What does it mean? Could you explain it to me? HELP me.. We should all agree that “The Scarlet Letter” is literature and that the latest sensational novel is not — but are we sure what makes the difference? We know that Shakespeare wrote poetry and Tupper doggerel, but it by no means follows that we can always distinguish doggerel from poetry; and while it is not perhaps of consequence whether we are able to inform others why we respect the work of one or another, it is of much importance that we be in a position to justify our tastes to ourselves. It is not hard to discover whether we enjoy a book, and it is generally possible to tell why we like it; but this is not the whole of the matter. It is necessary that we be able to estimate the justice of our preferences. We must remember that our liking or disliking is not only a test of the book — but is a test of us as well. There is no more accurate gauge of the moral character of a man than the nature of the books which he really cares for.our liking or disliking is not only a test of the book — but is a test of us as well. What does it mean?