War is the form nostalgia takes when men are hard-pressed to say something good about their country.
Don DelilloRead
The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the writer's role as an independent thinker, unbound by social conventions or external pressures.
Don Delillo's quote speaks to the unique position of the writer in society, highlighting their ability to observe and critique the world from a distance. It suggests that true writers must maintain their independence to ensure their work reflects genuine thoughts and insights, free from the influence of societal expectations or affiliations that might compromise their authenticity.
Themes
WriterIndependenceSocietyCreativityInfluence
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a writing workshop to inspire students to find their unique voices.
More from Don Delillo
All quotes →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. He is either on a horse or driving a car, depending, and either way he’s carrying a gun. This is one of the essential images in American mythology.
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There's a curious knot that binds novelists and terrorists...Years ago I used to think it was possible for a novelist to alter the inner life of the culture. Now bomb-makers and gunmen have taken that territory. They make raids on human consciousness. What writers used to do before we were all incorporated.
Don DelilloRead
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It really fascinates me what white people are allowed to write about.
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