The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Don DelilloRead
It's no accident that my first novel was called Americana. This was a private declaration of independence, a statement of my intention to use the whole picture, the whole culture.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the author's desire to capture the entirety of culture in his work.
In this quote, Don DeLillo reflects on the significance of his first novel, 'Americana,' as more than just a title; it represents a personal commitment to showcase the complete American experience. By mentioning a 'private declaration of independence', he conveys his intention to explore and depict the rich tapestry of American culture in a holistic manner, rather than focusing on fragmented or superficial elements.
Themes
AmericanaCultureIndependenceArtIntention
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the significance of cultural representation in literature.
More from Don Delillo
All quotes βWar is the form nostalgia takes when men are hard-pressed to say something good about their country.
Don DelilloRead
American writers ought to stand and live in the margins, and be more dangerous.
Don DelilloRead
For me, writing is a concentrated form of thinking.
Don DelilloRead
I used to think it was possible for an artist to alter the inner life of the culture. Now bomb-makers and gunmen have taken that territory.
Don DelilloRead
[I]n the American soul there is a lonely individual standing in a vast landscape. β¨He is either on a horse or driving a car, depending, and either way heβs carrying a gun. β¨This is one of the essential images in American mythology.
Don DelilloRead
Similar quotes
I never considered myself a movie star, and I didn't want to become a movie star, because as soon as you do, you throw away that possibility of playing character. You really do. All of a sudden you're just an entity, you know?
Sam ShepardRead
Only truthful hands write true poems. I cannot see any basic difference between a handshake and a poem.
Paul CelanRead
When you work on something that combines both the spectacular and the relatable, the hyperreal and the real, it suddenly can become supernatural. The hypothetical and the theoretical can become literal.
J. J. AbramsRead
Profound music leads us beyond language...to the dark roots of our scream and the celestial heights of our silence.
Cornel WestRead
Music is a weapon of the future / music is the weapon of the progressives / music is the weapon of the givers of life
Fela KutiRead
Dancing insists we take up space, and though it has no set direction, we go there together. Dance is dangerous, joyous, sexual, holy, disruptive, and contagious and it breaks the rules. It can happen anywhere, at anytime, with anyone and everyone, and it's free. Dance joins us and pushes us to go further and that is why it's at the center of ONE BILLION RISING.
Eve EnslerRead