"In the plays - that's where I go crazy. But my prose has a much lighter touch; it's not trying to thrill with language, just to be more truthful. I'm not concerned with the accuracy of anything. We don't get to the truth of anything with facts"
- Denis Johnson
About this Quote
This quote by Denis Johnson speaks with the difference between his writing style in plays and prose. In plays, Johnson goes "insane" with language, attempting to delight the audience with his words. However, in his prose, Johnson takes a much lighter touch, not attempting to impress with language, however instead going for truthfulness. Johnson is not worried about the precision of realities, as he thinks that realities do not get to the truth of anything. This quote speaks to Johnson's belief that truth can be discovered in more than just realities, which language can be utilized to convey fact in a way that facts can not. Johnson's writing design reflects this belief, as he uses language to produce a more honest experience for his readers.
"We don't attempt to have any theme for a number of the anthology, or to have any particular sequence. We just put in things that we like, and then we try to alternate the prose and the poetry"
"I think Maus I is better than Maus II. The standard here is whether or not it's as good as a great book of prose literature and by that standard, no, it's not that great"
