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Ilmatar
Rohan
Apr 14 2016, 11:51am
Post #26 of 28
(216 views)
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Some personal ponderings, if I may, even if I'm rarely present in the Reading Room.  You raise an interesting point about whether some people are more focused on plot and others on language. Of course it's always better if both are given some proper thought, emphasis and affluence, and would hate to lose one in favor of the other, but I agree that some readers (myself included) can tolerate and even enjoy longish descriptions and detailed "scenery painting" more easily than others - as long as they are well written and the reader does not need to "work" for the impressions to come through. (For me personally, that may have something to do with being a translator; the language itself fascinates me, and an author's ability to create worlds in a reader's mind.)
I have only read Gormenghast once so far, but I loved the world it painted before my eyes, and the language was not an issue. The rich, detailed descriptions and exuberant language & vocabulary worked well for me, spiriting me away to this other place as if I was actually there. I enjoy it immensely when an author creates such a strong sense of place and atmosphere that I can virtually "see" it in my mind's eye. The same goes for creating characters so vividly that it almost feels as if I know them, although with Gormenghast it was the places and "feel of the place" that have stayed with me, more than characters. Of course the language used in fiction can be so archaic or heavy that it makes reading a chore, but when the scenes and events unfold in my mind as if I was watching a movie instead of reading a book, I forget the language and simply get immersed in the world that the book opens up for me.
Naturally the plot must work as well, otherwise it would be like reading a detailed travel guide book with characters as tourist guides in period costumes...
Despite being interested in language - and even loving it passionately when it deserves it - I cannot always recall all the names of characters or places after reading a book, but I can remember places, characters and scenes in my mind, years or a decade later.
Words can create magic, but the language does not need to be long-winded and filled with adjectives in order to do that. I have found that some people have the talent to evoke feelings, paint inner pictures and create that same magic (in smaller doses, depending on the type of text in question) by a simple turn of phrase, even as part of their normal written communication in addition to actual fiction.
About opening scenes - you wonder if "There was a Library" is the opening of Gormenghast. Maybe you already got an answer for that? But I checked, for curiosity's sake because I have the book, and the answer is no. The first part of the trilogy starts with a description of the Gormenghast castle and its surroundings; the second part starts with the same "Titus is seven" chapter that was quoted in the article; and the third part jumps right in the middle of Titus's state of mind and the inner conflict he is going through. (I liked the last part of the book the least, so without giving away spoilers I can say that the ending was a disappointment for me plot-wise, although from the POV of drama and "quality literature" I suppose it must have been good.)
Interesting article and discussion - thanks for posting! (As an added bonus, it reminded me that it's been years since I last read Le Guin, so now I know what I'll be reaching for next!)
(This post was edited by Ilmatar on Apr 14 2016, 12:04pm)
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elostirion74
Rohan
Apr 25 2016, 6:54pm
Post #28 of 28
(171 views)
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interesting article, although perhaps GRRM's article hits closer to the mark IMO
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Thank you for sharing these interesting articles! I don't know if I feel the same need as Samatar to define where fantasy resides, since the author's power of imagination, the themes, the characters and the plot are neccessary ingredients as well as the language. But the language can play an important part in distinguishing between an author I return to or decide to stick with and the authors I just decide to put aside or persevere with rather than enjoy. If the author isn't a master class stylist, variety and flexibility in his/her use of the language is essential, and this is something I found was missing in Mervyn Peake's writing. He could write intriguing and richly described passages, but when you rarely or never find passages which are simpler or something more in-between, the rhytm of the writing can become quite monotonous. In my experience great stylists have a strong or well-defined sense of rhythm in their use of the language and this is also true of writers of fantasy.
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