I don’t usually get a lot of enjoyment from reading fiction that is laced with a lot of profanity. Such language is course and rude, and while the inclusion of such dialogue is generally reflective of the way a lot of people talk, in my experience it usually only serves to detract from the telling of the story. I can deal with the occasional curse word here and there, placed strategically for emphasis, but as a general rule, I think that the inclusion of profane and curse words in a story is completely unnecessary.
It’s probably no secret that I’m something of an Orson Scott Card fanboy. Of all the authors I read, his books are always at the top of my list to read and to buy. One of the things that so endears his writing to me is that he is able to create these rich, complex characters without ever resorting to profanity in their dialogue. I tend to think that writing cursing into character dialogue is a shortcut, a cheap way to demonstrate an aspect of your character’s personality. But I think that some of the best writing makes it very clear that your character just swore without ever specifying what it was that the characeter specifically said.
I’ve always felt that cursing is a rather base behavior. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place where its presence ever contributed anything useful or productive to the situation. It only seems to take and never give, and this is definitely true of literature. For me, at least, my reading experience is greatly enriched when I don’t have to filter and sort out all kinds of dialogue that makes me uncomfortable. So, keep the profanity out of your writing. I know I sure will.
Tags: enders-game, orson-scott-card, profanity, stephen-king, Writing
I have this theory.
In his book Insomnia, Stephen King describes a man who is able to see auras surrounding people. The color of the auras reflected the individuals’ moods and relative proximity to death. Additionally, the auras of people who were emotionally close would interweave, changing the overall colors of both
auras.
In the famous Enderseries, a scientific phenomenon is described. This phenomenon is something called a philote, a term coined by science fiction writer Orson Scott Card to describe theoretical rays or lines which have the size of a geometric point and possess no mass or inertia. Philotes make up all particles in the observable universe by combining or “twining”. This twining between loved ones binds them together, no matter how far apart they may be.
Nearly every major religion I can think of acknowledges that Man is a spiritual creature, that part of his being and nature is insubstantial. This spirit is the part that is believed to continue to exist eternally, long after the body has died and returned to dust.
I have heard stories of clairvoyance-like insight that a loved has just endured a life-threatening crisis. Or of the individual who knows the approximate state of a close friend or family member, no matter how far away they are.
What if there is some substance to the speculations of people like King and Card?
Have you ever found your mood altered to match someone else’s, simply by being near them? Have you ever passed someone on the street and felt substantially affected by them, however momentarily? Have you ever just looked at someone and somehow knew what they were
thinking, feeling, experiencing at that moment? Or been able to read their personality? Or gotten a general impression of their past? And then been astonished to find out your impressions were correct?
What about feeling bonded to someone, whether it be a loved one, a spouse, or a close friend? Close fellowship with others that goes way beyond just typical interactions, that extends into the spiritual and leaves a lasting impression on your core?
Larry Crabb, in his book Connecting,
talks about pouring oneself into another who is hurting in order to help heal the pain. It is a spiritual endeavor, the formation of a bond to provide strength and support to another during crisis.
My theory is this: I have come to believe that, while our spirit is perpetually linked to our physical selves, that it is not necessarily completely contained within our mortal bodies, that it
exceeds those borders and touches and intermingles with everyone and everything around us. From personal experience, I have been touched and affected by things and people in inexplicable ways, even though many of those encounters have been cursory at best. I also
have to wonder if we don’t leave a part of our spirits with those we love most, or if maybe our spirits are stretched in a way as to be continually linked to them. In no way do I believe that we have the capability of spiritual omnipresence, but I do wonder if our spirits have a greater capability of connection and perception than we give them credit for. I know that God has given me a gift of perception and insight, for being able to quickly and accurately see what is going on inside people. Often, that insight comes more as intuition than by direct observation, and I have to wonder if my spirit is mingling with that person, thereby providing me with information.
It’s a fascinating theory to me, and I see evidence that says it might be at least somewhat legitimate.
Tags: auras, connecting, ender-quartet, enders-game, insomnia, larry-crabb, orson-scott-card, philote, spirit, stephen-king
