--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Decline and Fall was a very depressing…" description: "\"Decline and Fall was a very depressing Evelyn Waugh novel, I think it was his first. I didn't get it at all, and then I got to love Waugh. And I think ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/whit-stillman-16157_bits_decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-e_1646688.jpg" --- # Decline and Fall was a very depressing Evelyn Waugh novel… ![“Decline and Fall was a very depressing Evelyn Waugh novel, I think it was his first. I didn't get it at all, and then I got to love Waugh. And I think that maybe "Cosmopolitans" has a bit of an Evelyn Waugh vibe to it at some point.” quote by Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/whit-stillman-16157_bits_decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-e_1646688.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/whit-stillman-16157_bits_decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-e_1646688.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/whit-stillman-16157_bits_decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-e_1646688.jpg) > “Decline and Fall was a very depressing Evelyn Waugh novel, I think it was his first. I didn't get it at all, and then I got to love Waugh. And I think that maybe "Cosmopolitans" has a bit of an Evelyn Waugh vibe to it at some point.” [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initial disappointment can turn into appreciation as understanding deepens over time. **In simple terms:** First impressions may be misleading. Key Takeaway Give works a second chance before judging. Themes perception growth literary taste Mood thoughtful nostalgic Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - reading classic novels - watching indie films - re‑examining old music - discussing with peers Key Concepts subjectivity critical reassessment Questions to Reflect On - What factors changed your view of the novel? - How do you decide when to revisit a work? A Different Perspective Not all works will resonate despite repeated exposure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Decline Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline-fall-614552/) [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Depressing Evelyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing-evelyn-614555/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Maybe Cosmopolitans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-cosmopolitans-614553/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Very depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-depressing/) [Waugh Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waugh-novel-614554/) ## Related quotes > [It was Rome, on the fifteenth of October, 1764, as I sat musing amidst the ruins of the Capitol, while the barefooted friars were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/it-was-rome-on-the-fifteenth-of-october-1764-as-i-sat-musing-amidst/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [I hadn't liked him at first. He did sort of grow on you after a while. Like the cosmopolitans. Or maybe because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/i-hadn-t-liked-him-at-first-he-did-sort-of-grow-on-you-after-a-while/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [I think the biggest pushback comes from people who perceive me to be a threat. Having bloggers who are dedicated to making up false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/i-think-the-biggest-pushback-comes-from-people-who-perceive-me-to-be/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [The process of making films is so technically demanding that it's a distraction. You don't spend your time thinking about the philosophical content, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/the-process-of-making-films-is-so-technically-demanding-that-it-s-a/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I hope we don't have to keep going back over the same territory and winning the same rights over and over again. The battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/i-hope-we-don-t-have-to-keep-going-back-over-the-same-territory-and/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [When you're out there in America, meeting with regular people, it's a pretty mellow, relaxed, kind-hearted country. The direction from the top, from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/when-you-re-out-there-in-america-meeting-with-regular-people-it-s-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I had a very depressing response because I realized that these were my own people, these were Negroes throwing eggs at me. I'm concerned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because-i-realized-that-these-were/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [It is very depressing to see that in the 21st century people are still using the same 1950s and '60s style of propaganda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/it-is-very-depressing-to-see-that-in-the-21st-century-people-are/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [It was very depressing to realize that, when looking around for regimes that have systematically corrupted science within the past century or so, three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/it-was-very-depressing-to-realize-that-when-looking-around-for/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I think my music's kind of cold, but I don't know if it's related to the weather. It might be because it's always grey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/i-think-my-music-s-kind-of-cold-but-i-don-t-know-if-it-s-related-to/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [I once got a call from a bank, asking me to compute a mortgage, since their computers were down. This was a very depressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/i-once-got-a-call-from-a-bank-asking-me-to-compute-a-mortgage-since/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [This whole issue of limits to growth, which provides a psychological, as well as a physical, cap on potential expansion of activity and awareness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/this-whole-issue-of-limits-to-growth-which-provides-a-psychological/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [The music business, and the travel that comes with it, is stressful, challenging, redundant, exhausting, exciting, and often very depressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kozelek/the-music-business-and-the-travel-that-comes-with-it-is-stressful/) [Mark Kozelek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kozelek/) > [It's very depressing to live in a time where it's easier to break an atom than a prejudice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-s-very-depressing-to-live-in-a-time-where-it-s-easier-to-break-an/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Despite my extremely modest prices, dealers and art lovers are turning their backs on me. It is very depressing to see the lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/despite-my-extremely-modest-prices-dealers-and-art-lovers-are-turning/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) ## More by Whit Stillman > [I think it's really good and helpful to have the people you most admire in some other discipline than what you work in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-it-s-really-good-and-helpful-to-have-the-people-you-most/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [For