One of our universities recently made a survey of the reading habits of the American public; it decided that forty-eight percent of all Americans read, during a year, no book at all. I picture to myself that reader - that non-reader, rather; one man out of every two - and I reflect, with shame: 'Our poems are too hard for him.' But so, too, are Treasure Island, Peter Rabbit, pornographic novels - any book whatsoever.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- High literary standards may exclude many readers, but difficulty is not unique to poetry.
- In plain terms
- Poems might be too hard for many, but even easy books are not read by all.
- What can you take from it?
- Acknowledge reading barriers without excusing inaccessibility.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who is excluded from reading?
- Is difficulty necessary?
Another view
Difficulty is not the only barrier to reading.
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