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Deals Quote by Denise Levertov

“One of the obligations of the writer is to say or sing all that he or she can, to deal with as much of the world as becomes possible to him or her in language.” quote by Denise Levertov
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“One of the obligations of the writer is to say or sing all that he or she can, to deal with as much of the world as becomes possible to him or her in language.”

Denise Levertov

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Poet's Responsibility, 1970s

Writers must strive to capture as much of reality as possible, using language to explore and convey the world’s complexity.

In simple terms: Writers should aim to describe the world fully.

Key Takeaway

Write broadly, embrace complexity.

Themes

responsibility expression reality language exploration

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

literary inspirational

When to use this quote

  • journalism
  • novel writing
  • poetry

Key Concepts

ethical duty creative scope

Questions to Reflect On

  • How much of the world can language truly capture?
  • When does detail become distraction?
A Different Perspective

Overextension can dilute clarity.

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