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-===== How To's New sgathering & Storytelling Writing Tools =====+===== Ten Best Sentences ===== 
 + 
 +Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder. 
 + 
 +—F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 
 + 
 +I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race. 
 + 
 +—James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man 
 + 
 +This private estate was far enough away from the explosion so that its bamboos, pines, laurel, and maples were still alive, and the green place invited refugees—partly because they believed that if the Americans came back, they would bomb only buildings; partly because the foliage seemed a center of coolness and life, and the estate’s exquisitely precise rock gardens, with their quiet pools and arching bridges, were very Japanese, normal, secure; and also partly (according to some who were there) because of an irresistible, atavistic urge to hide under leaves. 
 + 
 +—John Hersey, Hiroshima 
 + 
 +It was a fine cry—loud and long—but it had no bottom and it had no top, just circles and circles of sorrow. 
 + 
 +—Toni Morrison, Sula 
 + 
 +For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn? 
 + 
 +—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice 
 + 
 +It was the United States of America in the cold late spring of 1967, and the market was steady and the G.N.P. high and a great many articulate people seemed to have a sense of high social purpose and it might have been a spring of brave hopes and national promise, but it was not, and more and more people had the uneasy apprehension that it was not. 
 + 
 +—Joan Didion, Slouching Towards Bethlehem 
 + 
 +Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation. 
 + 
 +—Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms 
 + 
 +There are many pleasant fictions of the law in constant operation, but there is not one so pleasant or practically humorous as that which supposes every man to be of equal value in its impartial eye, and the benefits of all laws to be equally attainable by all men, without the smallest reference to the furniture of their pockets. 
 + 
 +—Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby 
 + 
 +In many ways he was like America itself, big and strong, full of good intentions, a roll of fat jiggling at his belly, slow of foot but always plodding along, always there when you needed him, a believer in the virtues of simplicity and directness and hard labor. 
 + 
 +—Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried 
 + 
 +There is nothing more atrociously cruel than an adored child. 
 + 
 +—Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita 
 + 
 +And a bonus: 
 + 
 +Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of exceptional happenings, had never stopped there. 
 + 
 +—Truman Capote, In Cold Blood 
 + 
 +===== Why these are the ‘Ten Best Sentences’ =====
  
 //by Roy Peter Clark//\\ //by Roy Peter Clark//\\
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 I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in
-the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race.+the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race.\\
 —James Joyce, “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” —James Joyce, “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man”
  
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 strengthen metal in fire. But it also means to fake, to counterfeit, perhaps a strengthen metal in fire. But it also means to fake, to counterfeit, perhaps a
 gentle tug at Stephen’s hubris. gentle tug at Stephen’s hubris.
 +
 This private estate was far enough away from the explosion so that its This private estate was far enough away from the explosion so that its
 bamboos, pines, laurel, and maples were still alive, and the green place invited bamboos, pines, laurel, and maples were still alive, and the green place invited
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 quiet pools and arching bridges, were very Japanese, normal, secure; and also quiet pools and arching bridges, were very Japanese, normal, secure; and also
 partly (according to some who were there) because of an irresistible, atavistic partly (according to some who were there) because of an irresistible, atavistic
-urge to hide under leaves. +urge to hide under leaves.\\ 
-—John Hersey, “Hiroshima”+//—John Hersey, “Hiroshima”//\\ 
 Great writers fear not the long sentence, and here is proof. If a short sentence Great writers fear not the long sentence, and here is proof. If a short sentence
 speaks a gospel truth, then a long one takes us on a kind of journey. This is speaks a gospel truth, then a long one takes us on a kind of journey. This is
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 phrase, an “atavistic urge to hide under leaves,” even in the shadow of the most phrase, an “atavistic urge to hide under leaves,” even in the shadow of the most
 destructive technology ever created, the atomic bomb. destructive technology ever created, the atomic bomb.
 +
 It was a fine cry—loud and long—but it had no bottom and it had no top, just It was a fine cry—loud and long—but it had no bottom and it had no top, just
-circles and circles of sorrow. +circles and circles of sorrow.\\ 
-—Toni Morrison, “Sula”+//—Toni Morrison, “Sula”//\\ 
 I did not know this sentence, but I love it. It expresses a kind of synesthesia, a I did not know this sentence, but I love it. It expresses a kind of synesthesia, a
 mixing of the senses, in which a sound can also be experienced as a shape.  mixing of the senses, in which a sound can also be experienced as a shape. 
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 movement of sound in “circles and circles of sorrow,” and we have something movement of sound in “circles and circles of sorrow,” and we have something
 truly memorable. truly memorable.
 +
 For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in
 our turn? our turn?
 +
 —Jane Austen, “Pride and Prejudice” —Jane Austen, “Pride and Prejudice”
 +
 Who could not admire a sentence with such a clear demarcation beginning, Who could not admire a sentence with such a clear demarcation beginning,
 middle, and end? Thank you, commas. Only a single word – “neighbor” – has middle, and end? Thank you, commas. Only a single word – “neighbor” – has
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 follows brings us crashing down to earth in a phrase, and carries us home with follows brings us crashing down to earth in a phrase, and carries us home with
 a delicious sense of revenge, a kind of sophisticated punch line. a delicious sense of revenge, a kind of sophisticated punch line.
