In "Reading Lolita in Tehran," Azar Nafisi reflects on the challenges faced by educators in a repressive environment where literary works are scrutinized for moral content. She questions whether it is possible to focus on educational duties when the faculty is consumed by debates over seemingly trivial issues, such as editing a Hemingway story to remove references to wine or choosing not to teach Brontë due to her perceived attitudes toward adultery.

This situation highlights a broader struggle between censorship and the importance of art and literature, as Nafisi illustrates how such restrictions diminish the ability to engage deeply with literature. The narrative reveals how ideological concerns can overshadow the core mission of academia, complicating the relationship between education and freedom of expression.