Summary

Chapter 9: Elegance

Introduction

The introduction of chapter nine (Elegance) in Style: Towards Clarity and Grace begins with Joseph M. Williams expecting that the reader has now gathered an understanding of how to write prose based off of the previous chapter(s). Most people would rather work with prose found outside of school, but Williams goes on to say that the prose found outside of institutions lacks creativity and doesn’t leave a lasting impression the way institutional prose dose. The fact that prose found outside of institutions is so simplistic in itself can become repetitive and boring. Williams believes that just a bit of class and elegance can make the difference between prose that is unforgettable and quickly forgotten and prose that sticks with the reader. Lots of valuable information on improving the way we write prose will be found throughout this chapter. However, it is up to the reader to actually utilize what they learn about prose, verses just reading the book and memorizing it. That is what will make the difference between, “reading [a] book on writing, and Writing.”

Emphasis and Rhythm

In this section, William points out how similar types of words can lend to a very different level of intensity in a sentence. Although earlier in the book it had been recommended that the writer avoid nominalizations, this rule can now be discarded in favor of creating greater elegance in the areas where it matters. He goes on to give examples of this in passages from the writings of Winston Churchill, E.B. White, and others. The use of words like "liberation" and "rescue" in the passage by Winston Churchill leaves the reader with a far greater sense of impact than if he had simply written "liberate". Another passage by George Kennan sounds positively dry once the nominalizations are removed for the sake of clarity. Despite their seemingly vague nature, nominalizations give more room for the reader’s imagination to run wild than simple verbs and nouns.