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.