me, the present is a golden era. That's the greatest golden era. Right now. I just like pining for lost times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/for-me-the-present-is-a-golden-era-that-s-the-greatest-golden-era/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [I decided the moment I graduated from college that I would never wear blue jeans again. And I have never worn blue jeans again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-decided-the-moment-i-graduated-from-college-that-i-would-never-wear/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [I think Austin is read more now than Charles Dickens, and Dickens was much more popular in his day. She endures because of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-austin-is-read-more-now-than-charles-dickens-and-dickens-was/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [I find it really disturbing to be watching a lot of the medium that I'm trying to work in. I prefer to be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-find-it-really-disturbing-to-be-watching-a-lot-of-the-medium-that-i/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [ I think a lot of \["Cosmopolitans"\] is marked by \[Jerome David\] Salinger. Salinger wouldn't allow his works to be adapted for film after his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-a-lot-of-cosmopolitans-is-marked-by-jerome-david-salinger/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [I explained to Amazon that I don't like outlining or projecting what something's going to be. I like to allow a story to arise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-explained-to-amazon-that-i-don-t-like-outlining-or-projecting-what/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [I would say on the other side of the equation that there were really some massive sales and massive enthusiasm for some films that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-would-say-on-the-other-side-of-the-equation-that-there-were-really/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [It becomes a lot better for the actors when we're 'shooting, shooting, shooting,' instead of waiting around in a trailer for something to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/it-becomes-a-lot-better-for-the-actors-when-we-re-shooting-shooting/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [Find someone hypersocial and crazy and try not to follow them to their doom, but to make friends with their nicer friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/find-someone-hypersocial-and-crazy-and-try-not-to-follow-them-to/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [It's terrible to write what are essentially comedies for people with no sense of humor. Everyone thinks they have a sense of humor, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/it-s-terrible-to-write-what-are-essentially-comedies-for-people-with/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [I've had no money, absolutely, from my family. They paid for a good education - or schools that purported to be a good education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-ve-had-no-money-absolutely-from-my-family-they-paid-for-a-good/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [For me, there's a bad year of getting started on something. You write bad stuff and it's awkward to throw it out, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/for-me-there-s-a-bad-year-of-getting-started-on-something-you-write/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [There's some people who are just very dynamic about social life, and it can be some pretty crazy stuff, but you end up meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/there-s-some-people-who-are-just-very-dynamic-about-social-life-and/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [“Charlie Black: Fourierism was tried in the late nineteenth century… and it failed. Wasn’t Brook Farm Fourierist? It failed. Tom Townsend: That’s debatable. Charlie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/charlie-black-fourierism-was-tried-in-the-late-nineteenth-century-and/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) [Explore all 40 Whit Stillman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) ## More Bits quotes > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [He referred to me as an 'insufferable puffed-up prat'. This is a bit rich coming from a man who actually married his own mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/he-referred-to-me-as-an-insufferable-puffed-up-prat-this-is-a-bit/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [It won't do you a bit of good to know everything if you don't do anything with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fitzhugh/it-won-t-do-you-a-bit-of-good-to-know-everything-if-you-don-t-do/) [Louise Fitzhugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fitzhugh/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [We, as pop stars, are people not androids. We’ve got views. I’ve got opinions and I don’t see why I shouldn’t use a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-meddows-taylor/we-as-pop-stars-are-people-not-androids-we-ve-got-views-i-ve-got/) [Roger Meddows Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-meddows-taylor/) > [In terms of style, too, I think I've been working with a somewhat limited -- although intentionally limited -- set of tools. So I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/in-terms-of-style-too-i-think-i-ve-been-working-with-a-somewhat/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When my name started popping up I was quite irritated and a little bit in shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snow/when-my-name-started-popping-up-i-was-quite-irritated-and-a-little/) [Michael Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snow/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) [Browse all 5,709 Bits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Decline and Fall was a very depressing Evelyn Waugh novel, I think it was his first. I didn't get it at all, and then I got to love Waugh. And I think that maybe \"Cosmopolitans\" has a bit of an Evelyn Waugh vibe to it at some point.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Whit Stillman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-evelyn-waugh-novel-i-think-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bits" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-evelyn-waugh-novel-i-think-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/whit-stillman-16157_bits_decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-e_1646688.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/whit-stillman-16157_bits_decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-e_1646688.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/whit-stillman-16157_bits_decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-e_1646688.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Decline and Fall was a very depressing Evelyn Waugh novel, I think it was his first. I didn't get it at all…” — Whit Stillman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Whit Stillman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Decline and Fall was a very...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-evelyn-waugh-novel-i-think-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-evelyn-waugh-novel-i-think-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```