Poet Quote by Susan Sontag
“The unit of the poet is the word, the unit of the prose writer is the sentence.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “On the Poetics of the Prose” in The New Yorker, 1975
Poetry and prose differ in scale: poets craft words, prose writers craft sentences.
In simple terms: Poets use words; prose uses sentences.
Key Takeaway
Choose the right unit.
Themes
literature
form
craft
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
critical
educational
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- editing
- teaching
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
Structuralism
linguistics
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “unit” mean for you?
- Can blending forms create new meaning?
A Different Perspective
Rigid distinctions may limit hybrid forms.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
