--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Art is created to make us, to make our…" description: "\"Art is created to make us, to make our passage through the world better, fruitful - and I would say that every story in the end, if it is good, tells u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/chinua-achebe-781_art_art-is-created-to-make-us-to-make-our-pa_3178925.jpg" --- # Art is created to make us, to make our passage through the… ![“Art is created to make us, to make our passage through the world better, fruitful - and I would say that every story in the end, if it is good, tells us something. This is actually what I meant when I said a novelist is a teacher. Which is why I am constantly dealing with "didactic". Now a teacher…” quote by Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/chinua-achebe-781_art_art-is-created-to-make-us-to-make-our-pa_3178925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/chinua-achebe-781_art_art-is-created-to-make-us-to-make-our-pa_3178925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/chinua-achebe-781_art_art-is-created-to-make-us-to-make-our-pa_3178925.jpg) > “Art is created to make us, to make our passage through the world better, fruitful - and I would say that every story in the end, if it is good, tells us something. This is actually what I meant when I said a novelist is a teacher. Which is why I am constantly dealing with "didactic". Now a teacher in the sense I use it is not somebody who has the profession of standing in front of children, with a piece of chalk in his hand scribbling on the blackboard. That is not the teacher I have in mind. The teacher I have in mind is something less tangible.” [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Storytelling serves as a subtle teacher, conveying truths and improving human experience without overt didacticism. **In simple terms:** Stories teach quietly and enrich life. Key Takeaway Use narrative to convey ideas gently. Themes storytelling education truth subtlety didacticism Mood thoughtful inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - classroom discussions - media production - community outreach Key Concepts narrative pedagogy cultural transmission literary purpose Questions to Reflect On - When does a story become too instructive? - How can you embed lessons without losing artistic flow? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on teaching can make stories feel preachy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-is/) [Blackboard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blackboard/) [Chalk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chalk/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dealing Didactic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealing-didactic-5816957/) [Didactic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didactic/) [Didactic Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didactic-teacher-5816955/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Novelist Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist-teacher-3467546/) [Novelists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelists/) [Passages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passages/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-novelist-5816956/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Tangible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tangible/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The Novelist As Teacher”: “I would be quite satisfied if my novels (especially the ones I set in the past) did no more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/the-novelist-as-teacher-i-would-be-quite-satisfied-if-my-novels/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [If writing with a goal - whether it be evangelistic, apologetic, or didactic - implies propaganda, then all recorded history is propaganda. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/if-writing-with-a-goal-whether-it-be-evangelistic-apologetic-or/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [What I do not want to write is didactic political tracts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-vinge/what-i-do-not-want-to-write-is-didactic-political-tracts/) [Joan D. Vinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-vinge/) > [I don't think that writers or painters or filmmakers function because they have something they particularly want to say. They have something that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/i-don-t-think-that-writers-or-painters-or-filmmakers-function-because/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [“Didactic instruction is teaching by telling, i.e. teacher presentation. In didactic instruction, the teacher directly tells the student what to believe and think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-marselle/didactic-instruction-is-teaching-by-telling-i-e-teacher-presentation/) [Terry Marselle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-marselle/) > [The novel is a perfect medium for revealing to us the changing rainbow of our living relationships. The novel can help us to live,as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/the-novel-is-a-perfect-medium-for-revealing-to-us-the-changing/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [It’s the ability to bring events and characters to a resolution that draws me to writing, especially writing for children. I don’t want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wynne-jones/it-s-the-ability-to-bring-events-and-characters-to-a-resolution-that/) [Tim Wynne-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wynne-jones/) > [I'm really interested in social justice, and if an artist has a certain power of being heard and voicing something important, it's right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-neshat/i-m-really-interested-in-social-justice-and-if-an-artist-has-a/) [Shirin Neshat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-neshat/) > [When I was younger I was much more polemical and didactic, much less trusting. Inherently my own vision of the world would weave its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-i-was-younger-i-was-much-more-polemical-and-didactic-much-less/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [What you demand from storytelling is a moral - even political - import. I tend to shun that didactic aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandar-hemon/what-you-demand-from-storytelling-is-a-moral-even-political-import-i/) [Aleksandar Hemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandar-hemon/) > [I don't want to be a didactic voice. I like to ask more questions than I answer, just to get people thinking and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-gadsby/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-didactic-voice-i-like-to-ask-more-questions-than/) [Hannah Gadsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-gadsby/) > [The flowery style is not unsuitable to public speeches or addresses, which amount only to compliment. The lighter beauties are in their place when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-flowery-style-is-not-unsuitable-to-public-speeches-or-addresses/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [The apostolic writings are of three kinds: historical, didactic, and prophetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-schaff/the-apostolic-writings-are-of-three-kinds-historical-didactic-and/) [Philip Schaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-schaff/) > [Don't be didactic - don't write about poverty. Write about poor people. When you dramatize their lives and let life and characters be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/don-t-be-didactic-don-t-write-about-poverty-write-about-poor-people/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Artist should look at the reality and brutality of modern life in all its color, nature with all its imperfections - that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/artist-should-look-at-the-reality-and-brutality-of-modern-life-in-all/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) ## More by Chinua Achebe > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/do-not-despair-i-know-you-will-not-despair-you-have-a-manly-and-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [My son even if you want to fall, at least fall where your bones can be gathered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/my-son-even-if-you-want-to-fall-at-least-fall-where-your-bones-can-be/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“And so Mr. Brown came to be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/and-so-mr-brown-came-to-be-respected-even-by-the-clan-because-he-trod/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-have-learned-that-a-man-who-makes-trouble-for-others-is-also-making/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [In fact, I thought that Christianity was very a good and a very valuable thing for us. But after a while, I began to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-fact-i-thought-that-christianity-was-very-a-good-and-a-very/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I find Nigeria very frustrating. I am not alone in this. There are many Nigerians abroad. As you know, the brain drain is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-find-nigeria-very-frustrating-i-am-not-alone-in-this-there-are-many/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I do not actually see how art, literature can be anything other that being in that domain of trying to tell us, trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-do-not-actually-see-how-art-literature-can-be-anything-other-that/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Democracy is not something you put away for ten years, and then in the 11th year you wake up and start practicing again. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/democracy-is-not-something-you-put-away-for-ten-years-and-then-in-the/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When I began going to school and learned to read, I encountered stories of other people and other lands. In one of my essays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-i-began-going-to-school-and-learned-to-read-i-encountered/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane. H. P. LOVECRAFT, attributed, Telling It Like It Is Dancing is very important nowadays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/almost-nobody-dances-sober-unless-they-happen-to-be-insane-h-p/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [This is why I find racism impossible, because this is against humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/this-is-why-i-find-racism-impossible-because-this-is-against-humanity/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Then listen to me,' he said and cleared his throat. 'It's true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/then-listen-to-me-he-said-and-cleared-his-throat-it-s-true-that-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [What you must accept is that your life is not going to be the same while you are writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/what-you-must-accept-is-that-your-life-is-not-going-to-be-the-same/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) [Explore all 368 Chinua Achebe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Art is created to make us, to make our passage through the world better, fruitful - and I would say that every story in the end, if it is good, tells us something. 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