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Jeff_999 Posted 21 years ago
ESL
Belletristic
The passage below is quoted from a book. Could you please explain the boldfaced sentence for me. I don't get it at all.
"Certain current short story writers often use techniques – particularly exposition and description – associated with the essay. As exemplified in the work of Raymond Carver and Ann Beattie, the result is a fiction that is founded on relentless exposition and that bulges with detail … This uses of detail … seem old fashioned. ... The characters in such stories are often flat – shallow and uncomplicated. The action consists of a chronicle of every day life, and thus the work often becomes a report of mundane experiences. This type of story does not, however, herald the death of the death of the short story: it is merely a particular form of fiction currently enjoying critical favor in part because few critics have seen beyond its apparent virtue – the dazzling surface of its prose."
I've given out the whole important and relevant context.
What does the author mean by "enjoying critical favor", and "few critics have seen beyond its apparent virtue"? And what does "the dazzling surface of its prose" refer to?
Thank you so much for your time.
"Certain current short story writers often use techniques – particularly exposition and description – associated with the essay. As exemplified in the work of Raymond Carver and Ann Beattie, the result is a fiction that is founded on relentless exposition and that bulges with detail … This uses of detail … seem old fashioned. ... The characters in such stories are often flat – shallow and uncomplicated. The action consists of a chronicle of every day life, and thus the work often becomes a report of mundane experiences. This type of story does not, however, herald the death of the death of the short story: it is merely a particular form of fiction currently enjoying critical favor in part because few critics have seen beyond its apparent virtue – the dazzling surface of its prose."
I've given out the whole important and relevant context.
What does the author mean by "enjoying critical favor", and "few critics have seen beyond its apparent virtue"? And what does "the dazzling surface of its prose" refer to?
Thank you so much for your time.
Top answer
enjoying critical favor - this means that the professional critics and book reviewers like this style. seen beyond its apparent virtue - he is complaining that these stories are all style and no substance. The style is the stories 'apparent virtue' - it looks good but it is not actually good.
- enjoying critical favor - this means that the professional critics and book reviewers like this style.
- seen beyond its apparent virtue - he is complaining that these stories are all style and no substance.
- The style is the stories 'apparent virtue' - it looks good but it is not actually good.
- The crititcs are impressed by the style but not seeing the faults.
- dazzling surface of its prose - as above - he thinks it they have beautifully written descriptive detail - the dazzling surface' with nothing of substance beneath.
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2 Answers
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enjoying critical favor - this means that the professional critics and book reviewers like this style.
seen beyond its apparent virtue - he is complaining that these stories are all style and no substance. The style is the stories 'apparent virtue' - it looks good but it is not actually good. The crititcs are impressed by the style but not seeing the faults.
dazzling surface of
seen beyond its apparent virtue - he is complaining that these stories are all style and no substance. The style is the stories 'apparent virtue' - it looks good but it is not actually good. The crititcs are impressed by the style but not seeing the faults.
dazzling surface of
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Thank you so much. 
I got it.
So, the type of story doesn't herald its "death", because it caters to the favor of most c
I got it.So, the type of story doesn't herald its "death", because it caters to the favor of most c
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