--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a white, female, half-Jewish writer…" description: "\"As a white, female, half-Jewish writer, when I read 'The Underground Railroad,' it reminded me that America isn't just the sort of Sesame Street that I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jenna-blum-22612_america_as-a-white-female-half-jewish-writer-whe_2282520.png" --- # As a white, female, half-Jewish writer, when I read 'The… ![“As a white, female, half-Jewish writer, when I read 'The Underground Railroad,' it reminded me that America isn't just the sort of Sesame Street that I grew up with that tolerated and embraced diversity in the Northeast, but in fact was built on the foundation of slavery.” quote by Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jenna-blum-22612_america_as-a-white-female-half-jewish-writer-whe_2282520.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jenna-blum-22612_america_as-a-white-female-half-jewish-writer-whe_2282520.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jenna-blum-22612_america_as-a-white-female-half-jewish-writer-whe_2282520.png) > “As a white, female, half-Jewish writer, when I read 'The Underground Railroad,' it reminded me that America isn't just the sort of Sesame Street that I grew up with that tolerated and embraced diversity in the Northeast, but in fact was built on the foundation of slavery.” [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She notes that 'The Underground Railroad' reveals America’s foundation of slavery, contrasting idealized diversity narratives. **In simple terms:** The novel exposes America’s slavery roots versus idealized diversity. Key Takeaway Recognize historical truths to inform present understanding. Themes history race literature identity social critique Mood critical thought‑provoking Type social historical literary When to use this quote - education - policy making - media analysis - community dialogue - activism Key Concepts slavery legacy racial injustice national myth cultural memory Questions to Reflect On - How does confronting painful history affect identity? - What role can literature play in social change? A Different Perspective Idealized narratives can obscure systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Embraced Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embraced-diversity-1114005/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Half Jewish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half-jewish-730212/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Reminded America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminded-america-5332583/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street/) [Underground railroad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underground-railroad/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“forward, women embraced their diversity and realized that all shapes and sizes are beautiful. Ah ha ha. No. I’m totally messing with you. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/forward-women-embraced-their-diversity-and-realized-that-all-shapes/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“it wasn’t the only aspect of Iran that reminded me of America. The two countries had far more similarities than either would care to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/it-wasn-t-the-only-aspect-of-iran-that-reminded-me-of-america-the-two/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [When I was reading 'The Underground Railroad,' I had to actually hold my hand over the right-hand page so I wouldn't see, by mistake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/when-i-was-reading-the-underground-railroad-i-had-to-actually-hold-my/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [I'm half Puerto Rican and half Jewish and so, in some ways, living in many worlds at once is where I feel most at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quiara-alegria-hudes/i-m-half-puerto-rican-and-half-jewish-and-so-in-some-ways-living-in/) [Quiara Alegria Hudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quiara-alegria-hudes/) > [I'm half Jewish, half Christian. I'm a Jew for Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-m-half-jewish-half-christian-i-m-a-jew-for-jesus/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [Moshe Dayan, who said to Sammy Davis, Jr., That's funny, to me you only look half Jewish. Never got a dinner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/moshe-dayan-who-said-to-sammy-davis-jr-that-s-funny-to-me-you-only/) [Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/) > [I'm half Jewish, I'm half black, I look in-between. I dress funny. I play all these different styles of music on one record. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/i-m-half-jewish-i-m-half-black-i-look-in-between-i-dress-funny-i-play/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) > [Growing up half Jewish and having this face on me... it has kind of been a big part of my identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-kahan/growing-up-half-jewish-and-having-this-face-on-me-it-has-kind-of-been/) [Noah Kahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-kahan/) > [Every time I go to ask my dad for money I remember I'm half Jewish lol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanel-dudley/every-time-i-go-to-ask-my-dad-for-money-i-remember-i-m-half-jewish-lol/) [Chanel Dudley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanel-dudley/) > [I'm the little half-black, half-Jewish girl who was odd and awkward. I try to be myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-london/i-m-the-little-half-black-half-jewish-girl-who-was-odd-and-awkward-i/) [Lauren London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-london/) > [I'm half Jewish, but no one believes me because my looks lean a little WASP-y... It's sometimes hard for me to get the roles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armie-hammer/i-m-half-jewish-but-no-one-believes-me-because-my-looks-lean-a-little/) [Armie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armie-hammer/) > [“It was hard to listen to Goldwater and realize that a man could be half Jewish and yet sometimes appear twice as dense as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-f-stone-2/it-was-hard-to-listen-to-goldwater-and-realize-that-a-man-could-be/) [I.F. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-f-stone-2/) > [It's not like I walked into town and someone handed me - a half-Jewish, 5-foot-1 girl from Skokie - a TV show. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/it-s-not-like-i-walked-into-town-and-someone-handed-me-a-half-jewish/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [I don't consider myself Jewish. I am half-Jewish by race but not through my mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/i-don-t-consider-myself-jewish-i-am-half-jewish-by-race-but-not/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [Since my daughter is only half-Jewish, could she go in the water up to her knees?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/since-my-daughter-is-only-half-jewish-could-she-go-in-the-water-up-to/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) ## More by Jenna Blum > [Life is so often unfair and painful and love is hard to find and you have to take it whenever and wherever you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/life-is-so-often-unfair-and-painful-and-love-is-hard-to-find-and-you/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [When I was reading 'The Underground Railroad,' I had to actually hold my hand over the right-hand page so I wouldn't see, by mistake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/when-i-was-reading-the-underground-railroad-i-had-to-actually-hold-my/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [The success of 'Those Who Save Us' had an interesting effect on the writing of 'The Stormchasers.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/the-success-of-those-who-save-us-had-an-interesting-effect-on-the/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [Procrastination: as endemic to and dreaded by writers as writers' block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/procrastination-as-endemic-to-and-dreaded-by-writers-as-writers-block/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [I have a brother I love dearly, although we're not twins! 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No matter how well things go, something always feels slightly off...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/nothing-is-ever-quite-right-is-it-after-a-parent-dies-no-matter-how/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [How could she tell him that we come to love those who save us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/how-could-she-tell-him-that-we-come-to-love-those-who-save-us/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [All I'd ever wanted to do in my life was write and publish books, and woe to anyone who stood in my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/all-i-d-ever-wanted-to-do-in-my-life-was-write-and-publish-books-and/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [Make a list of activities that keep you tethered to your creative world, and put it where you can see it every day -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/make-a-list-of-activities-that-keep-you-tethered-to-your-creative/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) > [I was a hostess, a waitress, a cafe manager, and a prep chef. 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Who among us is not stained by the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-blum/so-you-see-he-says-softly-we-are-all-ashamed-in-one-way-or-another/) [Jenna Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) [Explore all 26 Jenna Blum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-blum/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... 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