Cursing and Swearing

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JoshF

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May 13, 2016
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I hate reading God's name taken in vain (Swearing). I realize that people do it. "JC' "J' "GD' 'OMG' etc. Wish we could stop that. Or get brave and start using "Prophet F****** Mohammad!" and see how that goes over.

Maybe I keep different company than Stephen King, but the 'C' word for women (Cursing) is not part of everyday vernacular. In one instance in the boring baseball story, it's used in such a grotesque way I shook my head and I think I whispered aloud at Starbucks, "What is wrong with you, Stephen King?" I've now read it several times in this collection- and that's more times than I've heard the word used in reality in the past couple of years. It makes my skin crawl and *not* in a good Stephen King horror story way. It makes me want to put the book down and read something else.

An author not wanting to edit the 'true voice' of the characters is one thing. An author whose characters have a foul tendency toward particular words in every single story tells me more about the author than the characters.
 

Moderator

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I hate reading God's name taken in vain (Swearing). I realize that people do it. "JC' "J' "GD' 'OMG' etc. Wish we could stop that. Or get brave and start using "Prophet F****** Mohammad!" and see how that goes over.

Maybe I keep different company than Stephen King, but the 'C' word for women (Cursing) is not part of everyday vernacular. In one instance in the boring baseball story, it's used in such a grotesque way I shook my head and I think I whispered aloud at Starbucks, "What is wrong with you, Stephen King?" I've now read it several times in this collection- and that's more times than I've heard the word used in reality in the past couple of years. It makes my skin crawl and *not* in a good Stephen King horror story way. It makes me want to put the book down and read something else.

An author not wanting to edit the 'true voice' of the characters is one thing. An author whose characters have a foul tendency toward particular words in every single story tells me more about the author than the characters.

I've worked for Stephen for over 27 years and in all that time I have never once heard him use that word. His use of it in his writing says absolutely nothing about his personal character IMO and as someone who does actually know him, I think I have a better idea of what that would be than someone who judges him based simply on his fictional characters.
 

carrie's younger brother

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Mar 8, 2012
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They are just words. Most of them were introduced to the English language via the Germanic languages (German, Dutch, Frisian, the Scandinavian languages, and Gothic). "F**k" is just a cruder way of saying "fornicate" and so on. And the only reason they are considered cruder, is because the words are based in a "foreign" language (which is an elitist way of thinking).

And in the case of "oh my G/god" who says what G/god it is referring to? The G/god of Abraham? One of many Hindu G/gods? Roman G/gods? Greek G/gods?

Lastly, if this bothers you so much, why do you keep reading SK?


btw... Welcome! :watermelon:
 

champ1966

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Dec 3, 2011
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Key word here is 'every single story'. Not every single one, but enough to make me think that every person on Earth, aside from Annie in Misery, uses *this* particular word.
Every single story doesn't equate to every single person. The percentage of characters per story is probably equal to the percentage of people in the English speaking world that use said word.
 

GNTLGNT

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Jun 15, 2007
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I've worked for Stephen for over 27 years and in all that time I have never once heard him use that word. His use of it in his writing says absolutely nothing about his personal character IMO and as someone who does actually know him, I think I have a better idea of what that would be than someone who judges him based simply on his fictional characters.
....well said.....
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
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I hate reading God's name taken in vain (Swearing). I realize that people do it. "JC' "J' "GD' 'OMG' etc. Wish we could stop that. Or get brave and start using "Prophet F****** Mohammad!" and see how that goes over.

Maybe I keep different company than Stephen King, but the 'C' word for women (Cursing) is not part of everyday vernacular. In one instance in the boring baseball story, it's used in such a grotesque way I shook my head and I think I whispered aloud at Starbucks, "What is wrong with you, Stephen King?" I've now read it several times in this collection- and that's more times than I've heard the word used in reality in the past couple of years. It makes my skin crawl and *not* in a good Stephen King horror story way. It makes me want to put the book down and read something else.

An author not wanting to edit the 'true voice' of the characters is one thing. An author whose characters have a foul tendency toward particular words in every single story tells me more about the author than the characters.

You answered your own dilemma: put the book down and read something else. Easy enough.
 

