--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm always trying to, using literature…" description: "\"I'm always trying to, using literature, subvert people's responses.\" — Luis Alberto Urrea" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/luis-alberto-urrea-7854_always_i-m-always-trying-to-using-literature-su_1498282.jpg" --- # I'm always trying to, using literature, subvert people's… ![“I'm always trying to, using literature, subvert people's responses.” quote by Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/luis-alberto-urrea-7854_always_i-m-always-trying-to-using-literature-su_1498282.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/luis-alberto-urrea-7854_always_i-m-always-trying-to-using-literature-su_1498282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/luis-alberto-urrea-7854_always_i-m-always-trying-to-using-literature-su_1498282.jpg) > “I'm always trying to, using literature, subvert people's responses.” [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker uses literature as a tool to challenge and invert typical reactions, highlighting the power of narrative to subvert expectations. **In simple terms:** Using stories to flip people’s responses. Key Takeaway Experiment with narrative twists. Themes creativity subversion literature Mood provocative playful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - teaching - media critique Key Concepts storytelling psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you use subversion responsibly? - What impact does this have on audience perception? A Different Perspective Subversion can alienate if not context‑aware. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I think I'm always trying to subvert conventions, and sometimes it's more successful than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-gugino/i-think-i-m-always-trying-to-subvert-conventions-and-sometimes-it-s/) [Carla Gugino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-gugino/) > [It's interesting when you get those roles, which seem like nothing on the page, and you kind of subvert them. It's hard to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/it-s-interesting-when-you-get-those-roles-which-seem-like-nothing-on/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [To subvert is not the aim of literature, its value lies in discovering and revealing what is rarely known, little known, thought to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/to-subvert-is-not-the-aim-of-literature-its-value-lies-in-discovering/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [I've never wanted to be part of an inner circle of any scene. I've always been an outsider looking to question and subvert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lachapelle/i-ve-never-wanted-to-be-part-of-an-inner-circle-of-any-scene-i-ve/) [David LaChapelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lachapelle/) > [I know that my tendency is to be linear, and I'm trying to find ways to subvert that. And so in 'Bellocq's Ophelia' my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/i-know-that-my-tendency-is-to-be-linear-and-i-m-trying-to-find-ways/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) > [“Every day try to convert your reactions to responses. Reactions are always instinctive, whereas responses are always well thought of, just and right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/every-day-try-to-convert-your-reactions-to-responses-reactions-are/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) > [My youngest son's pre-school class was recently asked what their dads do for work. The responses were things like, my dad sells money, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hawk/my-youngest-son-s-pre-school-class-was-recently-asked-what-their-dads/) [Tony Hawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hawk/) > [I have very human responses to things, so I had to learn to just be still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-jansen/i-have-very-human-responses-to-things-so-i-had-to-learn-to-just-be/) Mallory Jansen > [I think the reason we're so crazy sexually in America is that all our responses are acting. We don't know how to feel. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-robinson/i-think-the-reason-we-re-so-crazy-sexually-in-america-is-that-all-our/) [Jill Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-robinson/) > [I was an awful critic. 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And the other is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/there-are-two-responses-to-really-awful-things-one-is-to-lament-and/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [The best strategy relies upon an unlimited set of responses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-best-strategy-relies-upon-an-unlimited-set-of-responses/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [Although our inattention can contribute to our lack of total well-being, we also have the power to choose positive behaviors and responses. In that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-anderson/although-our-inattention-can-contribute-to-our-lack-of-total-well/) [Greg Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-anderson/) > [There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More by Luis Alberto Urrea > [I'm interested in the eternal soul. That's what I write about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/i-m-interested-in-the-eternal-soul-that-s-what-i-write-about/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [“Aztlán (“The Place of the Reeds”) was the traditional home of the Aztecs, a possibly mythical motherland from which the tribe ventured forth on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/aztl-n-the-place-of-the-reeds-was-the-traditional-home-of-the-aztecs/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [With a name like Luis Alberto Urrea, it's political no matter what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/with-a-name-like-luis-alberto-urrea-it-s-political-no-matter-what-i-do/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [During grade school, we moved to a white, working-class suburb in San Diego, and there were no Mexicans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/during-grade-school-we-moved-to-a-white-working-class-suburb-in-san/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [I've been told not to tour down in Mexico. 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It was all one thing, and that thing was: story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/the-world-was-more-than-a-place-life-was-more-than-an-event-it-was/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [The concept of a literature of witness - of bearing witness - has embedded in it the need for action. One must not simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/the-concept-of-a-literature-of-witness-of-bearing-witness-has/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [I have often said I come from a family of unreliable narrators. I tend to believe their struggles with racism, identity, nationality do dovetail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/i-have-often-said-i-come-from-a-family-of-unreliable-narrators-i-tend/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [In the end, I'm really interested in people and what we do with our short time here on earth. I'm interested in the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/in-the-end-i-m-really-interested-in-people-and-what-we-do-with-our/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) [Explore all 86 Luis Alberto Urrea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. 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