There's a kind of optimism specifically within Christianity about the world - about whose side God is on. Well, I didn't have any of that in my background. I had physicality and chaos.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
I don't want them to read what I'm writing and say, 'I think that's right,' and agree with me. I want them to read something and then walk away and be haunted by it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The author desires for his writing to provoke deep thought rather than mere agreement.
Ta-Nehisi Coates expresses the ambition that his writing should not simply result in readers nodding in agreement, but rather that it should leave a lasting impact that resonates and provokes contemplation. He seeks to invoke a powerful emotional or intellectual response that will linger in the minds of his readers, encouraging them to reflect deeply on the themes presented in his work.
Themes
WritingThoughtImpactReflectionCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about the power of literature, I can reference this quote to show how writing should inspire deeper thought.
More from Ta-Nehisi Coates
All quotes →We've got in the habit of not really understanding how freedom was in the 19th century, the idea of government of the people in the 19th century. America commits itself to that in theory.
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I never expected my writing to become as popular as it did.
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It's hard for me to view Baltimore outside the context of what Baltimore has always been in my mind: a violent place.
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If I could have anything - you know, and this is across the board for any presidential candidate - I would have a greater acknowledgment of history in our policy and in our affairs.
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You can't make a direct comparison between middle-class African Americans and middle-class white Americans, affluent African Americans and affluent white Americans. The amount of wealth tends to be less.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
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