--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The [Booker] prize was actually…" description: "\"The [Booker] prize was actually responsible in many ways for my political activism. I won this thing and I was suddenly the darling of the new emerging..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f3/arundhati-roy-346_activism_the-booker-prize-was-actually-responsibl_634250.jpg" --- # The \[Booker\] prize was actually responsible in many ways… ![“The [Booker] prize was actually responsible in many ways for my political activism. I won this thing and I was suddenly the darling of the new emerging Indian middle class – they needed a princess. They had the wrong woman. I had this light shining on me at the time, and I knew that I had the…” quote by Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f3/arundhati-roy-346_activism_the-booker-prize-was-actually-responsibl_634250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f3/arundhati-roy-346_activism_the-booker-prize-was-actually-responsibl_634250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f3/arundhati-roy-346_activism_the-booker-prize-was-actually-responsibl_634250.jpg) > “The \[Booker\] prize was actually responsible in many ways for my political activism. I won this thing and I was suddenly the darling of the new emerging Indian middle class – they needed a princess. They had the wrong woman. I had this light shining on me at the time, and I knew that I had the stage to say something about what was happening in my country. What is exciting about what I have done since is that writing has become a weapon, some kind of ammunition.” [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning a prestigious literary award gave her a platform that amplified her political voice, turning her writing into a tool for activism. **In simple terms:** Award gave her a public platform for activism. Key Takeaway Use fame to speak truth to power. Themes politics activism literature identity media Mood determined empowered reflective Type inspirational political When to use this quote - speaking at rallies - writing op‑eds - advocating policy changes Key Concepts public influence social responsibility narrative power Questions to Reflect On - How can writers balance artistic integrity with activist goals? - What responsibilities come with sudden public attention? A Different Perspective Fame can attract scrutiny and expectations that may constrain authentic expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-activism/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Princess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/princess/) [Prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prize/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The Booker Prize is a big, popular prize for big, popular books, and that's the way it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/the-booker-prize-is-a-big-popular-prize-for-big-popular-books-and/) [John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/) > [ I'm hugely honored \[with the Man Booker Prize\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-m-hugely-honored-with-the-man-booker-prize/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [People aren't quite sure what it means when a book is a Booker Prize winner. They're not quite sure what is being recommended, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/people-aren-t-quite-sure-what-it-means-when-a-book-is-a-booker-prize/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“So, there was this beautiful princess. She was locked in a high tower, one whose smart walls had cleaver holes in them that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/so-there-was-this-beautiful-princess-she-was-locked-in-a-high-tower-2/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [On winning Literature Nobel Prize: I was actually in the street. Yes, I was in the street. It was my daughter who notified me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/on-winning-literature-nobel-prize-i-was-actually-in-the-street-yes-i/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [ \[On being a judge for the 1986 Booker Prize:\] I got to the point where I couldn't read a laundry list without considering it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-rubens/on-being-a-judge-for-the-1986-booker-prize-i-got-to-the-point-where-i/) Bernice Rubens > [ I'll say this, and it'll sound like bullshit, but it's not: I don't really pay attention to this stuff \[Man Booker Prize\] very much.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-ll-say-this-and-it-ll-sound-like-bullshit-but-it-s-not-i-don-t/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [I'd like to win a Booker Prize for writing. A Nobel Peace Prize for my work in peace... and I think that'll probably do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-boyd/i-d-like-to-win-a-booker-prize-for-writing-a-nobel-peace-prize-for-my/) [Billy Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-boyd/) > [Is the prestige conferred by the Man Booker prize for the book or me? I would prefer it on the book and for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/is-the-prestige-conferred-by-the-man-booker-prize-for-the-book-or-me/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [My father always had doubts about the Booker prize, although they evaporated on the announcement that he had won it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/my-father-always-had-doubts-about-the-booker-prize-although-they/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [The first record I bought was actually Booker T and the MG's 'Red Beans and Rice.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/the-first-record-i-bought-was-actually-booker-t-and-the-mg-s-red/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [I've heard people, usually writers, say that no one wrote a great book after winning the Booker, but I honestly did not feel any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/i-ve-heard-people-usually-writers-say-that-no-one-wrote-a-great-book/) [Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/) > [Booker Washington was essentially the head Republican boss in the South. He was a power broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/booker-washington-was-essentially-the-head-republican-boss-in-the/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [You can't really win as a Booker judge. If you choose the obvious names, the unit-shifters, you're accused of being timid and unimaginative; if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tibor-fischer/you-can-t-really-win-as-a-booker-judge-if-you-choose-the-obvious/) [Tibor Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tibor-fischer/) > [Unless you got real short and real fat, you ain't no Booker T!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/unless-you-got-real-short-and-real-fat-you-ain-t-no-booker-t/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) ## More by Arundhati Roy > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Fiction and non-fiction are only different techniques of story telling. For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/fiction-and-non-fiction-are-only-different-techniques-of-story/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've never been that person who thought that because I've written one novel, I should write another and another. It's only when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-ve-never-been-that-person-who-thought-that-because-i-ve-written-one/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-only-dream-worth-having-i-told-her-is-to-dream-that-you-will-live/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Truly, there's no alternative to stupidity. Cretinism is the mother of fascism. I have no defence against it, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/truly-there-s-no-alternative-to-stupidity-cretinism-is-the-mother-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-secret-of-the-great-stories-is-that-they-have-no-secrets-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Explore all 628 Arundhati Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More Activism quotes > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“All struggles against oppression in the modern woeld begin by redefining what had previously been consideered private, non-public and non-political issues as matters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyla-benhabib/all-struggles-against-oppression-in-the-modern-woeld-begin-by/) Seyla Benhabib > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Paul Revere earned his living as a silversmith. But what do we remember him for? His volunteer work. All activism is volunteering in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-ellis/paul-revere-earned-his-living-as-a-silversmith-but-what-do-we/) Susan J. Ellis > [Being in service and being involved in something that is greater than you is what makes a person complete and whole. The very first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/being-in-service-and-being-involved-in-something-that-is-greater-than/) [Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/) > [“The times do not call for grassroots political activism, as if the next election might be enough to reverse a massive cultural earthquake. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-miller/the-times-do-not-call-for-grassroots-political-activism-as-if-the/) Paul D. Miller > [He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bothered him so. He was impressive, young and aggressive, saving the world on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/he-went-to-paris-looking-for-answers-to-questions-that-bothered-him/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [There's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/there-s-a-lot-of-activism-that-doesn-t-deal-with-empowerment-and-you/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [“Until you find a cause you can die for, you are not worthy to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/until-you-find-a-cause-you-can-die-for-you-are-not-worthy-to-live/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Ya'll know what you need to do? Get together, make a We Are The World record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/ya-ll-know-what-you-need-to-do-get-together-make-a-we-are-the-world/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [“There is no way to tell if we are the pioneers of a visionary new age, whisking humanity into the high vibrations of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-talat-phillips/there-is-no-way-to-tell-if-we-are-the-pioneers-of-a-visionary-new-age/) [Jonathan Talat Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-talat-phillips/) > [Terence McKenna says, "The culture is not your friend." I am not sure we can change this culture. But I think we can rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/terence-mckenna-says-the-culture-is-not-your-friend-i-am-not-sure-we/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“A spirituality that is only private and self-absorbed, one devoid of an authentic political and social consciousness, does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/a-spirituality-that-is-only-private-and-self-absorbed-one-devoid-of/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) [Browse all 820 Activism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The [Booker] prize was actually responsible in many ways for my political activism. I won this thing and I was suddenly the darling of the new emerging Indian middle class – they needed a princess. They had the wrong woman. 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