He was intrigued by the power of words, not the literary words that filled the books in the library but the sharp, staccato words that went into the writing of news stories. Words that went for the jugular. Active verbs that danced and raced on the page.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the impactful nature of words, particularly in journalism, over mere literary usage.
Robert Cormier highlights the significant power that words can possess, especially when utilized in the context of news writing. Unlike the often flowery language found in literature, he focuses on the direct and dynamic words that convey urgency and impact, illustrating how certain phrases can effectively capture attention and provoke thought.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of media, one could use this quote to illustrate how powerful language can shape public opinion.
Archie became absolutely still, afraid that the rapid beating of his heart might betray his sudden knowledge, the proof of what he'd always suspected, not only of Brother Leon but most grownups, most adults: they were vulnerable, running scared, open to invasion.
The first principle of architectural beauty is that the essential lines of a construction be determined by a perfect appropriateness to its use.
I don't really need to be remembered. I hope the music's remembered.
You a slave to a page in my rhyme book.
The really great writers are people like Emily Brontë who sit in a room and write out of their limited experience and unlimited imagination.
You have to be lonely to be a writer
The appeal of the spectrally macabre is generally narrow because it demands from the reader a certain degree of imagination and a capacity for detachment from everyday life.
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