“I don't know which is worse—to have a bad teacher or no teacher at all. In any case, I believe the teacher's work should be largely negative. He can't put the gift into you, but if he finds it there, he can try to keep it from going in an obviously wrong direction. We can learn how not to write, but this is a discipline that does not simply concern writing itself but concerns the whole intellectual life. A mind cleared of false emotion and false sentiment and egocentricity is going to have at least those roadblocks removed from its path. If you don't think cheaply, then there at least won't be the quality of cheapness in your writing, even though you may not be able to write well. The teacher can try to weed out what is positively bad, and this should be the aim of the whole college. Any discipline can help your writing: logic, mathematics, theology, and of course and particularly drawing. Anything that helps you to see, anything that makes you look. The writer should never be ashamed of staring. There is nothing that doesn't require his attention.”
Quote by Flannery O'Connor
Work
This book is a compilation of essays that delve into a range of topics, offering insights into the author's perspectives on literature, art, and personal anecdotes. more
Author
Flannery O'Connor was an American writer known for her unique Southern background and profound religious themes. Her works often explore moral and religious issues through satire and humor, with her novels 'Wise Blood' and 'The Violent Bear It Away' being among her most famous. more
You May Also Like
“Anyone who has ever achieved anything has been a steward of his potential.”
“If I were always happy in life, what would I have left to dream about?”
“With discipline, you can lose weight, you can excel in work, you can win the war.”
“Creativity without discipline will struggle, creativity with discipline will succeed.”