The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Don DelilloRead
Writers in repressive societies are considered dangerous. That's why so many of them are in jail.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writers pose a threat to oppressive regimes due to their ability to convey truth and provoke thought, often resulting in persecution.
This quote highlights the significant role that writers play in society, especially within repressive regimes. Their ability to articulate ideas and challenge the status quo makes them targets for authoritarian governments, leading to censorship, imprisonment, or worse. The presence of jailed writers serves as a stark reminder of the lengths to which oppressive regimes will go to maintain control and suppress dissent.
Themes
WritersRepressionFreedomCensorshipTruth
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of free expression, one might reference Delillo's insight on writers in repressive societies.
More from Don Delillo
All quotes →War is the form nostalgia takes when men are hard-pressed to say something good about their country.
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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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