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Susan Ito trying to do it all: reading writing mothering spousing daughtering working living

Monday, February 06, 2006

Susan Sontag: Literature is Freedom



I came home to read these quotes from an essay by Susan Sontag, actually a speech she delivered in 2003 called "Literature is Freedom." I find these words so true, and so moving.

A writer, I think, is someone who pays attention to the world. That means trying to understand, take in, connect with, what wickedness human beings are capable of; and not be corrupted - made cynical, superficial - by this understanding.

Literature can tell us what the world is like.

Literature can give us standards and pass on deep knowledge, incarnated in language, in narrative.

Literature can train, and exercise, our ability to weep for those who are not us or ours.

2 Comments:

Blogger mel said...

beautiful, validating for us as writers and human beings.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006 12:20:00 PM

 
Blogger Scribbling Mama said...

Thank you for these quotes. The last one really strikes me. Empathy is the most important quality we can possess as human beings. And writers have a unique opportunity to foster it!

Wednesday, February 08, 2006 1:29:00 PM

 

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