Here is a quick exercise.
Pick one page from Post Office and one page from another author you are reading.
Count the total number of nouns and the total number of verbs. Then make a decision on whether each is a concrete or a weak noun and verb and the see what ratio you get between the two authors. The ratio is concrete nouns/total nouns and descriptive verbs/ total verbs. Pick a page with little much dialogue.
For example:
(1) Postoffice page 109
Nouns: thing, tits, ass, window, days, Christmas, Betty, room, 8:45, morning, roomer, fifth, wine, vodka, whiskey, scotch, brands, bottles, room, fools, stuff, Betty, look, children, scrubwoman, hotel, clothes, ankles, shoes, Wild-eyed, coming, husband, wreck, death, Connecticut, help, stuff, bottle, bottles, Betty, room, floor, chair, window, traffic, sake, stuff.
18/47. His ratio of concrete to total nouns is 38
Verbs: burned, thrown, thought, was being, stopped, was sitting, drunk, did look, seemed, had given, was, filled, do know, drink, will kill, looked, saw, had, came, wrote, was, had met, had been, fitting, had been, laughing, coming, divorced, was, burning, tame, told, was, had help, listen, said, take, will give, will drink, leave, said, did look, was, sat, watching, walked, am, have got, take, said, leaned, kissed.
3/52. His ratio of descriptive verbs is 5
So we can conclude Bukowshi doesn't follow S&W's suggestion to use descriptive verbs and somewhat relies on concrete nouns.
(2) Look Homeward, Angle by Thomas Wolfe page 109
Nouns: frantic, grievances, story, service, Eliza, voice, thing, phone, place, nigger, crowd, boarders, word, thanks, hysteria, moment, humour, gotohell, Eugene, fits, laughter, soup, burlesque, collar, trousers, floor, Eliza, dinner, meal, table, night, Gant, Eliza, home, desire, need, more, jibes, Gant, Barn, boarders, animation, clatter, plates, clamour, talk, Gant, Luke, extension, life, movement, excitement, life, party, solicitation, boarders, piano, touch, soprano, repertory, songs, Eugene, nights, summer, boarders, "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now", Gant, "Love Me and the World Is Mine", "Till the Sands of the Desert Grow Cold", "Dear Old Girl the Robin Sings Above You", "The End of the Perfect Day", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", Luke, house, weeks, success, High School Minstrels, dark, Gant, porch, voice, neighbourhood, boarders, eloquence, solution, problems, state, opinion, news, gentlemen, navy, action"
40/92. His ratio of concrete nouns is 43.
Verbs: reciting, telling, let, go, is, is, go, work, know, do, said, serving, would die, admit, hear, say, get, said, laughing, crossed, get, squealed, going, is, said, touched, torn, undid, sliding, gilling, continued, grinning, hoped, was, went, help, ate, went, serve, satisfied, giving, was, stimulated, excited, needed, wanted, sang, thumping, singing, remembered, assembled, demanded, practiced, sung, rocking, would hold, carrying, held, did do, sank"
21/60. His descriptive verb ratio is 35.
So we can conclude Thomas Wolfe does follow what S&W suggestion to use descriptive verbs and concrete nouns.
Now its your turn. Post you example in the comment section below.
Pick one page from Post Office and one page from another author you are reading.
Count the total number of nouns and the total number of verbs. Then make a decision on whether each is a concrete or a weak noun and verb and the see what ratio you get between the two authors. The ratio is concrete nouns/total nouns and descriptive verbs/ total verbs. Pick a page with little much dialogue.
For example:
(1) Postoffice page 109
Nouns: thing, tits, ass, window, days, Christmas, Betty, room, 8:45, morning, roomer, fifth, wine, vodka, whiskey, scotch, brands, bottles, room, fools, stuff, Betty, look, children, scrubwoman, hotel, clothes, ankles, shoes, Wild-eyed, coming, husband, wreck, death, Connecticut, help, stuff, bottle, bottles, Betty, room, floor, chair, window, traffic, sake, stuff.
18/47. His ratio of concrete to total nouns is 38
Verbs: burned, thrown, thought, was being, stopped, was sitting, drunk, did look, seemed, had given, was, filled, do know, drink, will kill, looked, saw, had, came, wrote, was, had met, had been, fitting, had been, laughing, coming, divorced, was, burning, tame, told, was, had help, listen, said, take, will give, will drink, leave, said, did look, was, sat, watching, walked, am, have got, take, said, leaned, kissed.
