tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post143701123836130055..comments2023-06-24T05:34:52.317-05:00Comments on The Writer's Lair: Modesty in Christian FictionMary Ruth Pursselleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-47011272037944023182011-10-30T15:17:55.488-05:002011-10-30T15:17:55.488-05:00Very thoughtful post, Mary. Because of the nature ...Very thoughtful post, Mary. Because of the nature of books, I tend to think of this issue less in terms of modesty than in terms of sensuality. Rather than someone's state of dress or undress, it's how it is presented that makes a difference. As an example, in the Bible David dances before the Ark clad only in his undergarments. Yet the inclusion isn't sensual in the least, rather it serves to illustrate an entirely different point. I think that's what you're getting at with your example of the heroine running into the hero without his shirt on (and subsequent focus on rippling muscles and so forth) versus removing someone's shirt to tend an injury or for some other practical need. It really is about focus and emphasis. What picture is the writer painting with his or her words? And what emotion is being evoked?Sarah Sawyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01638737070899591741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-17265933578562908762011-10-28T12:15:35.353-05:002011-10-28T12:15:35.353-05:00Very true, and that is something that bears thinki...Very true, and that is something that bears thinking about. A lot of it, I think, depends on the age group you're targeting with your writing. Relevance to the story has a lot to do with it also, even if it's intended for a very mature audience.Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-23297879786046812392011-10-28T06:34:54.954-05:002011-10-28T06:34:54.954-05:00The Bible, especially the Old Testament, contains ...The Bible, especially the Old Testament, contains many passages that I consider inappropriate -- and earthy enough to cause me to blush -- yet they are there.Peter DeHaanhttp://blog.abibleaday.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-12117174948386765822011-10-26T22:53:55.740-05:002011-10-26T22:53:55.740-05:00Hahaha, the part about the guy taking off his shir...Hahaha, the part about the guy taking off his shirt for no reason calls to mind Captain Kirk on the old Star Trek TV show. His shirt ripped off probably more times than not, and always in a situation where the fighting was really not that intense. Of course, one of the reasons this was funny (other than the fact that if kept on happening) is that Captain Kirk did not have a buff torso, at all. Good ol' silly TV shows. :D<br />More seriously, I agree with your points. I find it interesting how some authors feel the need to go into unnecessary details in order to be descriptive or to just tell the story. In my own experience, I have often found that "less is more", so to speak, and things like immodest dress descriptions are often better left alone. Not to say that the descriptive rants of some authors, when well done and colorful, aren't spectacular. Take J.R.R. Tolkien! :)Clare Marie Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09043959714610341738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-23782219898095000442011-10-26T21:43:16.320-05:002011-10-26T21:43:16.320-05:00Excellent, Mary! I completely agree. It does make ...Excellent, Mary! I completely agree. It does make me mad when authors (especially 'Christian') feel the need to put immodesty in their stories. What I hate the most is when the main female, who may be fairly modest generally, gets into an awkward situation with her love interest. Now, how many times is this likely to happen? It's uncomfortable because, even though it's not described, you know very well what is going on and have a picture in the mind.<br />A good example of one of these annoying instances is in It's a Wonderful Life, when Jimmy Stewart's character is walking a girl home at night. She had gotten her clothes wet and had to go home in just a bath robe, and in the course of their walking, he steps on her robe and it falls off. She escapes into the bushes, without the viewer seeing anything, but it's an extremely uncomfortable thing to watch :P And it was NOT necessary!Laura Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15043576932031107768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-1683252438044828812011-10-26T16:39:58.628-05:002011-10-26T16:39:58.628-05:00I rarely describe clothing. Most of my charries ar...I rarely describe clothing. Most of my charries are wearing knee-length, at least, robes.Galadrielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12993204559713347090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-5839545914298564812011-10-26T16:00:58.825-05:002011-10-26T16:00:58.825-05:00WIP means 'Work In Progress'.
And you'...WIP means 'Work In Progress'.<br />And you're welcome. : )Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-66364982365309832952011-10-26T14:58:25.033-05:002011-10-26T14:58:25.033-05:00What is WIP? This is probably something I should k...What is WIP? This is probably something I should know, but I can think of what it is. Also, thank you for this post. I hate it when the characters dress immodestly or when the author gives way to much detail about how a character is dressed.Elfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14384723142267852828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-14933163215242110152011-10-26T12:25:37.309-05:002011-10-26T12:25:37.309-05:00Well, you have some options there, Lostariel. You ...Well, you have some options there, Lostariel. You could do something like the riding skirts women often wore during the 19th century. A riding skirt looked like a regular skirt, but it was actually a pair of pants with very, very wide legs. With a pair of tall boots that could suit your sword girl's purpose.<br />The knee-length skirt and leggings are also an option, although in a situation like a sword fight a knee-length skirt could be problematic from a modesty standpoint.<br />In my current WIP, I invented a garment for the women in the main cultural group I focus on. It's a pair of pants and a skirt attached at the waistband. The skirt can be long and full, or not. With something like this you could still have the skirt your fantasy culture requires for a woman, but also have the modesty and practicality of a pair of pants.<br />I don't know if any of these suggestions are helpful or not, but I hope I've at least given you some ideas.Mary Ruth Pursselleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325447738032828151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249809056594376069.post-88459345100717849152011-10-26T08:06:44.611-05:002011-10-26T08:06:44.611-05:00I've been thinking about this recently because...I've been thinking about this recently because I have a sword-bearing girl who needs to dress in a way that makes sense. She can't do her job well in a long dress, but women in this world don't wear trousers, so... knee-length dresses and leggings, or what?<br />-LostarielAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com