The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Don DelilloRead
The language of my books has shaped me as a man.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The author attributes his personal development to the influence of literature.
In this quote, Don Delillo emphasizes the profound impact that reading and writing have had on his identity and character. He suggests that the language and themes explored in his books have not only shaped his style as a writer but have also significantly influenced his thoughts, values, and understanding of the world.
Themes
LanguageBooksIdentityInfluenceWriting
In practice
Example use cases
During a book club meeting discussing the impact of 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.
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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
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To say that such-and-such a circumstance is 'Kafkaesque' is to admit to the denigration of an imagination that has burned a hole in what we take to be modernism - even in what we take to be the ordinary fabric and intent of language. Nothing is like 'The Hunger Artist.' Nothing is like 'The Metamorphosis.'
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It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature.
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As a reader I loathe introductions...Introductions inhibit pleasure, they kill the joy of anticipation, they frustrate curiosity.
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People ask me if there are going to be stories of Harry Potter as an adult. Frankly, if I wanted to, I could keep writing stories until Harry is a senior citizen, but I don't know how many people would actually want to read about a 65 year old Harry still at Hogwarts playing bingo with Ron and Hermione.
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