Assumptions Quote by Ali Smith
““It makes Brooke feel strange in her stomach. It is like the feeling when she reads a book like the one about the man with the bomb, or thinks a sentence, just any old sentence like: the girl ran across the park, and unless you add the describing word then the man or the girl are definitely not black, they are white, even though no one has mentioned white, like when you take the the out of a headline and people just assume it's there anyway. Though if it were a sentence about Brooke herself you'd have to add the equivalent describing word and that's how you'd know. The black girl ran across the park.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “How to Be Both” by Ali Smith, 2014
The passage describes how language subtly imposes racial assumptions, making readers notice race only when it is explicitly mentioned.
In simple terms: Language can hide bias unless we point it out.
Key Takeaway
Notice hidden biases in everyday language.
Themes
language
bias
identity
perception
race
Mood
thoughtful
critical
analytical
Type
observational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- reading literature
- media analysis
- writing
- teaching diversity
Key Concepts
social construct
implicit bias
racial framing
Questions to Reflect On
- How does explicit labeling affect perception?
- Can we train ourselves to see bias without being told?
A Different Perspective
Not all readers will recognize the subtle bias without prompting.
