Description is any type of communication that aims to make vivid a place, object, person, group, or other physical entity. It is one of four rhetorical modes (also known as modes of discourse), along with exposition, argumentation, and narration.
Fiction writing
Fiction writing specifically has modes such as action, exposition, description, dialogue, summary, and transition. Author Peter Selgin refers to methods, including action, dialogue, thoughts, summary, scenes, and description.
Description is the mode for transmitting a mental image of the particulars of a story. Together with dialogue, narration, exposition, and summarization, it is one of the most widely recognized of the fiction-writing modes. As stated in Writing from A to Z, edited by Kirk Polking, it is more than the amassing of details; it is bringing something to life by carefully choosing and arranging words and phrases to produce the desired effect.
Purple prose
A purple patch is an over-written passage in which the writer has strained too hard to achieve an impressive effect, by elaborate figures or other means. The phrase (Latin: "purpureus pannus") was first used by the Roman poet Horace in his Ars Poetica (c. 20 BC) to denote an irrelevant and excessively ornate passage; the sense of irrelevance is normally absent in modern usage, although such passages are usually incongruous. By extension, purple prose is lavishly figurative, rhythmic, or otherwise overwrought.
Philosophy
In philosophy, the nature of description has been an important question since Bertrand Russell's classical texts.
See also
- Anthropomorphism
- Cliché
- Diction
- Grammatical modifier
- Grammatical voice
- Metaphors
- Nouns
- Objectification
- Personification
- Referential density
- Relevance
- Rhetorical devices
- Simile
- Species description
- Verisimilitude
Notes
- Crews (1977, p. 13)
- Crews (1977, p. 13)
- Morrell (2006), p. 127
- Selgin (2007), p. 38
- Polking (1990), p. 106
- Baldick (2004)
- Ludlow, Peter (2007), Descriptions, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
References
- Baldick, Chris (2004), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-860883-7
- Crews, Frederick (1977), The Random House Handbook (2nd ed.), New York: Random House, ISBN 0-394-31211-2
- Marshall, Evan (1998). The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books. pp. 143–165. ISBN 1-58297-062-9.
- Morrell, Jessica Page (2006). Between the Lines: Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books. p. 127. ISBN 978-1-58297-393-7.
- Ogilvie, Brian W. (2006). The science of describing: Natural history in renaissance Europe. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226620875.
- Polking, Kirk (1990). Writing A to Z. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books. ISBN 0-89879-435-8.
- Rozakis, Laurie (2003). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style, 2nd Edition. Alpha. ISBN 978-1-59257-115-4
- Selgin, Peter (2007). By Cunning & Craft: Sound Advice and Practical Wisdom for fiction writers. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-58297-491-0.
Description is any type of communication that aims to make vivid a place object person group or other physical entity It is one of four rhetorical modes also known as modes of discourse along with exposition argumentation and narration Fiction writingFiction writing specifically has modes such as action exposition description dialogue summary and transition Author Peter Selgin refers to methods including action dialogue thoughts summary scenes and description Description is the mode for transmitting a mental image of the particulars of a story Together with dialogue narration exposition and summarization it is one of the most widely recognized of the fiction writing modes As stated in Writing from A to Z edited by Kirk Polking it is more than the amassing of details it is bringing something to life by carefully choosing and arranging words and phrases to produce the desired effect Purple proseA purple patch is an over written passage in which the writer has strained too hard to achieve an impressive effect by elaborate figures or other means The phrase Latin purpureus pannus was first used by the Roman poet Horace in his Ars Poetica c 20 BC to denote an irrelevant and excessively ornate passage the sense of irrelevance is normally absent in modern usage although such passages are usually incongruous By extension purple prose is lavishly figurative rhythmic or otherwise overwrought PhilosophyIn philosophy the nature of description has been an important question since Bertrand Russell s classical texts See alsoAnthropomorphism Cliche Diction Grammatical modifier Grammatical voice Metaphors Nouns Objectification Personification Referential density Relevance Rhetorical devices Simile Species description VerisimilitudeNotesCrews 1977 p 13 Crews 1977 p 13 Morrell 2006 p 127 Selgin 2007 p 38 Polking 1990 p 106 Baldick 2004 Ludlow Peter 2007 Descriptions Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyReferencesBaldick Chris 2004 The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 860883 7 Crews Frederick 1977 The Random House Handbook 2nd ed New York Random House ISBN 0 394 31211 2 Marshall Evan 1998 The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing Cincinnati OH Writer s Digest Books pp 143 165 ISBN 1 58297 062 9 Morrell Jessica Page 2006 Between the Lines Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing Cincinnati OH Writer s Digest Books p 127 ISBN 978 1 58297 393 7 Ogilvie Brian W 2006 The science of describing Natural history in renaissance Europe Chicago IL University of Chicago Press ISBN 0226620875 Polking Kirk 1990 Writing A to Z Cincinnati OH Writer s Digest Books ISBN 0 89879 435 8 Rozakis Laurie 2003 The Complete Idiot s Guide to Grammar and Style 2nd Edition Alpha ISBN 978 1 59257 115 4 Selgin Peter 2007 By Cunning amp Craft Sound Advice and Practical Wisdom for fiction writers Cincinnati OH Writer s Digest Books p 38 ISBN 978 1 58297 491 0
