The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Don DelilloRead
American writers ought to stand and live in the margins, and be more dangerous.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writers should embrace unconventional perspectives and challenge norms.
In this quote, Don Delillo advocates for American writers to operate outside the mainstream and embrace the risk of pushing boundaries in their work. By living in the 'margins,' writers not only enhance their creativity but also contribute to a more dynamic literary landscape that encourages diverse and potentially provocative voices.
Themes
WritersMarginsDangerousCreativityArt
In practice
Example use cases
In a workshop discussion about literary techniques, this quote can be cited to encourage students to explore unconventional narratives.
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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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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