Humor Quote by Michelle Cooper
““When I asked her what she'd thought of Pride and Prejudice, she only wondered aloud how anyone could have written a novel set in the first part of the nineteenth century without once mentioning Napoleon.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Princess Diaries” by Meg Cabot, 2000
She critiques the anachronistic focus of classic literature, highlighting modern readers' expectations for contemporary relevance.
In simple terms: She finds classic novels oddly missing modern references.
Key Takeaway
Question historical context in reading.
Themes
literature
history
anachronism
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
literary
analytical
When to use this quote
- school assignments
- book clubs
- reading groups
Key Concepts
modern relevance
historical awareness
literary criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does historical setting affect your enjoyment?
- Do you think authors should anticipate future readers?
A Different Perspective
Not all readers seek modern references in classics.
![“Do you know what it is?' [Toby] said thoughtfully. 'It's that they haven't had anything really awful happen to them. No wonder they seem so superficial and unfeeling.' It was certainly an interesting theory, ... [but] surely one didn't need to have suffered in order to possess empathy for those…” quote by Michelle Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3f7/michelle-cooper-40904_books_do-you-know-what-it-is-toby-said-thought_2059673.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