 +
 It was the United States of America in the cold late spring of 1967, and the It was the United States of America in the cold late spring of 1967, and the
 market was steady and the G.N.P. high and a great many articulate people market was steady and the G.N.P. high and a great many articulate people
 seemed to have a sense of high social purpose and it might have been a spring seemed to have a sense of high social purpose and it might have been a spring
 of brave hopes and national promise, but it was not, and more and more people of brave hopes and national promise, but it was not, and more and more people
-had the uneasy apprehension that it was not. +had the uneasy apprehension that it was not.\\ 
-—Joan Didion, “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”+ 
 +—Joan Didion, “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”\\ 
 Didion wrote a New Yorker essay on Hemingway that included a brilliant close Didion wrote a New Yorker essay on Hemingway that included a brilliant close
 reading of the first paragraph of A Farewell to Arms. There is something reading of the first paragraph of A Farewell to Arms. There is something
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 national promise,” only to fall off the edge and crash upon the boulders of “it national promise,” only to fall off the edge and crash upon the boulders of “it
 was not.” Not once but twice. was not.” Not once but twice.
-Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation.—Ernest + 
-Hemingway, “A Farewell to Arms”+Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation.\\ 
 +—Ernest Hemingway, “A Farewell to Arms”\\ 
 Donald Murray used to preach the 2-3-1 rule of emphasis. Place the least Donald Murray used to preach the 2-3-1 rule of emphasis. Place the least
 emphatic words in the middle. The second most important go at the emphatic words in the middle. The second most important go at the
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 abstractions Anger and Obligation. That fact that the metaphor is drawn from abstractions Anger and Obligation. That fact that the metaphor is drawn from
 the action of the narrative makes it more effective. the action of the narrative makes it more effective.
 +
 There are many pleasant fictions of the law in constant operation, but there is There are many pleasant fictions of the law in constant operation, but there is
 not one so pleasant or practically humorous as that which supposes every man not one so pleasant or practically humorous as that which supposes every man
 to be of equal value in its impartial eye, and the benefits of all laws to be to be of equal value in its impartial eye, and the benefits of all laws to be
 equally attainable by all men, without the smallest reference to the furniture of equally attainable by all men, without the smallest reference to the furniture of
-their pockets. +their pockets.\\ 
-—Charles Dickens, ”Nicholas Nickleby”+—Charles Dickens, ”Nicholas Nickleby”\\ 
 Older sentences feel more ornate. Long gone from our diction is the Older sentences feel more ornate. Long gone from our diction is the
 “euphuistic” style of long intricately balanced sentences that showed off the “euphuistic” style of long intricately balanced sentences that showed off the
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 a roll of fat jiggling at his belly, slow of foot but always plodding along, always a roll of fat jiggling at his belly, slow of foot but always plodding along, always
 there when you needed him, a believer in the virtues of simplicity and there when you needed him, a believer in the virtues of simplicity and
-directness and hard labor.RELATED POSTS +directness and hard labor.
-What writers can learn from a close +
-reading of The Great Gatsby +
-How to write the ‘perfect’ sentence +
-Teen blogger shot by Taliban can now +
-stand, write sentences +
-How and when to break the rules of +
-writing +
-How to influence reader response to +
-your work +
-RELATED TRAINING +
-Help! for Writers +
-The Writer's Workbench: 50 Tools You +
-Can Use +
-The Powerful Writer +
-The TV Power Reporting Academy +
-The Effective Reporter +
-—Tim O’Brien, “The Things They Carried”+
 Again we see how a longer sentence can flow from the work done near the Again we see how a longer sentence can flow from the work done near the
 beginning: “he was like America itself.” Such a simile always evokes an instant beginning: “he was like America itself.” Such a simile always evokes an instant
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 Johnny?) The answer combines description and allegory. He is a living Johnny?) The answer combines description and allegory. He is a living
 microcosm of American strength and weakness. In an unusual turn, the most microcosm of American strength and weakness. In an unusual turn, the most
-interesting element rests in the middle with “a roll of fat jiggling at his belly.” +interesting element rests in the middle with “a roll of fat jiggling at his belly.”\\ 
-There is nothing more atrociously cruel than an adored child.— + 
-Vladimir Nabokov, “Lolita”+There is nothing more atrociously cruel than an adored child.\\ 
 +—Vladimir Nabokov, “Lolita”\\ 
 This sentence has the ring of familiarity to it, perhaps Nabokov’s riff on King This sentence has the ring of familiarity to it, perhaps Nabokov’s riff on King
 Lear: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!” Lolita Lear: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!” Lolita
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 thought it through, it sounds exactly like Humber’s self-delusions after all.  thought it through, it sounds exactly like Humber’s self-delusions after all. 
 Perfect. Perfect.
 +
 Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the
 yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of
-exceptional happenings, had never stopped there.+exceptional happenings, had never stopped there.\\
 —Truman Capote, ”In Cold Blood” —Truman Capote, ”In Cold Blood”
 +
 We used to call this a “periodic” sentence, that is, one in which the main action We used to call this a “periodic” sentence, that is, one in which the main action
 occurs at the period. The Brits have a better name for that mark of occurs at the period. The Brits have a better name for that mark of
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 similes, along with the shift from things we can see to something more abstract similes, along with the shift from things we can see to something more abstract
 – drama. Which never stopped there, of course. Until it did. – drama. Which never stopped there, of course. Until it did.
 +
 Tags: American Scholar , Writing tips and techniques Tags: American Scholar , Writing tips and techniques
info/10_best_sentences_of_all_time.1399488725.txt.gz · Last modified: 2014/05/07 14:52 by tomgee