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All that matters in life is forging deep ties of love and family and friends. Writing and reading come later.
Joyce Carol Oates
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The essence of life is found in the connections we build with loved ones, rather than in our artistic pursuits.

Joyce Carol Oates emphasizes the importance of nurturing strong relationships with family and friends, suggesting that these bonds are ultimately more significant than our pursuits in writing or reading. This quote implies that while creativity and intellect have their place, genuine love and companionship form the foundation of a fulfilling life.

Themes

LoveFamilyFriendsRelationshipsLife

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could be used as an opening line during a family gathering to emphasize the importance of bonds.

More from Joyce Carol Oates

Of the widow's countless death-duties there is really just one that matters: on the first anniversary of her husband's death the widow should think I kept myself alive.
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I never really knew I wanted to 'be' a writer, but I was always writing from a very young age. It became more conscious as an ideal when I was in my twenties.
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I'm drawn to write about upstate New York in the way in which a dreamer might have recurring dreams. My childhood and girlhood were spent in upstate New York, in the country north of Buffalo and West of Rochester. So this part of New York state is very familiar to me and, with its economic difficulties, has become emblematic of much of American life.
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My writing is often a way of 'bearing witness' for others who lack the education and the opportunity to tell their own stories, so I hope that my writing won't be affected too much by my personal life.
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The worst cynicism: a belief in luck.
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. . . there is a wish in the heart of mankind to be distracted and confused. Truth is but one attraction, and not always the most powerful.
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