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The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange and mystify the familiar, is the test of their power.

Toni Morrison

The enemy is not men. The enemy is the concept of patriarchy, the concept of patriarchy as the way to run the world or do things.
TONI MORRISON

Concept Enemy Men World
To get to a place where you could love anything you chose – not to need permission for desire – well now that was freedom.
TONI MORRISON

Choose Freedom Love Permission Place
If you can only be tall because someone else is on their knees, then you have a serious problem. And white people have a very, very serious problem.
TONI MORRISON

Black Lives Matter People Problem Racism Serious
You have to be a little tough, and rely on yourself. And tell people ‘No’.
TONI MORRISON

Attitude Inspirational People Rely Tough Yourself
Black boys became criminalized. I was in constant dread for their lives, because they were targets everywhere. They still are.
TONI MORRISON

Black Lives Matter Crime Live Racism Traget
There’s a difference between writing for a living and writing for life. If you write for a living, you make enormous compromises. If you write for life, you’ll work hard; you’ll do what’s honest, not what pays.
TONI MORRISON

Difference Hard Work Honesty Life Live Pay Writing
A writer’s life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity.
TONI MORRISON

Gift Life Mankind Necessary Work Writing
Today is always here,’ said Sethe. ‘Tomorrow, never.
TONI MORRISON

Future Inspirational Present
The best art is political and you ought to be able to make it unquestionably political and irrevocably beautiful at the same time.
TONI MORRISON

Art Beautiful Politics Time
Black people have always been used as a buffer in this country between powers to prevent class war.
TONI MORRISON

Black Lives Matter Country People Power Prevent War
He can’t value you more than you value yourself.
TONI MORRISON

Value Women Yourself
In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent. This is precisely the time when artists go to work.
TONI MORRISON

Artist Choose Silence Time Work
What a woman. What a life.
TONI MORRISON

Life Woman
I dream a dream that dreams back at me.
TONI MORRISON

Come Back Deep Dreams One Liner
Writing is really a way of thinking–not just feeling but thinking about things that are disparate, unresolved, mysterious, problematic or just sweet.
TONI MORRISON

Disperate Mystery Problem Sweet Thinking Writing
Make a difference about something other than yourselves.
TONI MORRISON

Attitude Difference Fashion Motivational Passion Yourself

The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange and mystify the familiar, is the test of their power.

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The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange and mystify the familiar, is the test of their power.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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