Words and Stories. Palavras e Histórias.
Many people nowadays misunderstand the role of villains in stories. This misunderstanding has ruined a sad number of good stories, so I call upon my fellow-storytellers, and our audiences, to correct it. The storytellers, by creating villains and heroes differently; and the audiences, by being alert and holding us to account. Whether their creators realize … Continue reading [Essay] The myth of the good villain
Last week, a fellow word-lover shared with us his struggle to learn the difference between similes and metaphors. I hope this excerpt will help every visitor who wants to learn those definitions — and learn why to use such figures of speech. A simile is a figure of speech consisting in comparing one thing to … Continue reading [Writing tips] The difference between similes and metaphors
Isn't Henry Morton Robinson a writer to wonder at? In a passage published before, we have seen him use chess metaphors in a masterful way. Here we will look at some shorter metaphors, and one simile, also from his famous novel The Cardinal (yes, I admit it's his only work I have read). Check how … Continue reading [Writing tips] Examples of metaphors
Let's enjoy two particularly poetic passages from Evelyn Waugh's masterpiece
Let's delight in Henry Morton Robinson's deft use of chess figures of speech towards the end of this scene. The man was a master at simile and metaphor. Setup: Young Father Stephen Fermoyle has fallen in disgrace with the irascible Cardinal Glennon, who banished him to a remote, penniless parish as assistant to the ailing … Continue reading [Literary passage] Chess metaphors in The Cardinal
Do you sometimes itch to pinpoint why exactly a story affects you in a certain way? I do. My friend did, in the case of Dan Brown’s Inferno. "What makes it 'unputdownable'?" she wanted to know. So here are some thoughts on it — for her and for you, if you care to learn more … Continue reading [Essay] What’s wrong with Dan Brown’s Inferno
