tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post8780426432762594210..comments2023-09-21T06:15:03.099-07:00Comments on Conjugate Visits: The More I Think About Short Sentences ...June Casagrandehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00363096837053080969noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-52016023266997710002008-09-22T10:48:00.000-07:002008-09-22T10:48:00.000-07:00Thanks for the heads up. I haven't decided whether...Thanks for the heads up. I haven't decided whether I'll finish it. To date, I have read exactly one sentence. A pretty distracting sentence, but still ...<BR/><BR/>Anyway, you may have saved me some time if I start reading more and wonder, "Is this boring or is it just me?"June Casagrandehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363096837053080969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-44733031096031674732008-09-22T02:08:00.000-07:002008-09-22T02:08:00.000-07:00That book bored me. *She yawns*I didn't get it, ei...That book bored me. *She yawns*<BR/><BR/>I didn't get it, either and had to google to find out what exactly happened.Joy-Mari Cloetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01567953643317015868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-43885171626043554102008-09-19T18:07:00.000-07:002008-09-19T18:07:00.000-07:00Darn it! Stop being so convincing!: )Seriously, yo...Darn it! Stop being so convincing!<BR/><BR/>: )<BR/><BR/>Seriously, you make a good point. <BR/><BR/>But couldn't the same effect have been achieved through any of a thousand different active structures.<BR/><BR/>"The play consumed her for two days -- a tempest of composition that caused Jane to miss a lunch and a dinner."<BR/><BR/><BR/>"The play was born of a two-day tempest ..."<BR/><BR/>"The play took two days to write ..." <BR/> <BR/>"The play was the product of ..."<BR/><BR/>"The play was 'the thing,' and Jane did its bidding as she birthed it during a two-day tempest ..."<BR/><BR/>"A better sentence continued to elude June, sending her into what she hoped would not be a two-day tempest of revision, causing her to miss a relaxing Saturday and Sunday."June Casagrandehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363096837053080969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-18449373702987316002008-09-19T17:43:00.000-07:002008-09-19T17:43:00.000-07:00Not having read the book (or the link), I'm surely...Not having read the book (or the link), I'm surely treading on dangerous ground, but the passive makes sense to me here as a way to emphasize the play, express its power. I think your reaction of indignation (or at least minimal astonishment) at Jane's plight is precisely the point. The play is <I>the thing</I> and Jane merely does its bidding.<BR/><BR/>If anything, I think one might change "causing" to "and caused." But that maybe gets a little awkward. In any case, as I read it, the force of the sentence is that the play deprived Jane (Freudian slip there, Blackwell--and I almost repeated it--it was Jane and not June) of her daily sustenance.<BR/><BR/>That's what should concern us. That play is an evil bastard (um, perhaps literally, assuming Jane had no help in its conception or rearing).Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550742712966484303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-61272277418397932102008-09-19T16:02:00.000-07:002008-09-19T16:02:00.000-07:00Yeah, of all the choices in that sentence, the pas...Yeah, of all the choices in that sentence, the passive was probably the weirdest. <BR/><BR/>I still haven't read any of the damn book, either. I read one single sentence then got distracted -- like a teenager on 'shrooms who spots something shiny. It's ridiculous. (Do the kids still do 'shrooms these days? I don't even know. I went to look it up once, but I got distracted.)<BR/><BR/>But a commenter at RedRoom.com had some interesting stuff to say about it -- that Ian McEwan is part of a negative force in the literary world and not all he's cracked up to be. Me no speaky high falutin' literary stuff, but she certainly gave me something to think about (see Rosy's comment): <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.redroom.com/blog/june-casagrande/the-more-i-think-about-short-sentences#comments" REL="nofollow">link</A> <BR/><BR/>(If my HTML hyperlink thingy doesn't work: http://www.redroom.com/blog/june-casagrande/the-more-i-think-about-short-sentences#comments)<BR/><BR/>P.S. Thanks for buying my books!June Casagrandehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363096837053080969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-1677255149151921602008-09-19T15:42:00.000-07:002008-09-19T15:42:00.000-07:00But at the very least, why did it have to stay *pa...But at the very least, why did it have to stay *passive*?!? To emphasize the play? Why not emphasize June? Give her the credit she's due! <BR/><BR/>Of course, I haven't read the book, so I can't really say more than that.<BR/><BR/>Oh, except that I finally bought *your* books! (Isn't that sad that I'm such an avid reader of your blog and couldn't get my act together enough to buy your books?) I am very much enjoying Grammar Snobs and will probably incoporate bits of Mortal Syntax into my lessons.LL Blackwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09921100359598254068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-16381395350298101682008-09-19T08:27:00.000-07:002008-09-19T08:27:00.000-07:00Yeah, I guess that whole post is vindication for s...Yeah, I guess that whole post is vindication for something you've been saying all along. Still. Short. Good. Me like. Why long, McEwan? Why no speak like Tonto?June Casagrandehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363096837053080969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-71420192711057654772008-09-19T07:40:00.000-07:002008-09-19T07:40:00.000-07:00All I have to say--he exclaimed gleefully, trying ...All I have to say--he exclaimed gleefully, trying not to gloat or do anything otherwise unseemly in his inordinate enthusiasm--is "Yay for long sentences!"<BR/><BR/>When you do discover that difference, I doubt it'll fit in a tiny sentence. ;-)Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550742712966484303noreply@blogger.com