Comments on: Purple Prose

By: hrugaar

hrugaar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:40:00 +0000

I think gynie’s right, in that we start off using extravagant words to sensationalise things; and then when the over-use weakens the impact we use even stronger terms, or pile on more words, to boost the sensationalism again (like sequel movies forever trying to ‘go one better’). And it gets to sound hilarious. It’s not exactly the same as purple prose (or speech) I suppose, but there are definite similarities.

Un truc qui t’explose la tête – love it! 😀

By: Helen V.

Helen V. — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:58:00 +0000

And where do they hear these words and phrases is another question to ponder.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:13:00 +0000

never tought about that but
life seems it has to be very intense ! One young french writer said beauty was a violent experience in our days, that's a kind of mind, i like to hear people around me talking with some kind of Purple prose !

something enjoyed might become

'un truc giga bien'
'un truc gavé bien'
'un truc mega top'
'un truc qui t'explose la tête'
'un truc de fou'
'un truc qui déchire'

and so on ^^

it's all so funny !

It's as if no words would be enough, or that our words are too poor for expressing points of view: that's may be why i prefer having a drawing pencil rather than a writting pencil ^^

But i understand it might be boring in a book.

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 12:26:00 +0000

I guess the difference, Jo, is that purple prose is over the top – too much. Sometimes one brilliant descriptive phrase is spoiled by following it with too much of the same…even though each phrase might be perfect on its own.

At other times it’s just obvious what is wrong because reading it makes you groan.

By: Jo

Jo — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:56:00 +0000

Gotta love kids.

I never knew what purple prose meant before. I guess I have been somewhat purple in my blog this morning. Slap hands Jo. Actually I don't know where descriptive writing ends and purple prose begins, but some stuff I read makes scenery, for instance, sound more beautiful.

By: Satima Flavell

Satima Flavell — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:23:00 +0000

That reminds me of a visiting pre-schooler who did not want to go and rest on Auntie Satima’s bed, but to stay up and listen to the grown-ups. After being sent back to the bedroom several times, the child finally came out with “I want to go out in the sark to die!. She sobbed, of course, when we laughed, but unwilling to give in completely, she stamped her foot, saying, “I want a pink blanket then!”

By: hrugaar

hrugaar — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:00:00 +0000

Heheh. Reminds me of my friend caroline’s son, striking poses of high tragedy and declaring ‘my life is over’ (he was using the word suicide by the time he was eight). I love the way the young experience everything with such intense passion. But yes, for grown-up readers the judicious use of (non-purple) understatement is perhaps more likely to be taken seriously. 🙂