---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anytime an African-American writes an…"
description: "\"Anytime an African-American writes an unconventional novel, the writer gets compared to Ellison. But that's O.K. I am working in the African-American l..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/colson-whitehead-1042_african-american_anytime-an-african-american-writes-an-un_1352794.png"
---

#  Anytime an African-American writes an unconventional…

![“Anytime an African-American writes an unconventional novel, the writer gets compared to Ellison. But that's O.K. I am working in the African-American literary tradition. That's my aim and what I see as my mission.” quote by Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/colson-whitehead-1042_african-american_anytime-an-african-american-writes-an-un_1352794.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/colson-whitehead-1042_african-american_anytime-an-african-american-writes-an-un_1352794.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/colson-whitehead-1042_african-american_anytime-an-african-american-writes-an-un_1352794.png)

> “Anytime an African-American writes an unconventional novel, the writer gets compared to Ellison. But that's O.K. I am working in the African-American literary tradition. That's my aim and what I see as my mission.”

[Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Explains that Black authors are often compared to Ellison, but embraces that as part of a broader cultural mission.

**In simple terms:** Black writers face comparison but can claim a shared tradition.

Key Takeaway

Embrace your literary lineage while forging your own voice.

Themes

literature identity heritage representation

Mood

thoughtful determined

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

- writing workshops
- literary criticism
- teaching
- publishing

Key Concepts

cultural tradition authorial influence mission

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance tradition and originality?
- What does “mission” mean to you?

A Different Perspective

Risk of being pigeonholed or limiting creative freedom.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mission/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

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