I think art is a healing force, and if we give in to the joy that can be found in art, then we are able to sustain ourselves in spite of ourselves.
Ntozake ShangeRead
The slaves who were ourselves had known terror intimately, confused sunrise with pain, & accepted indifference as kindness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the pain and suffering experienced by those who have endured slavery and how their trauma has altered their perception of life.
Ntozake Shange's quote poignantly captures the profound psychological impact of slavery on individuals. The reference to 'confused sunrise with pain' suggests that what should represent hope and new beginnings has instead become synonymous with suffering, while 'accepted indifference as kindness' highlights how the harsh realities of their experiences have led them to misinterpret emotional neglect as a form of care. This illustrates the deep scars left by trauma, reshaping one's understanding of normalcy and affection.
Themes
SlaveryTraumaPainPerceptionKindness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about trauma in historical contexts.
More from Ntozake Shange
All quotes →Where there is a woman there is magic. If there is a moon falling from her mouth, she is a woman who knows her magic, who can share or not share her powers. A woman with a moon falling from her mouth, roses between her legs and tiaras of Spanish moss, this woman is a consort of the spirits.
Ntozake ShangeRead
I write for young girls of color, for girls who don’t even exist yet, so that there is something there for them when they arrive. I can only change how they live, not how they think.
Ntozake ShangeRead
i usedta live in the world really be in the world free & sweet talkin good mornin & thank-you & nice day uh huh i cant now i cant be nice to nobody nice is such a rip-off regular beauty & a smile in the street is just a set-up
Ntozake ShangeRead
one thing I don’t need is any more apologies i got sorry greetin me at my front door you can keep yrs i don’t know what to do wit em they don’t open doors or bring the sun back they don’t make me happy or get a mornin paper didn’t nobody stop usin my tears to wash cars cuz a sorry.
Ntozake ShangeRead
It still amazes and fascinates me that women of color have kept my work alive for these many generations.
Ntozake ShangeRead
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