Cursing In Stories
The other day I attempted to watch a popular comedian on a DVD I recently purchased. I was at my mother's house when I decided to view the comedy concert. Two minutes into the show, Mom hit the stop button. "Too much," she said. Too much humor? Too much laughing? Nope! Too much cursing--especially that F word.
I can understand Mom's complaint--to an extent. Mom won't watch movies filled with that particular offending word. Some great films have gone unwatched because of that word. Raging Bull is a classic film, but all Mom recalls of that movie is the over-use of that F word.
It is possible to make great films, write wonderful novels, or tell funny jokes without that word. There's a whole history of fantastic movies, books, and comedic shows to prove that statement. But what if the writer is trying to bring that element of reality into his/her story?
A novel about a gangbanger dealing drugs on some inner-city street corner won't have him calling his enemy--the one intent on killing him--a stupid dummy. When arguing over the proper way to dispose of a body freshly whacked by a pair of mobsters, it's not likely they'll toss a bunch of gee-whiz's and golly-wow's into the mix.
For all it's harshness, obscene language is still just that: language. It's how we talk--whether in English or any other dialect. Give a listen to some of those great old James Cagney gangster movies. He's tough, a hot-head, and violent. And while he never utters a curse word--Hollywood code prohibited vulgarity--the performances are intense.
But are they real? Are they genuine?
Does a movie like White Heat stand up against modern classics like Goodfellas or Pulp Fiction? That's for film critics to debate--though I do have my own opinions.
Gratuitous cursing detracts from any story--as does gratuitous sex and violence. But these things do have their place in a story meant to reflect the reality of an era, a place, or a culture. I won't be able to convince Mom of this--I've tried. But that's okay. Each individual is responsible for self. It's your story, tell it how you imagine it.
I can understand Mom's complaint--to an extent. Mom won't watch movies filled with that particular offending word. Some great films have gone unwatched because of that word. Raging Bull is a classic film, but all Mom recalls of that movie is the over-use of that F word.
It is possible to make great films, write wonderful novels, or tell funny jokes without that word. There's a whole history of fantastic movies, books, and comedic shows to prove that statement. But what if the writer is trying to bring that element of reality into his/her story?
A novel about a gangbanger dealing drugs on some inner-city street corner won't have him calling his enemy--the one intent on killing him--a stupid dummy. When arguing over the proper way to dispose of a body freshly whacked by a pair of mobsters, it's not likely they'll toss a bunch of gee-whiz's and golly-wow's into the mix.
For all it's harshness, obscene language is still just that: language. It's how we talk--whether in English or any other dialect. Give a listen to some of those great old James Cagney gangster movies. He's tough, a hot-head, and violent. And while he never utters a curse word--Hollywood code prohibited vulgarity--the performances are intense.
But are they real? Are they genuine?
Does a movie like White Heat stand up against modern classics like Goodfellas or Pulp Fiction? That's for film critics to debate--though I do have my own opinions.
Gratuitous cursing detracts from any story--as does gratuitous sex and violence. But these things do have their place in a story meant to reflect the reality of an era, a place, or a culture. I won't be able to convince Mom of this--I've tried. But that's okay. Each individual is responsible for self. It's your story, tell it how you imagine it.
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Richard
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Feb 05, 2013 08:41PM
My mother is similar to yours. She's quite concerned with the use of "bad language" in both books and films. It has caused me to do quite a bit of thinking about the issue you raise: does the language have a legitimate place and use, and if so, what is it?
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My mom is there too, and so am I. Which means that I ask my friends about movies before I see them. A lot of cuss words will ruin the show for me.
Glenn wrote: "My mom is there too, and so am I. Which means that I ask my friends about movies before I see them. A lot of cuss words will ruin the show for me."Thanks for your comments, Glenn. Yeah, there's overkill--see Scarface. It depends on the person watching or reading. I hardly use cuss words in my own stories because I know readers like my mother might have a hard time getting past them. But I don't fault those who do use them. I'm glad you commented on this post. It's been a while since I wrote it. Thanks.
