikow-32961_choices_what-is-commonly-called-literary-history_1843508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/louise-bernikow-32961_choices_what-is-commonly-called-literary-history_1843508.jpg) > “What is commonly called literary history is actually a record of choices.” [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Literary history is not a neutral chronicle but a series of decisions about what to include, exclude, and emphasize, reflecting biases and values. **In simple terms:** Literary history is a record of choices. Key Takeaway Question whose voices are highlighted. Themes literature history bias Mood analytical critical Type academic philosophical When to use this quote - academics - publishers - readers Key Concepts canon formation cultural memory critical theory Questions to Reflect On - Which authors have been overlooked? - How does selection shape cultural identity? A Different Perspective Dominant narratives can marginalize alternative perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) ## Related quotes > [“You can’t write novels about people who are timid, risk-averse and passive. Or you can, but they’re called literary novels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/you-can-t-write-novels-about-people-who-are-timid-risk-averse-and/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [Literary history is the great morgue where all seek the dead ones whom they love, or to whom they are related.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/literary-history-is-the-great-morgue-where-all-seek-the-dead-ones/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [“What do you mean to do?' 'Make literary history, I guess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/what-do-you-mean-to-do-make-literary-history-i-guess/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“Sometime during my study of the Dark Ages and Middle Ages, I uncovered an odd paradox that exists in our minds about time gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/sometime-during-my-study-of-the-dark-ages-and-middle-ages-i-uncovered/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [A lot of what we think of as history is actually just a version of events which may or may not be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-toksvig/a-lot-of-what-we-think-of-as-history-is-actually-just-a-version-of/) [Sandi Toksvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-toksvig/) > [History is often not what actually happened but what is recorded as such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-l-stimson/history-is-often-not-what-actually-happened-but-what-is-recorded-as/) [Henry L. Stimson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-l-stimson/) > [Nothing like this has been attempted before. (...) It might be called a literary Porto Alegre. That implies a beginning, with much fierce argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-anderson/nothing-like-this-has-been-attempted-before-it-might-be-called-a/) [Perry Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-anderson/) > [Authors of so-called 'literary' fiction insist that action, like plot, is vulgar and unworthy of a true artist. Don't pay any attention to misguided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/authors-of-so-called-literary-fiction-insist-that-action-like-plot-is/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“If there's another writer, like Ross McDonald or Raymond Chandler, and all they're writing are mysteries, they won't be accepted," he said. "And that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/if-there-s-another-writer-like-ross-mcdonald-or-raymond-chandler-and/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [You can write a great book and be ignored. Literary history is full of classics that were under-appreciated in their own time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/you-can-write-a-great-book-and-be-ignored-literary-history-is-full-of/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [Nom de Plume uses the device of the pseudonym to unite the likes of Charlotte Bronte, Mark Twain, Fernando Pessoa, and Patricia Highsmith into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/nom-de-plume-uses-the-device-of-the-pseudonym-to-unite-the-likes-of/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [In all literary history there is no such figure as Dante, no such homogeneousness of life and works, such loyalty to ideas, such sublime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/in-all-literary-history-there-is-no-such-figure-as-dante-no-such/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The heroes of literary history have been no less remarkable for what they have suffered than for what they have achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-heroes-of-literary-history-have-been-no-less-remarkable-for-what/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That rewriting of literary history is most obvious in the case of The Yage Letters, where I was able to show that the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-harris/that-rewriting-of-literary-history-is-most-obvious-in-the-case-of-the/) [Oliver Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-harris/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) ## More by Louise Bernikow > [In becoming archaeologists of the world of our mothers, we are trying to retrieve the female past and to invent a future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/in-becoming-archaeologists-of-the-world-of-our-mothers-we-are-trying/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Between sisters, often, the child's cry never dies down. "Never leave me," it says; "do not abandon me."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/between-sisters-often-the-child-s-cry-never-dies-down-never-leave-me/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Humor tells you where the trouble is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/humor-tells-you-where-the-trouble-is/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Everytime I say "sure" when I mean "no," everytime I smile brightly when I'm exploding with rage, every time I imagine my man's achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/everytime-i-say-sure-when-i-mean-no-everytime-i-smile-brightly-when-i/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [“Female friendships that work are relationships in which women help each other belong to themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/female-friendships-that-work-are-relationships-in-which-women-help/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [The illusion of companionship sits waiting in the television set. We keep our televisions on more than we watch them - an average of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/the-illusion-of-companionship-sits-waiting-in-the-television-set-we/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [What is haunting is that people fallen off the train threaten those who remain on board.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-is-haunting-is-that-people-fallen-off-the-train-threaten-those/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [I say you hurt me. You say I scorned you. We say we care. It begins. The conversation begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/i-say-you-hurt-me-you-say-i-scorned-you-we-say-we-care-it-begins-the/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [What we have in common is what keeps us apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-we-have-in-common-is-what-keeps-us-apart/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Much female conversation is, in fact, about survival - but in code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/much-female-conversation-is-in-fact-about-survival-but-in-code/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Sometimes I feel like a sisterless child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-sisterless-child/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [for many people, loneliness was an experience of time. 'Not knowing what to do with yourself' was the way it was usually put.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/for-many-people-loneliness-was-an-experience-of-time-not-knowing-what/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [The question arises as to whether it is possible not to live in the world of men and still to live in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/the-question-arises-as-to-whether-it-is-possible-not-to-live-in-the/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [we perceive silence where, in fact, there is a muffler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/we-perceive-silence-where-in-fact-there-is-a-muffler/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) [Explore all 15 Louise Bernikow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is commonly called literary history is actually a record of choices.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louise Bernikow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-is-commonly-called-literary-history-is-actually-a-record-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-is-commonly-called-literary-history-is-actually-a-record-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/louise-bernikow-32961_choices_what-is-commonly-called-literary-history_1843508.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/louise-bernikow-32961_choices_what-is-commonly-called-literary-history_1843508.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/louise-bernikow-32961_choices_what-is-commonly-called-literary-history_1843508.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What is commonly called literary history is actually a record of choices.” — Louise Bernikow", "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": "Louise Bernikow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What is commonly called literary history...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-is-commonly-called-literary-history-is-actually-a-record-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-is-commonly-called-literary-history-is-actually-a-record-of/#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 } } ] } ```