Brilliant Quote by Ishmael Reed
“I'm not against White writers writing about Blacks as long as they are as objective as say James McPherson writing about an Irish American janitor in his brilliant short story "Gold Coast."”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Literary criticism, 1995
The writer argues that writers of any race can write about other groups if they do so objectively, using a specific example.
In simple terms: White writers can write about Blacks objectively.
Key Takeaway
Promote objective, respectful cross-cultural storytelling.
Themes
diversity
representation
objectivity
literary ethics
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
ethical
literary
When to use this quote
- novel writing
- journalism
- academic research
- teaching literature
Key Concepts
cultural sensitivity
authorial responsibility
historical context
Questions to Reflect On
- How can writers ensure objectivity?
- What responsibilities do authors have when portraying other cultures?
A Different Perspective
Objectivity is hard to achieve; bias may persist unnoticed.
![“How does the [New York] Times treat White pathology? They reported an epidemic of heroin addiction in the Philadelphia suburbs. which included emergency admissions and overdoses; these White people in the suburbs were doing heroin like it was going out of style. I counted the words: the article…” quote by Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a16/ishmael-reed-7430_addict_how-does-the-new-york-times-treat-white_541651.jpg)
