"I attempt to write a good novel. Whether it is literature or not is something that will be decided by the ages, not by me and not by a pack of critics around the globe"
About this Quote
In this quote, Elizabeth George underscores the concept that the creation of a book is a venture aimed at producing a work of quality, instead of complying with the labels or judgments of modern critics. She acknowledges the distinction between writing a "excellent book" and producing what might be thought about "literature", a term frequently imbued with undertones of timelessness, cultural significance, and important acclaim. This shows an understanding that while authors can manage the craftsmanship and artistry of their writing, they can not dictate the legacy or the ultimate categorization of their work.
George recommends a simple method to authorship, one that stresses the writer's obligation to the craft instead of to external validations. Her focus is on the procedure and the artistry associated with writing, instead of the outcome in terms of acknowledgment or the work's location in the literary canon. By pointing out that the determination of literature is "something that will be decided by the ages", she highlights the function of time and the cumulative judgment of history in developing a work's enduring value. It indicates a belief in the evolving nature of culture and the fluid, typically unforeseeable course by which a novel may be embraced as "literature", a status that is granted over decades and even centuries as societal tastes and important point of views shift.
Moreover, the termination of the "pack of critics around the globe" suggests a skepticism towards the typically fickle and subjective nature of contemporary criticism. Critics, bound by the cultural and temporal contexts of their own time, might not fully understand the effect or worth of an unique outside of their current cultural lens. George implies that while critiques can use important insights, they do not possess the definitive say in figuring out a work's worth or its category as literary art.
In essence, George's quote resonates as a call for innovative integrity and perseverance, as well as a recommendation of the complex interaction in between time, art, and cultural judgment.
More details
About the Author