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Community Quote by Jesmyn Ward

“I love creating that community and writing about that place, because I think, in some ways, Bois Sauvage is like the DeLisle of my past; it's like the DeLisle of the '80s that I can never return to. So in some ways, when I write about Bois Sauvage, I'm writing about a home that I've lost.” quote by Jesmyn Ward
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“I love creating that community and writing about that place, because I think, in some ways, Bois Sauvage is like the DeLisle of my past; it's like the DeLisle of the '80s that I can never return to. So in some ways, when I write about Bois Sauvage, I'm writing about a home that I've lost.”

Jesmyn Ward

About This Quote

Source Essay: Interview, The New Yorker, 2021

Writing about a cherished place serves as a way to mourn loss and preserve memory of a past that cannot be reclaimed.

In simple terms: Writing helps mourn and keep a lost home alive.

Key Takeaway

Use writing to honor and process loss.

Themes

memory place loss identity

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

memoir literary

When to use this quote

  • journaling
  • creative nonfiction
  • community storytelling
  • heritage preservation

Key Concepts

nostalgia cultural heritage

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the lost place represent for you?
  • How can you honor it while embracing change?
A Different Perspective

Idealizing the past can hinder moving forward.

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