--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here was the true Great Spirit, the…" description: "\"“Here was the true Great Spirit, the divine thread connecting all human endeavor—if you can keep it, it is yours. Your property, slave or continent. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/colson-whitehead-1042_great-spirit_here-was-the-true-great-spirit-the-divin_1670555.png" --- # Here was the true Great Spirit, the divine thread… ![“Here was the true Great Spirit, the divine thread connecting all human endeavor—if you can keep it, it is yours. Your property, slave or continent. The American imperative.” quote by Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/colson-whitehead-1042_great-spirit_here-was-the-true-great-spirit-the-divin_1670555.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/colson-whitehead-1042_great-spirit_here-was-the-true-great-spirit-the-divin_1670555.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/colson-whitehead-1042_great-spirit_here-was-the-true-great-spirit-the-divin_1670555.png) > ““Here was the true Great Spirit, the divine thread connecting all human endeavor—if you can keep it, it is yours. Your property, slave or continent. The American imperative.”” [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. The Great Spirit represents a unifying force across humanity; possessing it grants ownership of all realms. **In simple terms:** Great Spirit unites humanity. Key Takeaway Seek connection beyond material ownership. Themes spirituality humanity ownership Mood reflective inspirational Type cultural metaphorical When to use this quote - social activism - historical analysis - personal growth Key Concepts American myth philosophy identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you define personal ownership? - What unites human endeavor? A Different Perspective Interpretations of the Great Spirit vary widely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Imperative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-imperative-800389/) [Divine Thread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine-thread-853987/) [Great spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-spirit/) [Imperative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperative/) [Property Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property-slave-853988/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“I prefer the American spirit, the one that called us from the Old World to the New, to conquer and build and civilize. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-prefer-the-american-spirit-the-one-that-called-us-from-the-old/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“my father liked his Indian talk about the Great Spirit," Ridgeway said. "All these years late, I prefer the American spirit, the one that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/my-father-liked-his-indian-talk-about-the-great-spirit-ridgeway-said/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Private property in the instruments of production is an institutional device both for dispersing power and for securing effective organization of production. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-calvert-simons/private-property-in-the-instruments-of-production-is-an-institutional/) [Henry Calvert Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-calvert-simons/) > [An inspection of the Constitution will show that the right of property in a slave in not "distinctly and expressly affirmed" in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/an-inspection-of-the-constitution-will-show-that-the-right-of/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With golf becoming part of the Olympics now, it is even more imperative that more of the middle class get access to the sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeev-milkha-singh/with-golf-becoming-part-of-the-olympics-now-it-is-even-more/) [Jeev Milkha Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeev-milkha-singh/) > [“The aesthetical imperative: If you desire to see, learn how to act”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/the-aesthetical-imperative-if-you-desire-to-see-learn-how-to-act/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [“Functional programming has excellent support for writing imperative programs, with the added benefit that such programs can be reasoned about equationally because they're referentially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/functional-programming-has-excellent-support-for-writing-imperative/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We live in a permanent state of bad faith, a mutual representation of ourselves to one another for the sake of remaining sane and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/we-live-in-a-permanent-state-of-bad-faith-a-mutual-representation-of/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > ['Eternal inflation,' as it's called - the endless generation of new universes - may be a hyper-cosmic imperative. It seems that it must happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/eternal-inflation-as-it-s-called-the-endless-generation-of-new/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [The typical imperative from biology is not "Thou shalt... ," but "If ... then ... else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-typical-imperative-from-biology-is-not-thou-shalt-but-if-then-else/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [And I think we need a combination of a freeze, potentially, and also we need to sit down with the - with the banking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-wasserman-schultz/and-i-think-we-need-a-combination-of-a-freeze-potentially-and-also-we/) [Debbie Wasserman Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-wasserman-schultz/) > [Gender equality cannot be achieved by cutting programs that allow girls to get the same chance to compete, learn, and play. The United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sanchez/gender-equality-cannot-be-achieved-by-cutting-programs-that-allow/) [Linda Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sanchez/) > [A categorical imperative would be one which represented an action as objectively necessary in itself, without reference to any other purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-categorical-imperative-would-be-one-which-represented-an-action-as/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Protecting our planet is a moral imperative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-rockstrom/protecting-our-planet-is-a-moral-imperative/) [Johan Rockstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-rockstrom/) > [In Holland I have seen well-meaning, principled people blinded by multiculturalism, overwhelmed by the imperative to be sensitive and respectful of immigrant culture, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/in-holland-i-have-seen-well-meaning-principled-people-blinded-by/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) ## More by Colson Whitehead > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I want to keep growing as a writer. I find myself doing unexpected projects and sort of challenging my idea of where I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-want-to-keep-growing-as-a-writer-i-find-myself-doing-unexpected/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“Every Tuesday, James Fulton (and later, Orville Lever) stood in the downstairs drawing room and lectured on the intricacies of his science. Lectured on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/every-tuesday-james-fulton-and-later-orville-lever-stood-in-the/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I started writing in the '90s, so I was free to just have an eccentric career and not conform to some idea of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-started-writing-in-the-90s-so-i-was-free-to-just-have-an-eccentric/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“Is this the truth of our historic encounter?