--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hate to see great works of literature…" description: "\"I hate to see great works of literature ghettoized, whereas others that conform to the rules, conventions, and procedures of the genre we call literary..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d32/michael-chabon-627_book_i-hate-to-see-great-works-of-literature_2637145.png" --- # I hate to see great works of literature ghettoized… ![“I hate to see great works of literature ghettoized, whereas others that conform to the rules, conventions, and procedures of the genre we call literary fiction get accorded greater esteem and privilege. I also have a problem with how books are marketed, with certain cover designs and typefaces…” quote by Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d32/michael-chabon-627_book_i-hate-to-see-great-works-of-literature_2637145.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d32/michael-chabon-627_book_i-hate-to-see-great-works-of-literature_2637145.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d32/michael-chabon-627_book_i-hate-to-see-great-works-of-literature_2637145.png) > “I hate to see great works of literature ghettoized, whereas others that conform to the rules, conventions, and procedures of the genre we call literary fiction get accorded greater esteem and privilege. I also have a problem with how books are marketed, with certain cover designs and typefaces. They're often stamped with an identity that has nothing to do with their effect on the reader.” [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizes literary elitism and marketing that misrepresents books, prioritizing conformity over genuine impact. **In simple terms:** Literary elitism and marketing mislead readers. Key Takeaway Seek authentic literary experiences. Themes literature elitism marketing Mood critical analytical Type essay literary When to use this quote - book clubs - publishing decisions - author branding Key Concepts authenticity genre conventions reader perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you discover truly impactful works? - What role should marketing play in literature? A Different Perspective Conformity can stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Conform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conform/) [Conventions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventions/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Genre Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre-literary-909764/) [Great work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-work/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [I hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-hate/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Literary fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-fiction/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Ghettoized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-ghettoized-2237582/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Procedures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procedures/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Typefaces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typefaces/) [Works Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-literature-1609277/) ## Related quotes > [ \[Michael\] Chabon, who is himself a brash and playful and ebullient genre-bender, writes about how our idea of what constitutes literary fiction is a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-barton/michael-chabon-who-is-himself-a-brash-and-playful-and-ebullient-genre/) [Emily Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-barton/) > [The novel is not so much a literary genre, but a literary space, like a sea that is filled by many rivers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/the-novel-is-not-so-much-a-literary-genre-but-a-literary-space-like-a/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I think the novel is not so much a literary genre, but a literary space, like a sea that is filled by many rivers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-think-the-novel-is-not-so-much-a-literary-genre-but-a-literary/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [The greatest works of literature seem to embody both "art" and "morality".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-greatest-works-of-literature-seem-to-embody-both-art-and-morality/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [In science, read by preference the newest works. In literature, read the oldest. The classics are always modern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lowell/in-science-read-by-preference-the-newest-works-in-literature-read-the/) [Amy Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lowell/) > [In science, read, by preference, the newest works; in literature the oldest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/in-science-read-by-preference-the-newest-works-in-literature-the-2/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [There are works of literature whose influence is strong but indirect because it is mediated through the whole of the culture rather than immediately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/there-are-works-of-literature-whose-influence-is-strong-but-indirect/) [J. M. 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People were not concerned with the literary reputation of Matthew or Mark, but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-g-kenyon/the-gospels-were-not-thought-of-as-works-of-literature-people-were/) [Frederic G. Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-g-kenyon/) > [In science, read, by preference, the newest works; in literature, the oldest. The classic literature is always modern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-science-read-by-preference-the-newest-works-in-literature-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The point about sales is relevant because it suggests there are cultures out there that are supporting and consuming, on a vast scale, challenging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kitamura/the-point-about-sales-is-relevant-because-it-suggests-there-are/) [Katie Kitamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kitamura/) > [Helvetica is the jeans, and Univers the dinner jacket. 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"You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/anyway-it-s-a-pretty-good-story-i-said-you-have-to-admit-yeah-he/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Badass.'" My grandfather sampled the flavor of the word. It did not seem to revolt him, but it was nothing he needed ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/badass-my-grandfather-sampled-the-flavor-of-the-word-it-did-not-seem/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [See you in the funny papers," he said. Jaunty, he reminded himself; always jaunty. In my panache is their hope for salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/see-you-in-the-funny-papers-he-said-jaunty-he-reminded-himself-always/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“I didn't want to be left alone with Timothy, not because I was afraid of him but because I was afraid that somebody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-didn-t-want-to-be-left-alone-with-timothy-not-because-i-was-afraid/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“He had already seized this particular day once, but he was prepared, if need be, to go ahead and seize the motherfucker all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-already-seized-this-particular-day-once-but-he-was-prepared-if/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“We figure he must have let him out. The perpetrator, I mean. He's blind and we figure he just wandered off and maybe got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/we-figure-he-must-have-let-him-out-the-perpetrator-i-mean-he-s-blind/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Then I reminded myself that I was always willing to listen to arguments in favor of avoiding an unpleasant chore, and I shook my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/then-i-reminded-myself-that-i-was-always-willing-to-listen-to/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Love great first lines and paragraphs. 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