description - mr. murphy's room
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DESCRIPTIONPainting a verbal picture…
What is Description?
Conveying, through words alone, the
perceptions of our senses.
What we:
◦ See
◦ Hear
◦ Smell
◦ Taste
◦ Feel
What is Description?
Some sensations are basic and require
little thought to comprehend:
◦ The sight and sound of fireworks
◦ The crunch of snow underfoot
◦ The savory aroma of fried onion rings
◦ The tartness of lemonade
◦ The soothing coolness of suntan lotion on
burning skin
◦ The pleasant tiredness of muscles after a hard
workout
What is Description?
Some sensations appeal more directly to
the mind, and are more difficult to
describe in words:
◦ The intricate architecture of a spider web
◦ The elaborate complexity of a piece of music
What is Description?
Descriptive writing is often described as
painting a verbal picture.
◦ Both description and painting seek to
transform a fleeting perception in to
something lasting.
Painting uses oils, watercolors
Description uses words
What is Description?
Descriptive writing is often described as
painting a verbal picture.
◦ Both description and painting are created bit
by bit, word by word, or brushstroke by
brushstroke.
◦ …But the comparison (painting / writing) only
goes so far…
What is Description?
Descriptive writing is often described as
painting a verbal picture.
◦ We grasp a painting at a single glance
(visually).
◦ However, we take in a description only piece
by piece, word by word, just as the writer
created it.
◦ While a painting is purely visual, good
description may draw on ALL of our senses.
What is Description?
Two Types of Description:
◦ Objective Description:
Written as factual as possible, emphasizing the
actual qualities of the subject being described,
while subordinating the writer’s personal responses.
Example: A holdup victim would try to give
authorities a precise, objective description of the
criminal, uncolored by emotional responses, so that
a positive identification can be made.
What is Description?
Two Types of Description:
◦ Subjective Description:
Conveys the writer’s personal view or impression
of the object, often in language rich in modifiers and
figures of speech.
Example: A food critic would describe a
memorable meal using colorful and highly subjective
language.
What is Description?
Two Types of Description:
◦ Most subjects, however, lend themselves to
both objective and subjective description,
depending on your purpose.
◦ Example: You could write that you…
…had “exactly four weeks” to finish a history term
paper (objective description)
…had “all the time in the world” (subjective)
…had “a ridiculously short amount of time”
(subjective)
Why Do Writers Use Description?
To Entertain
◦ Painting vivid word-pictures of something
allow readers to share in the writer’s ecstasy
The feeling of a morning swim in the ocean
The taste of a juicy double cheeseburger
The smell of a campfire
The beauty of a rainbow after a spring
thunderstorm
The joy in hearing the new Lady Gaga record
Why Do Writers Use Description?
To Inform
◦ Provide readers with specific data
The results of a chemical reaction for a lab report
The style of a Renaissance painting for an art
history term paper
The physical capabilities and limitations of a stroke
patient for an anatomy case study.
The acting of Robert Pattinson in the latest film
from the Twilight saga.
Why Do Writers Use Description?
To Develop a Dominant Impression
◦ In other words: To create a mood or
atmosphere, or even to convey your own
views.
You might create a loving, full-length portrait of a
person you want us to know and like.
You might create a feeling of neighborly warmth as
you describe the old couple who lives near you and
runs the corner store.
What to Look for in Reading
Description First, allow the words of the description
to build up a mental image for you.
◦ Try to see in your mind’s eye what the writer
actually saw.
◦ Try to hear, smell, taste, or feel what the
writer’s words suggest.
◦ Put together the jigsaw puzzle of words and
details into a complete picture.
◦ Define the dominant impression the writer
creates.
What to Look for in Reading
Description Consider the paragraph by writer Roger
Angell, in which he describes a baseball…
◦ Notice the amount of detail he provides
about something as simple as a baseball.
◦ Notice how he leaves out the unnecessary
details – the pattern of the stitching and the
color of the cowhide.
What to Look for in Reading
Description Consider the paragraph by writer Roger
Angell, in which he describes a baseball…
◦ Is this an Objective or Subjective description?
He begins objectively, telling us about the obvious
features (weight, diameter) and also about its
innards.
About half way through, however, he changes to a
more subjective (impressionistic) approach: “But
never mind: Any baseball is beautiful.”
He puts the greatest emphasis on his own attitudes
and opinions, creating a dominant impression.
Using Description
In pairs, choose a common object that you both can observe while sitting in your seat (a pencil, paper clip, piece of clothing, pair of glasses, coin).
Each of you write a brief objective description of the object.
Now, try to describe that object in a subjective manner, infusing your description with personal feelings and emotional reactions to it.
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