Sigmund

Waiting in Uber.
Jan 3, 2010
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In your mirror.
Or get brave and start using "Prophet F****** Mohammad!" and see how that goes over.

Welcome to the board. Keep posting!

I think I understand what you're saying. I'm sorry you are offended by the cursing.

I have a goofy thing. I sometimes read, see or hear things in a manner others don't. (Hang around on the board long enough and you will experience it yourself. ;;D Me being goofy, I mean.)

If others started being "brave" and "using" above (Bold and italicized) you mentioned (BTW-F******? some people would say you were cursing) would it somehow...be better? More palatable? "Excuse" Mr. King's characters taking the Lord, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, etc.?

I'm curious.

Again, welcome to the board and keep posting!

Peace.
(Oh, yeah. I usually sign off with Peace. :))
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
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Apr 11, 2006
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There is only one word Stephen uses that I cringe at. Just one. I will actually say, "Awww Stephen" because it is such a vile word to me. But maybe not to others.

BUT, when he does use it, I know exactly what type of person that character is. He has to use it. He has to stay authentic.

I have never mixed up Stephen King with the characters he creates. Not once. They are separate entities.
 

AnnaMarie

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Feb 16, 2012
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I actually don't think the swearing is necessary. Some of those words I do not ever hear IRL.

I see it as showing the character of a specific character. But I think without the swearing I would still see that character's character. (Only a bad writer would rely on swearing to show character. And King is not a bad writer. He still develops the characters.)

There actually are a few words that if they were used constantly, I probably would stop reading King's books. Those few words, when they pop up in a story actually pull me out, back to reality. I guess my list is smaller than the OP though. I'm not here complaining about it, just commenting.

And I've never actually felt swearing in a book speaks to the author's character. I've read enough other things and heard him speak a few times...and those things speak to HIS character.
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
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I hate reading God's name taken in vain (Swearing). I realize that people do it. "JC' "J' "GD' 'OMG' etc. Wish we could stop that. Or get brave and start using "Prophet F****** Mohammad!" and see how that goes over.

Maybe I keep different company than Stephen King, but the 'C' word for women (Cursing) is not part of everyday vernacular. In one instance in the boring baseball story, it's used in such a grotesque way I shook my head and I think I whispered aloud at Starbucks, "What is wrong with you, Stephen King?" I've now read it several times in this collection- and that's more times than I've heard the word used in reality in the past couple of years. It makes my skin crawl and *not* in a good Stephen King horror story way. It makes me want to put the book down and read something else.

An author not wanting to edit the 'true voice' of the characters is one thing. An author whose characters have a foul tendency toward particular words in every single story tells me more about the author than the characters.
WTF?
 

champ1966

Well-Known Member
Dec 3, 2011
4,008
10,840
58
Wakefield Yorkshire England
There is only one word Stephen uses that I cringe at. Just one. I will actually say, "Awww Stephen" because it is such a vile word to me. But maybe not to others.

BUT, when he does use it, I know exactly what type of person that character is. He has to use it. He has to stay authentic.

I have never mixed up Stephen King with the characters he creates. Not once. They are separate entities.
I actually don't think the swearing is necessary. Some of those words I do not ever hear IRL.

I see it as showing the character of a specific character. But I think without the swearing I would still see that character's character. (Only a bad writer would rely on swearing to show character. And King is not a bad writer. He still develops the characters.)

There actually are a few words that if they were used constantly, I probably would stop reading King's books. Those few words, when they pop up in a story actually pull me out, back to reality. I guess my list is smaller than the OP though. I'm not here complaining about it, just commenting.

And I've never actually felt swearing in a book speaks to the author's character. I've read enough other things and heard him speak a few times...and those things speak to HIS character.

I'm guessing you mean
Scott
I was nearly sick then. I hope he never writes a book about
Scott
of the Antarctic, I'd have a coronary.
 

muskrat

Dis-Member
Nov 8, 2010
4,518
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Under your bed
Gosh, the OP is right, you guys. King really should watch the language. It's just bad. First thing I do when I get a new King book is birddog it for all the naughty words and scribble them out with a magic marker. Then I usually just burn the evil thing, and then scourge myself with a dead lake trout for even having read such filth.