---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What did Nabokov and Joyce have in…"
description: "\"What did Nabokov and Joyce have in common, apart from the poor teeth and the great prose? Exile, and decades of near pauperism.\" — Martin Amis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/martin-amis-704_common_what-did-nabokov-and-joyce-have-in-commo_328037.jpg"
---

#  What did Nabokov and Joyce have in common, apart from the…

![“What did Nabokov and Joyce have in common, apart from the poor teeth and the great prose? Exile, and decades of near pauperism.” quote by Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/martin-amis-704_common_what-did-nabokov-and-joyce-have-in-commo_328037.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/martin-amis-704_common_what-did-nabokov-and-joyce-have-in-commo_328037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/martin-amis-704_common_what-did-nabokov-and-joyce-have-in-commo_328037.jpg)

> “What did Nabokov and Joyce have in common, apart from the poor teeth and the great prose? Exile, and decades of near pauperism.”

[Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Both writers endured exile and long-term poverty, shaping their literary voices.

**In simple terms:** Exile and poverty shaped their work.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how hardship can fuel creativity.

Themes

exile poverty creativity literature

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

- writing memoirs
- teaching literature
- studying modernist novels

Key Concepts

modernism authorial experience social marginalization

Questions to Reflect On

- How does adversity influence artistic expression?
- Can hardship be a prerequisite for greatness?

A Different Perspective

Their success also depended on talent and opportunity, not just hardship.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Exile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exile/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

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