Wilson is not like other critics; some critics are boring even when they are original; he fascinates even when he is wrong.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Wilson distinguishes himself from other critics by maintaining fascination even when mistaken, unlike others who bore despite originality.
- In plain terms
- Wilson is engaging even when wrong, while other original critics can be boring.
- What can you take from it?
- Engagement matters more than being right in criticism.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes criticism engaging?
- Does being wrong diminish insight?
Another view
The quote assumes Wilson is always fascinating, which is subjective.
More from Edmund Wilson
He was the perfect autodidact. He wanted to know it all.
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Permalink to quote #6 He was, as painted, aristocratic, beyond any writer I've met, but in a Jeffersonian-American way that brooked no artificial distinctions. There was no cheap wa…
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