I understand if everyone looking at me is seeing a Jew and seeing me as a kind of 'other.' But I can't be expected to see myself that way. That is, to me, Jewish is the normal way to be; it's not a type of being.
Nathan EnglanderRead
It's so easy to call something a Jewish story or a gay story or a woman's story. Aesthetically, if a story is not universal, it has failed. Your obligation is to the story. One rule creatively, and emotionally, is its universality.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of universality in storytelling, suggesting that stories should transcend specific identities to resonate broadly.
Nathan Englander's quote reflects on the idea that labeling a story solely by specific identities, such as race or gender, limits its potential impact and reach. He argues that true artistic success lies in the story's ability to connect with universal human experiences, rather than confining it to a particular category. This underscores the obligation of storytellers to prioritize the essence and universality of their narratives over identity-based labels.
Themes
StorytellingUniversalityIdentityArtNarrative
In practice
Example use cases
In a creative writing workshop, to inspire students to write universally relatable stories.
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