But the very nature of your dissent increased the chances of you getting that A - this is a little similar to why we have Publication bias in scientific papers. What more interesting things would you have to say on this paper by concurring with all the popular opinions of the time that Woolf deserves recognition? Much easier to find something novel to say through disagreement, and therefore, easier to receive that high mark.

That doesn't mean you had the right opinion... something about the fact that you are lauding your own opinion on Hacker News while Woolf's place in literary canon remains unassailable makes me think otherwise.