--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Literature is and should continue to be a…" description: "\"“Literature is and should continue to be a vehicle that dispels 'otherness' or the 'outsider”\" — Mala Naidoo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/mala-naidoo-26644_books_literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be_53397.jpg" --- # Literature is and should continue to be a vehicle that… ![“Literature is and should continue to be a vehicle that dispels 'otherness' or the 'outsider” quote by Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/mala-naidoo-26644_books_literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be_53397.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/mala-naidoo-26644_books_literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be_53397.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/mala-naidoo-26644_books_literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be_53397.jpg) > ““Literature is and should continue to be a vehicle that dispels 'otherness' or the 'outsider”” [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Literature should challenge the perception of difference and foster empathy by portraying diverse experiences as shared humanity. **In simple terms:** Literature bridges gaps between people. Key Takeaway Stories dissolve perceived separateness. Themes empathy inclusion cultural understanding social cohesion identity Mood hopeful reflective inspirational Type observation call to action philosophical When to use this quote - teaching multicultural curricula - community dialogue events - media criticism workshops - cross‑cultural collaborations - personal reading groups Key Concepts narrative power representation human commonality otherness Practical Applications - design inclusive curricula - inform diversity training Questions to Reflect On - How does a story change your view of 'the other'? - What responsibilities do writers have in shaping social perception? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Otherness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/otherness/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Literature remains alive only if we set ourselves immeasurable goals, far beyond all hope of achievement. Only if poets and writers set themselves tasks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/literature-remains-alive-only-if-we-set-ourselves-immeasurable-goals/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [Connection" is the triumphal cry these days. Connection has made people arrogant, impatient, hasty, and presumptuous. ...I don't doubt that instant communication has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/connection-is-the-triumphal-cry-these-days-connection-has-made-people/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [One of the age-old truths about love is that while it offers unparalleled opportunities for union and the lifting of ego boundaries, it also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-epstein/one-of-the-age-old-truths-about-love-is-that-while-it-offers/) [Mark Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-epstein/) > [Pack the one bag. Unpack it, pack it, unpack it, pack it: passeport, ticket, book, taxi, airport, check-in, beer, announcement, stairs, airplane, fasten seat-belt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/pack-the-one-bag-unpack-it-pack-it-unpack-it-pack-it-passeport-ticket/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [“The friend is not another I, but an otherness immanent in selfness, a becoming other of the self. At the point at which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-agamben/the-friend-is-not-another-i-but-an-otherness-immanent-in-selfness-a/) [Giorgio Agamben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-agamben/) > [What I write comes from a place of deep love, and a deep understanding of all kinds of otherness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/what-i-write-comes-from-a-place-of-deep-love-and-a-deep-understanding/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [“There is this question of otherness….So just as it is blood alone that binds people to defend one another in the face of danger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ndor-m-rai/there-is-this-question-of-otherness-so-just-as-it-is-blood-alone-that/) [Sándor Márai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ndor-m-rai/) > [We are fascinated, all of us, by the implacable otherness of others. 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Through their unrelenting attention, two smitten people can arouse a to and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/love-is-a-challenge-with-an-illusion-emanating-an-aura-of-otherness/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“There are other people of other worlds and you should get to know those other people because what will teach you something different or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/there-are-other-people-of-other-worlds-and-you-should-get-to-know/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Maturity implies otherness... The art of living is the art of living with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-gordon/maturity-implies-otherness-the-art-of-living-is-the-art-of-living-with/) Julius Gordon > [To be enlightened is to be aware, always, of total reality in its immanent otherness - to be aware of it and yet remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/to-be-enlightened-is-to-be-aware-always-of-total-reality-in-its/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [When I'm creating art or music, when something is resonating or a scene is going well, that almost feels religious to me... there's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-thatcher/when-i-m-creating-art-or-music-when-something-is-resonating-or-a/) [Sophie Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-thatcher/) ## More by Mala Naidoo > [“A bookshop is a peaceful sanctuary of silent voices waiting to heard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/a-bookshop-is-a-peaceful-sanctuary-of-silent-voices-waiting-to-heard/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“The threatening tone, harsh aggression, made her submissive (Across Time And Space)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/the-threatening-tone-harsh-aggression-made-her-submissive-across-time/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“She was home, the passage walls, memorabilia of Ben's life, past and present, welcomed her like a doting grandmother.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/she-was-home-the-passage-walls-memorabilia-of-ben-s-life-past-and/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“Challenges turned the eye inward to empower a renewed self for an enhanced future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/challenges-turned-the-eye-inward-to-empower-a-renewed-self-for-an/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“In our angst and joy, we are ONE under the sky of humanity ~ Mala Naidoo, Author”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/in-our-angst-and-joy-we-are-one-under-the-sky-of-humanity-mala-naidoo/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“In this worried rush, nobody stopped to see the sun appear over rooftops. 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(Across Time And Space)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/the-threatening-to-harsh-aggression-made-her-submissive-across-time/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“Once we are made aware of the universality of our angsts and joys, we become one under the sky of humanity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/once-we-are-made-aware-of-the-universality-of-our-angsts-and-joys-we/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“Memories don't die, they become shelved in the recesses of one's mind, resurfacing when the triggers of life reignite them, lighting up the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/memories-don-t-die-they-become-shelved-in-the-recesses-of-one-s-mind/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“You learn to be resilient, to survive when you know you are capable of making worthy contribution to the world; you fight it when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/you-learn-to-be-resilient-to-survive-when-you-know-you-are-capable-of/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) [Explore all 21 Mala Naidoo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [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/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. 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And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Literature is and should continue to be a vehicle that dispels 'otherness' or the 'outsider”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mala Naidoo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be-a-vehicle-that-dispels/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be-a-vehicle-that-dispels/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/mala-naidoo-26644_books_literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be_53397.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/mala-naidoo-26644_books_literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be_53397.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c2/mala-naidoo-26644_books_literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be_53397.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Literature is and should continue to be a vehicle that dispels 'otherness' or the 'outsider” — Mala Naidoo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mala Naidoo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Literature is and should continue to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be-a-vehicle-that-dispels/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/literature-is-and-should-continue-to-be-a-vehicle-that-dispels/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```