The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Don DelilloRead
Too much has been forgotten in the name of memory.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the idea that the act of trying to preserve memories can sometimes lead to the loss of their true essence or meaning.
Don Delillo's quote suggests that in our quest to remember and preserve information, we may inadvertently overlook or forget the genuine experiences and emotions associated with those memories. It highlights a paradox where the attempt to hold onto the past can lead to a distortion or dilution of what was once significant, as individuals become more focused on recalling facts rather than feeling the moments.
Themes
MemoryNostalgiaExperiencePreservationLoss
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be cited in a lecture on the philosophical implications of memory in art.
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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For me, writing is a concentrated form of thinking.
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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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