It is dangerous to be an American Negro male. America has never wanted its Negroes to be men, and does not, generally, treat them as men. It treats them as mascots, pets, or things.
I want to be an honest man and a good writer.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the desire for personal integrity and the aspiration to communicate thoughtfully through writing.
In this quote, James A. Baldwin emphasizes the importance of honesty in both character and art. He suggests that to be a good writer, one must possess a commitment to truthfulness, which not only guides ethical conduct but also enriches the authenticity and impact of one's writing. This reflects a deep understanding that artistry and morality are intertwined, and that a writerβs responsibility extends beyond mere creativity to include the integrity of their expression.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech at a writer's conference, one might say, 'As James A. Baldwin once expressed, I want to be an honest man and a good writer.'
More from James A. Baldwin
All quotes βThe white man discovered the Cross by way of the Bible, but the black man discovered the Bible by way of the Cross.
Those kids aren't dumb. But the people who run these schools want to make sure they don't get smart: they are really teaching the kids to be slaves.
Experience, which destroys innocence, also leads one back to it.
The reason people think it's important to be white is that they think it's important not to be black.
The trick is to love somebody.... If you love one person, you see everybody else differently.
Similar quotes
Knowing something is not as good as liking it. Liking something is not as good as rejoicing in it.
It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it.
A book is a mirror: if an ape looks into it an apostle is hardly likely to look out.
Studies have shown that 90% of error in thinking is due to error in perception. If you can change your perception, you can change your emotion and this can lead to new ideas.
The state of self-realization, as we call it, is not attaining something new or reaching some goal which is far away, but simply being that which you always are and which you always have been.
Self-compassion - being supportive and kind to yourself, especially in the face of stress and failure - is associated with more motivation and better self-control.