Reading & Writing Lounge

I read a story on the Net the other day and stumbled on the phrase “ravenous hair.” I stopped momentarily and noticed other readers’ comments on the usage. Needless to say and much to the writer’s chagrin, there was unanimous rebuttal. The writer insisted that creative license allowed the usage. That made me stop and think about creativity in language. How far do we go with our use of words, how much can we spin them around on our keyboards and twist them out of shape? Could ravenous hair stand in for simple “raven haired”? Think again of the images these words throw up—for a split second, imagine hair gorging on …. (ravenous hair) and then again, imagine the polished blackness, sheen, spread, and luster of black tresses (raven haired).

Adjectives create images and we cannot play around with them needlessly. We writers have to constantly remember that at the editing table, unnecessary or incorrect adjectives and over-the-top adverbs will face the axe, almost instantaneously. So, will “ravenous hair” pass the test? Most probably not. But the unusual adjective use here does throw up an interesting and erotic image, that of hair that engulfs the senses, gorges on the admirer’s or lover’s sensuality, darkens the lover’s vision with mysterious promises of endearment and sensuousness. In this form, the usage shows courage, though writing needs precision, not wayward bravery.

But if the word intends to convey the idea of jet black, the writer may need to do some serious head scratching to come up with a more apt adjective. The editor’s pen knows no mercy.