3/52. His ratio of descriptive verbs is 5
So we can conclude Bukowshi doesn't follow S&W's suggestion to use descriptive verbs and somewhat relies on concrete nouns.
(2) Look Homeward, Angle by Thomas Wolfe page 109
Nouns: frantic, grievances, story, service, Eliza, voice, thing, phone, place, nigger, crowd, boarders, word, thanks, hysteria, moment, humour, gotohell, Eugene, fits, laughter, soup, burlesque, collar, trousers, floor, Eliza, dinner, meal, table, night, Gant, Eliza, home, desire, need, more, jibes, Gant, Barn, boarders, animation, clatter, plates, clamour, talk, Gant, Luke, extension, life, movement, excitement, life, party, solicitation, boarders, piano, touch, soprano, repertory, songs, Eugene, nights, summer, boarders, "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now", Gant, "Love Me and the World Is Mine", "Till the Sands of the Desert Grow Cold", "Dear Old Girl the Robin Sings Above You", "The End of the Perfect Day", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", Luke, house, weeks, success, High School Minstrels, dark, Gant, porch, voice, neighbourhood, boarders, eloquence, solution, problems, state, opinion, news, gentlemen, navy, action"
40/92. His ratio of concrete nouns is 43.
Verbs: reciting, telling, let, go, is, is, go, work, know, do, said, serving, would die, admit, hear, say, get, said, laughing, crossed, get, squealed, going, is, said, touched, torn, undid, sliding, gilling, continued, grinning, hoped, was, went, help, ate, went, serve, satisfied, giving, was, stimulated, excited, needed, wanted, sang, thumping, singing, remembered, assembled, demanded, practiced, sung, rocking, would hold, carrying, held, did do, sank"
21/60. His descriptive verb ratio is 35.
So we can conclude Thomas Wolfe does follow what S&W suggestion to use descriptive verbs and concrete nouns.
Now its your turn. Post you example in the comment section below.
3 comments:
Here is Faulkner in Absalom, Absalom on page 99
Nouns: years, Judith, Judith, day, year, year, last, years, years, Sutpen, regiment, negroes, stock, Sutpen’s Hundred, troops, Jefferson, solitude, Ellen, bed, room, child, uncomprehension, Judith, Clytie, garden, Wash Jones, camp, bottom, Sutpen , woman, Ellen, hunter, Wash,daughter, granddaughter, work, Ellen, Judith, Judith, fish, game, house, Sutpen, arbor, kitchen, afternoons, Sutpen, demijohn, bucket, water, Wash, mile, Sutpen, hammock, Wash, post, solitude, idleness, face, town, carriage, father’s, week, fiancé, brother, house, night, now, dress, women, carriage, mule, mule, mule, coachman, mule, harness, women, wounded, Jefferson, hospital, virgin, idle
40/90. Ratio of concrete nouns is 44.
Verbs; writing, were, was, lived, had lived, was gone, created, had followed, lived, requiring, waited, making, keeping, keep, living, had built, entered, went, permitted, performing, supplying, entering, went, had approached, would drink, fetched, talked, squatting, chortling, guffawing, had appeared, was learned, had quitted, vanished, knew, asked, asked, came, wore, drawn, put, take, were, cleaned, dressed
17/45. His descriptive verb ratio is 38.
Bukowski - first page, Chapter 17:
verbs:
took, related, lived, belt-whipped, ate, screwed, had known, thinking, looked, looked, threw, knew, threw
nouns:
scheme sheet, sex, age, guy, house, three women, old-fashioned, fags, glass cage, cards, friends, orgies, letter of congratulations
Wolff, Old School, page 34:
verbs:
did well, cared, knew, made, raised, slaughtered, tucked, got from, pursuit, burned, believed, leave, colonize, started, find, licking, bite, manage, recruit, met, shot off, cooked up, experimenting, going, cut, crashed, detonated, kicked, told, laughed, thought, joking, walking, left, cut across, rustled, wished, kicked, break, see, doing, taking, stuck
nouns:
Big Jeff, science classes, authority, animals, roast beef, detail, pasture, plate, Big Jeff, passion, field house, destiny, Earth, planets, Rocket Club, members, class, chops, planet, boys, Science Fiction Club, afternoons, Rocket Club, football field, eye, chemistry master, lab, Big Jeff, two-stage rocket, missile, field house roof, booster, clump pine needles, leaves, Purcell, dorm, meeting, brick path, grass, frost, feet, Purcell, rules, dinner, bows, celebrity, celebrity, Big Jeff, Big Jeff, baby
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