The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Don DelilloRead
There's a moral force in a sentence when it comes out right. It speaks the writer's will to live.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The power of well-crafted sentences reflects the author's passion for life.
This quote emphasizes the significance of language and expression in writing. When a sentence is constructed well, it conveys not only the thoughts of the writer but also their deep-seated desire to communicate and engage with life itself, showcasing the transformative power of words in articulating personal truths and experiences.
Themes
WritingLanguageExpressionPassionCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
In a workshop on creative writing, one might say: 'Remember, there's a moral force in a sentence when it comes out right; let your words reflect your will to live.'
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.
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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.
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[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.
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