Posted by Rodger Whitlock on January 08, 1999 at 13:25:31:
In Reply to: Shocking language in Ports of Call! posted by Philip Bell on December 19, 1998 at 15:09:07:
: Well, not really, but I was a bit surprised to see the use of
: the word "arse" in a Jack Vance novel. I can't recall him
: using even mild swear words in any other book as he tends to
: use rather more ornate descriptions, and like Asimov, never
: ventures into the bedroom with his characters. Anyone care to
: comment, or correct me?
First of all, "arse" is simply not much of a swear word in the
USA. It lacks real punch. The usual word is "ass" ("kiss my ass"
is a common insult) and Vance's use of "arse" heightens the sense
of formality and archaicism that is such a distinctive character-
istic of his writing. I'm quite certain that such was his intention.
In re sex scenes, IMHO Vance takes the attitude that we're all
adults here we all know what sex is all about, we've all
experienced it, we all know what naked people look like -- so
there's no need to stoop to tiresome anatomical descriptions of
engorged dangley bits.
The scene in "The Face" where Keith Gersen rescues the Methglin
girl from a Darsh bravo out in the desert, and a similar scene
in "City of the Chasch" (or was it "The Wankh"?) where Adam Reith
takes *his* rescuee as a lover on board ship, are both models of
handling intimate relations without resorting to crudity.
In fact, now that I think on it, it comes to me that Vance is a
very refined writer, without in any way being a prude. One more
explanation of why his books are so extremely satisfying to read
and re-read.