Hawthorne Quote by Ishmael Reed
“My work holds up the mirror to hypocrisy, which puts me in a tradition of American writing that reaches back to Nathaniel Hawthorne.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Mirror of Hypocrisy, 1992
The writer’s role is to expose hypocrisy, continuing a tradition of American literature that critiques society.
In simple terms: Writers expose hypocrisy, continuing a literary tradition.
Key Takeaway
Write to reveal societal flaws.
Themes
literature
critique
hypocrisy
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- journalism
- fiction
- poetry
- public speaking
Key Concepts
social commentary
American tradition
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you make critique constructive?
- What responsibilities do writers have?
A Different Perspective
Critique can be dismissed as cynicism.
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![“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)
