Styling
In many novels, the style isn’t very important. That is not true with several of the novels, short stories, and poems we’ve read for this class. For example, Sherman Alexie using a similar style in each of the stories we’ve read. They include a deep characterization of the protagonist and a rich sense of self and truth. On blackboard almost everything enjoyed the boldness of Alexie for writing in a very honest manner. Elizabeth, for example sparked a discussion on the possibility of over using arousal in The Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
With this in mind, do you believe that style is an important aspect of a story? Do you think style distracts from a story?
Formatting
Though the format of novels changes from author to author, like many other aspects when writing, it can truly add to a work and change it in some ways. Alexie for example, always uses subheadings in his short stories and brief chapters in his novel whereas Erdrich using extremely long chapters with very short openings to those chapters in the form of the two diaries. Naturally, the form of poems change depending on the subject, content, and author’s preference. However, some author’s are known for the format of their poems. Shakespeare, though archaic compared to what we have been reading this semester, developed the Shakespearean sonnet.
Do you think the format of a novel, short story, or poem is able to distract from that piece of writing? Do you think format can add something new to a piece of writing?
What are some examples of formatting that you find distracting? Have any of the things we’ve read so far been difficult for you to read because of their formatting?
In response to the second question…
ReplyDeleteI was quite vocal last week during the BlackBoard discussions on how important formatting is for me in a text. I have my own styles and preferences in reading and writing, and it really rocks my boat whenever someone else doesn’t adhere to my partiality. My most obvious problem with the format of Shadow Tag was the lack of proper punctuation marks. Of course, those on Blackboard who have hashed out the potential reasons quotation marks were “unnecessary” in Erdrich’s novel do have a valid point. Had quotation marks been inserted, it probably would’ve interrupted that “stream of consciousness” feeling (as Elizabeth previously noted) that the reader is instantly forced to connect with. It’s interesting to see that, at some points throughout the novel, the reader is also unaware if some bits of dialogue were actually spoken between the characters, or if they never left the character’s thoughts. The bathtub scene toward the end of the novel is especially relevant as an example.
Though I had my gripes about Shadow Tag, I can appreciate the unique format Erdrich uses in order to accomplish a literary and stylistic purpose. It’s similar to reading other authors who are notorious for breaking all the rules, such as ee cummings. Once you get past your initial hang-ups regarding the unusual formatting, you discover the beauty that uniquely formatted (or even format free) literature can possess, and authors really deserve extra credit for it.
I think that style is definitely an important part of any piece of writing. I think that in order to write honestly and be the writer you want to be, you must determine the style that you want to achieve prior to writing. At the same time, I do believe that bits and pieces of authors’ styles are not always part of that pre-determination. These parts are what make a particular style pop. I think that in many of the things we read, there are parts that do not necessarily mix with the rest—little inconsistencies that either add to an effect or distract the reader. In The Sum of Our Days, I think the intended style was meant to be a consistent flow of events, but the unintended was the mixture of events and ideas and stories and point of views in one single part. Many people voiced their dislike for these random and sudden changes while others seemed to like them. Overall, I don’t think style can be just one thing. It depends on the author, the content of the book and the reader. I have read many books that have similar paces to Allende, but I didn’t like them nearly as much as I like The Sum of Our Days.
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