Chapter 19:

Summary

Words on Fire: Even though sex sells in general, there is good and bad sex writing. Clark cites E. L. James's novel Fifty Shades of Grey as an example of bad sex writing. A section from the novel is picked apart for its non-originality and unappealing tone.

Erotic Versus Pornographic: As a comparison, Clark cites Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, providing an excerpt emphasizing that erotic writing need not be pornographic. Clark admits "...to being as confused as ever about the power that sex holds over us. Only religion can compete. Sex, beyond its biological imperatives, is a cultural force that fascinates us, dominates our thinking, and drives us to act in ways that help us, hurt us, and complicate our lives. Descriptions and depictions of sex in media, advertising, literature, and drama, I would argue, are easy enough to create but difficult to do well."

Language of Love: The secret to writing well, eroticism included, is unique and specific language. Clark compares the writing of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita to that of James in Fifty Shades of Grey, clearly indicating that the writing in Lolita is superior due to the unequivocally poetic flow of the piece.

Writing Lessons

1. Indirection often has more power than direction. In an age of hard-core pornography, it may be difficult to remember that there was a time, not long ago, when a peek at a garter belt had sexual power (as acted out in the television series Mad Men, set in the 1960s). In an earlier century, it might have been the sight of a bare ankle. In an interview, the great Lauren Bacall suggested to me that the movies she made in her youth were sexier than more explicit contemporary films because of what they suggested and left out.

2. Almost anything can be described symbolically, including violence, illness, and sexuality. There is more than a partridge in Hurston’s pear tree. Human capacities and sensibilities can be used to describe animals, plants, even nonliving things. We name hurricanes, after all, and storms are said “to rage.”

3. As George Orwell reminds us, avoid language you are used to seeing in print. Try to take standard or tired language to a next level. Hurston’s brilliance derives from her ability to transform language and images that could be used as euphemisms for sexuality (bees and flowers) into something so vivid and original that it can almost be felt.

4. America manages to be a country that is both puritanical and pornographic in many of its cultural manifestations. In such a society, it’s especially important to write boldly about sex acts and the consequences of sexual activity. It’s also a good idea to find a test audience before publication to avoid the pitfalls of silliness or crude insensitivity. Try not to forget (gentlemen!) that sex can be experienced in the context of love. And, yes, it’s true: sex sells. Get cooking.

Critique

This chapter discusses good and bad writing regarding sex and eroticism. This may be a controversial topic to discuss with students, depending on their grade and maturity level. In "Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing," the concept of developing critical thinking through writing, reading, and research is fleshed out. This includes writing about texts for multiple purposes (7). In this case, the student would be trying to achieve a desired sensual effect from their writing. Although this may be too advanced for many students, the point the chapter is trying to make is valid and important for upcoming writers.

A flaw in this chapter lies in the terms "good" and "bad". They could be more specified, since these terms are objective and have meanings that could change from person to person.