What are your reflections on cursing in novels?

Question

I always associate novels and language into three different categories:

no cursing
little cursing
severe cursing.

No cursing involves no cursing at all (accept God's name)
Little cursing involves words like "damn, hell" and other lighter curses.
Severe cursing involves the "f" word and "sh" word.

What do you think about cursing in novels? Would you accept "Little cursing"? Is "Little cursing" still too much? What are your thoughts.

(NOTHING STUPID)

Answer 1

I dont read that much but... If I ever read a book I wouldn't really mind if it had "curse" words in it.

Answer 2

Most great novels are written with very little cursing. Cursing can add some "color" to a novel, but if done excessively, can actually detract from the story.

I think "The Kite Runner" will be considered on of the great 21st century novels. It has very little cursing. Jimmy Carter wrote a piece of fiction called "The Hornet's Nest." The sparse cursing he used in the novel seemed out of place to me because the work stemmed from a former president. I think cursing is much overdone and usually unnecessary. A Catcher in the Rye is a notable exception.

Answer 3

I always classify novels in three different categories:

* Good - excellent writing, character development, and/or engrossing plot.
* Mediocre - the kind of stuff that gets sold in airports and grocery stores.
* Bad - If I could have written this better myself, then it's bad.

These categories have nothing to do with the amount of swearing. Sometimes cursing can be appropriate, depending on the setting and subject matter.

Judging literature based only on whether or not it contains curse words is dumb and short-sighted. Hopefully, you're smart enough to see past such things to judge the work as a whole.

Answer 4

Cursing is part of life for many people. In order to write books realistically there is nothing wrong with having certain characters curse in the novel. It's just a reflection on that society.
Doesn't bother me, just makes the stories more authentic.

Answer 5

I guess it depends on the character of the books doesn't it? Take Holden Caulfied from the book "Catcher in the Rye". You read that book and there are curses up and down every single page.
But it really makes or breaks a character. You sometimes have the angst ridden teen who speaks the universal language of teenagers (I admit-- I will cuss from time to time even though I know it sounds really filthy coming out of my mouth) or the bully who plays the atongonist to the protagonist of the story by treating him or her like (forgive me) crap.
Even though cursing is rude and offensive, to a certain extent any and every writer may have to make use of it in his or her novel(s). If you have a total bad guy that wrecks cars and is abusive to his girlfriend and is neck deep in drugs and alcohol but believes swearing is wrong--- an extreme example yes, but it would be kind of weird you know?
I do not believe in glamorizing or supporting cursing in ANYTHING- books, movies, magazines, letters, real life, whatever--- but it does have its own twisted use in books, you know?
Thanks for asking such a great question, you really made me think on this one. :)

Answer 6

Often it is unnecessary, but at other times it most definitely adds to the character. For example, the ogres in The Hobbit. There, the cursing is definitely done for character, and the reader can picture in his mind people that mirror the ogres exactly. Likewise in The Sword in the Stone when Grummore Grummursum and Sir Ector are drinking. They notably do not swear much, if at all, during the rest of the book. They also do not recite Latin much during the rest of the book! :)

Most often, I find swearing by characters in novels unnecessary, but I am generally able to overlook it. In other words, it only momentarily detracts from the story. The situations above, where it actually adds to the story, are rare in literature.

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

Answer 7

If it fits the situation/context and flows with the rest of the novel, it's fine. If the author simply put a lot of cursing in there simply for shock value, it becomes tasteless.

People swear in real life, anyways.

I'm not a prude and can handle almost any amount of cursing, as long as there is a purpose to it.

Answer 8

I think profanity has its place in literature.

As long as it is used in a constructive manner--and not making your characters sound like a bunch of drunken sailors at a bar.

Of course, this is just my opinion on the subject. Some of the books I've written in the past have had a differing level of profanity.

A couple have a small to moderate amount peppered in, while one is laced with quite a bit throughout.

But that novel is pretty dark and grim anyway.

Answer 9

I have no problems with cursing in novels, if that is an accurate reflection of the way the character (or in some cases the narrator) actually thinks or speaks.

Answer 10

In my High School all of those words are used very often, but I'm still mostly offended by the f word unless it's used to be funny, like Bekaboo Mother f. See? I think that's funny, but I mean, most everybody says somthing, and I'm used to it, but I wish I wasn't. It's alright in books because if you hear it every day then it's the same for you. If it becomes too repitious then, I'm completly against it. It's all a matter of how much you hear these bads words.

Answer 11

i dont read that often but the amount of strong language used reflects how dramatic the story is and how the author wants the novel to come across to readers, also who the novel is aimed at and what sort of book it is. i suppose if the reader doest like cursing then them sort of books just arn't for them but it can make it seem more realistic, the author is been more personal and possibly less boring... depending on the readers oppinion on this of course.