--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I once assigned a graduate class Annie…" description: "\"“I once assigned a graduate class Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life—a book I love—and one of the students said, “It’s so effing high-minded it makes me ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/robert-olen-butler-28217_book_i-once-assigned-a-graduate-class-annie-d_3029819.jpg" --- # I once assigned a graduate class Annie Dillard’s The… ![“I once assigned a graduate class Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life—a book I love—and one of the students said, “It’s so effing high-minded it makes me want to go to the Kmart.” quote by Robert Olen Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/robert-olen-butler-28217_book_i-once-assigned-a-graduate-class-annie-d_3029819.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/robert-olen-butler-28217_book_i-once-assigned-a-graduate-class-annie-d_3029819.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/robert-olen-butler-28217_book_i-once-assigned-a-graduate-class-annie-d_3029819.jpg) > ““I once assigned a graduate class Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life—a book I love—and one of the students said, “It’s so effing high-minded it makes me want to go to the Kmart.”” [Robert Olen Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-olen-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A student dismisses a high‑brow literary work as pretentious, revealing a clash between academic expectations and everyday tastes. **In simple terms:** Students may reject lofty literature. Key Takeaway Recognize differing literary tastes. Themes education literature elitism Mood critical humorous thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - classroom discussions - book clubs - curriculum design - media criticism - personal reading Key Concepts cultural studies pedagogy Questions to Reflect On - Why do some find high literature off‑putting? - How can educators bridge the gap? A Different Perspective Elitism can alienate readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“In her book The Writing Life (1989), Annie Dillard tells the story of a fellow writer who was asked by a student, "Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-fish/in-her-book-the-writing-life-1989-annie-dillard-tells-the-story-of-a/) [Stanley Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-fish/) > [“Most of the students there, he said, don't know what they think. You tell 'em, they'll think it. I plan to tell 'em.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knowles/most-of-the-students-there-he-said-don-t-know-what-they-think-you/) [John Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knowles/) > [“But we're a university! We have to have a library!" said Ridcully. "It adds tone . 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