Possible Deathly Hallows spoilers

[ellid]

Two quotes apply, one from a great writing teacher, one from a favorite author:

1. From The Art of Fiction, by John Gardner:

"... The fault Longinus [Cassius Longinus, c.213–273, a Greek rhetorician and philosopher] identified as "frigidity" occurs in fiction whenever the author reveals by some slip or self-regarding intrusion that he is less concerned about his characters than he ought to be -- less concerned, that is, than any decent human being observing the situation would naturally be." (page 117)


2. From The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, by Robert A. Heinlein:

"Anyone who would kill a baby kitten is cruel, mean cruel. I hate you. I despise you!


And that is all I am going to say in this journal on this matter until next week.

Comments

[bronze-ribbons.livejournal.com]

The phrase that's currently stuck in my head is Sherlock Holmes's "What one man can invent, another can discover."

Perhaps it will turn out I expected too much from JKR, Levine, et al. Until Saturday morning, though, I plan to continue in hope and skepticism. :-)

[ellid.livejournal.com]

May you not be disappointed, my dear. *hug*

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Now that I've read the book, frigidity is quite a good criticism.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Thank you.