I want to show you something I’m reading about sentences. Let me know your thoughts.

The main point is this: “There are no descriptions in fiction, there are only constructions.” (this reading is from Philosophy and the Form of Fiction by William H Gass)

We start with a paragraph describing a character named Magister Nicholas Udal. (from The Fifth Queen, Ford Maddox Ford)

 

Next, we look at removing the colon, and placing that sentence at the end of the paragraph to see how that changes our comprehension of the character.

Next, the possessives related to clothing are removed, the ‘his doctor’s gown’ is changed to ‘a doctor’s gown’ and the same with the cap.

And then the same is done with Udal’s features.

Next, he plays around by letting him own his clothes but not his face:

 

 

 

from Philospophy and the Form of Fiction by William H Gass.