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/is-this-the-truth-of-our-historic-encounter/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“The Great War had always been between the white and the black. It always would be. Cora”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/the-great-war-had-always-been-between-the-white-and-the-black-it/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“The worst sort of scoundrels took up the chase. Drunkards, incorrigibles, poor whites who didn’t even own shoes delighted in this opportunity to scourge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/the-worst-sort-of-scoundrels-took-up-the-chase-drunkards/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Don’t go searching for a subject, let your subject find you. You can’t rush inspiration. … Once your subject finds you, it’s like falling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/don-t-go-searching-for-a-subject-let-your-subject-find-you-you-can-t/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“its terms? Homer watched her as she dressed, like a valet who had waited on her since the cradle. “I’m caught,” Cora said. “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/its-terms-homer-watched-her-as-she-dressed-like-a-valet-who-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [These days I find myself wanting to avoid being pigeon-holed, ghettoized, held in a different category than other authors. And when people ask me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/these-days-i-find-myself-wanting-to-avoid-being-pigeon-holed/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Part of any book is establishing the rules at the end of the world. My first book, 'The Intuitionist,' takes place in an alternative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/part-of-any-book-is-establishing-the-rules-at-the-end-of-the-world-my/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [There's always an attack on the sophomore novel from some quarters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/there-s-always-an-attack-on-the-sophomore-novel-from-some-quarters/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“All he felt now was envy. These people had expectations. Of the world, of the future, it didn't matter--expectation was such an innovative concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/all-he-felt-now-was-envy-these-people-had-expectations-of-the-world/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Growing up as a product of the black civil-rights movement, I had a lot of different models for black weirdness, whether it's Richard Pryor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/growing-up-as-a-product-of-the-black-civil-rights-movement-i-had-a/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Schools don't teach American history that well, especially a lot of black American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/schools-don-t-teach-american-history-that-well-especially-a-lot-of/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) [Explore all 302 Colson Whitehead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) ## More Great spirit quotes > [We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/we-should-understand-well-that-all-things-are-the-work-of-the-great/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pcanet, and other powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/where-today-are-the-pequot-where-are-the-narragansett-the-mohican-the/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Almost any dog thinks almost any human is the Great Spirit, the Primal Creator, and the Universal Force Behind the Sun and Tides. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/almost-any-dog-thinks-almost-any-human-is-the-great-spirit-the-primal/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [As a kid, there was a painting of 'Appeal to the Great Spirit' that I would see when I would get oatmeal bowls out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/as-a-kid-there-was-a-painting-of-appeal-to-the-great-spirit-that-i/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) > [Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/grown-men-may-learn-from-very-little-children-for-the-hearts-of/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Great Spirit-I want no blood upon my land to stain the grass. I want it all clear and pure, and I wish it so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ten-bears/great-spirit-i-want-no-blood-upon-my-land-to-stain-the-grass-i-want/) [Ten Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ten-bears/) > [I do not believe that the Great Spirit Chief gave one kind of men the right to tell another kind of men what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-do-not-believe-that-the-great-spirit-chief-gave-one-kind-of-men-the/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [Non-Indian writers usually say "Great Spirit," "Mother Earth," "Two-Legged, Four-Legged, and Winged." Mixed-blood writers usually say "Creator, "Mother Earth," "Two-Legged, Four- Legged, and Winged."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/non-indian-writers-usually-say-great-spirit-mother-earth-two-legged/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I know Great Spirit is looking down upon me from above, and will hear what I say...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sitting-bull/i-know-great-spirit-is-looking-down-upon-me-from-above-and-will-hear/) [Sitting Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sitting-bull/) > [Men of great spirit are at high risk at a time when small souls rule the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-silverberg/men-of-great-spirit-are-at-high-risk-at-a-time-when-small-souls-rule/) [Robert Silverberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-silverberg/) > [“A great spirit has been amongst us, and a great artist is gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/a-great-spirit-has-been-amongst-us-and-a-great-artist-is-gone/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pokanoket, and many other once powerful tribes of our people? They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/where-today-are-the-pequot-where-are-the-narragansett-the-mohican-the-2/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Great occasions rally great principles, and brace the mind to a lofty bearing, a bearing that is even above itself. But trials that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-bushnell/great-occasions-rally-great-principles-and-brace-the-mind-to-a-lofty/) [Horace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-bushnell/) > [The idea of full dress in preparation for a battle comes not from a belief that it will add to the fighting ability. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wooden-leg/the-idea-of-full-dress-in-preparation-for-a-battle-comes-not-from-a/) [Wooden Leg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wooden-leg/) > [“Dare to dwell on great thoughts, you will be great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/dare-to-dwell-on-great-thoughts-you-will-be-great/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) [Browse all 113 Great spirit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-spirit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Here was the true Great Spirit, the divine thread connecting all human endeavor—if you can keep it, it is yours. Your property, slave or continent. 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