Wherever the crime novels of P. D. James are discussed by critics, there is a tendency on the one hand to exaggerate her merits and on the other to castigate her as a genre writer who is getting above herself. βββ
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Which one of the following ββββββββββ βββββ ββββββββββ ββββ βββββββββββ βββ β
"The fantasy and ββββββ ββββββββββββββ ββ ββββ ββββββββ ββββββ βββββββ ββββ ββ βββββ βββββ βββββ ββ ββββββββββββ
This quote is about true literature that features βfantasy and whimsy.β But the attitude weβre looking for is that true literature is is a bit dull. Nothing about βfantasy and whimsyβ sounds dull.
"The greatest work ββ βββββ βββββββ ββββββββββ βββββββ ββ ββ β ββββββ ββββββββ ββββββββββ ββ βββββββ
This quote is about literature thatβs highly humorous. That sounds like enjoyable literature. The attitude weβre looking for about enjoyable literature is that itβs lowbrow (i.e., not true literature). But this quote doesnβt sound like itβs about about lowbrow writingβif anything, it sounds like it falls on the side of true literature. So this is the wrong attitude.
"A truly great ββββ ββ ββββββββββ ββββββ βββββ βββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββββ ββββ ββββββ ββββββ
This quote says that true literature should be a chore to get through, rather than diverting (i.e., entertaining) the reader. This is a good match for the
"Although many critics βββ βββββββββββββ βββββ ββββββββββββ βββββββ β βββββ βββ ββββ ββ βββββββββ βββ βββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββββ
This quote suggests that best-selling novels sell well for a reason, even if critics look down on them. Keep in mind that the attitude weβre looking for is that enjoyable novels are lowbrow, and true literature is a bit dull. Are the best-selling novels mentioned here lowbrow but enjoyable? Or are they best-selling for being true literature, even if theyβre a bit dull? Do critics look down on these novels because theyβre lowbrow? We know that critics can actually look down on novels for being
"A novel need ββββ βββββββ βββ ββββββββββββ ββ βββ ββββββββββ βββββ ββ ββ ββββββββββ β ββββ ββββ ββ ββββββββββββ
This quote says that all it takes to be true literature is meeting the requirements of a given genre. In other words, meeting those requirements is sufficient for something to be true literature. But the attitude weβre looking for is that something is necessary for a novel to be true literature:
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