My theory is that literature is essential to society in the… - Joyce Carol Oates

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My theory is that literature is essential to society in the way that dreams are essential to our lives. We can’t live without dreaming — as we can’t live without sleep. We are “conscious” beings for only a limited period of time, then we sink back into sleep — the “unconscious.” It is nourishing, in ways we can’t fully understand.

Joyce Carol Oates

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About Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates (born June 16, 1938) is an American author who has published 58 novels, plays and novellas, as well as volumes of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction. Oates taught at Princeton University from 1978 to 2014 and is the Roger S. Berlind '52 Professor Emerita in the Humanities with the Program in Creative Writing. She is a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley where she teaches short fiction.

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Pen Names: Rosamond Smith • Lauren Kelly

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My theory is that literature is essential to society in the way that dreams are essential to our lives. We can’t live without dreaming — as we can’t … - Joyce Carol Oates

About Joyce Carol Oates

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