--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thackeray's a good writer and Flaubert is…" description: "\"“Thackeray's a good writer and Flaubert is a great artist. Trollope is a good writer and Dickens is a great artist. Colette is a very good writer and P..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/truman-capote-376_anthony-trollope_thackeray-s-a-good-writer-and-flaubert-i_2030943.jpg" --- # Thackeray's a good writer and Flaubert is a great artist… ![“Thackeray's a good writer and Flaubert is a great artist. Trollope is a good writer and Dickens is a great artist. Colette is a very good writer and Proust is a great artist. Katherine Anne Porter was an extremely good writer and Willa Cather was a great artist.” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/truman-capote-376_anthony-trollope_thackeray-s-a-good-writer-and-flaubert-i_2030943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/truman-capote-376_anthony-trollope_thackeray-s-a-good-writer-and-flaubert-i_2030943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/truman-capote-376_anthony-trollope_thackeray-s-a-good-writer-and-flaubert-i_2030943.jpg) > ““Thackeray's a good writer and Flaubert is a great artist. Trollope is a good writer and Dickens is a great artist. Colette is a very good writer and Proust is a great artist. Katherine Anne Porter was an extremely good writer and Willa Cather was a great artist.”” [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Capote compares writers to artists, suggesting some excel in prose while others in artistic depth, highlighting varied literary talents. **In simple terms:** Writers differ in skill and artistic depth. Key Takeaway Recognize diverse strengths in literature. Themes literature talent comparison Mood thoughtful analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - book clubs - literary analysis - education - creative writing Key Concepts artistic merit writing style Questions to Reflect On - How do you value prose versus artistic expression? - Can a writer be both a good writer and a great artist? A Different Perspective Not all writers fit neatly into binary categories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anthony-trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthony-trollope-9280/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Charles-dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charles-dickens-2/) [Flaubert Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flaubert-great-3729615/) [Good writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-writer/) [Gustave-flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gustave-flaubert-77604/) [Katherine-anne-porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/katherine-anne-porter-99854/) [Marcel-proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marcel-proust-2/) [Proust Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proust-great-3133775/) [Sidonie-gabrielle-colette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidonie-gabrielle-colette-170104/) [Trollope Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trollope-good-3729614/) [Willa-cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willa-cather-206663/) [William-makepeace-thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/william-makepeace-thackeray-206728/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-flaubert-3729613/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“After that they browsed for a minute or two in a semi-detached fashion. 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Doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/is-it-i-m-not-certain-possible-to-love-someone-if-your-first-interest/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [One of the most difficult things in writing a novel or anything at all is to choose the point of view from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-writing-a-novel-or-anything-at/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I've never worked for a newspaper. I've had some very bad reviews in newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-ve-never-worked-for-a-newspaper-i-ve-had-some-very-bad-reviews-in/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [But, my dear, so few things are fulfilled: what are most lives but a series of incompleted episodes? 'We work in the dark, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-my-dear-so-few-things-are-fulfilled-what-are-most-lives-but-a/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“…she, glittery voyager of secure destination, steamed down the harbor with whistles whistling and confetti in the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/she-glittery-voyager-of-secure-destination-steamed-down-the-harbor/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Because it's indeed difficult to portray, in any meaningful depth, another being, his appearance, speech, mentality, without to some degree, and often for quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/because-it-s-indeed-difficult-to-portray-in-any-meaningful-depth/) [truman capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“It's a bore, but the answer is good things only happen to you if you're good. Good? Honest is more what I mean. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-a-bore-but-the-answer-is-good-things-only-happen-to-you-if-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“In the courtyard there was an angel of black stone, and its angel head rose above giant elephant leaves; the stark glass angel eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/in-the-courtyard-there-was-an-angel-of-black-stone-and-its-angel-head/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) [Explore all 585 Truman Capote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## More Anthony-trollope quotes > [“Your average genre novel is like a high speed car chase ending in a massive crash, with death, destruction, and balls of flame, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willduquette/your-average-genre-novel-is-like-a-high-speed-car-chase-ending-in-a/) [Willduquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willduquette/) > [“Let us presume that Barchester is a quiet town in the West of England, more remarkable for the beauty of its cathedral and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-warden-anthony-trollope/let-us-presume-that-barchester-is-a-quiet-town-in-the-west-of-england/) [The Warden Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-warden-anthony-trollope/) [Browse all 3 Anthony-trollope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthony-trollope-9280/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Thackeray's a good writer and Flaubert is a great artist. 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