‘Basically, There’s No Hardcore Ravaging of Women in Novels Anymore. And That’s a Bad Thing.’

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Hey, don’t blame me — somebody at GQ said that. I’m just quoting it because I saw it linked at Protein Wisdom. So it’s not like I am making the argument that women ought to be ravaged, hard-core or otherwise.

At least not in novels.

One reason I’ve never tried to write a novel is because, sooner or later, you’ve got to have a sex scene. There’s this gnawing fear that (a) the scene would be interpreted as the writer’s own personal fantasy or a roman à clef and (b) the results might be ridiculous.

UPDATE: One of the commenters points out that the GQ writer uses “ravage,” where ravish is actually better. Girl On the Right wants to be ravished, and often, and by someone who knows how.

32 comments

  1. When will people learn the difference between “ravage” and “ravish”? I even saw a Pulliam fellow mention the tsunami that “ravished” Indonesia. Sheesh.

  2. When will people learn the difference between “ravage” and “ravish”? I even saw a Pulliam fellow mention the tsunami that “ravished” Indonesia. Sheesh.

  3. This problem is purely a result of the insistence upon seeing/reading the writer through their work. Novels, poems, films, are rarely allowed to speak for themselves, anymore. It’s a shame, because this greatly constricts artistic expression. Because a writer chooses to express terrible, or erotic, or illegal activities or scenes, doesn’t, as you put it, indicate a personal fantasy or that it’s from their own experience. Most writers aren’t writing diaries, anyway; they’re speaking to/from something more universal (the good ones, anyway).

  4. This problem is purely a result of the insistence upon seeing/reading the writer through their work. Novels, poems, films, are rarely allowed to speak for themselves, anymore. It’s a shame, because this greatly constricts artistic expression. Because a writer chooses to express terrible, or erotic, or illegal activities or scenes, doesn’t, as you put it, indicate a personal fantasy or that it’s from their own experience. Most writers aren’t writing diaries, anyway; they’re speaking to/from something more universal (the good ones, anyway).

  5. They are just not reading the classics anymore, are they?

    Oh, The Sun reports that ‘66% of women watch porn’. So maybe women just aren’t reading their ravishing tales anymore; they’re watching them instead.

  6. They are just not reading the classics anymore, are they?

    Oh, The Sun reports that ‘66% of women watch porn’. So maybe women just aren’t reading their ravishing tales anymore; they’re watching them instead.

  8. And, there’s little enough raping and pillaging to be found either. A little ravishing seems harmless enough.

    As for ravaging vs ravishing, wasn’t the woman supposed to be the ravishing one? If she ravishes then she is the ravisher and we men are simply the ravishees. Better we should ravage, if we feel all that Neanderthal coming on.

  9. And, there’s little enough raping and pillaging to be found either. A little ravishing seems harmless enough.

    As for ravaging vs ravishing, wasn’t the woman supposed to be the ravishing one? If she ravishes then she is the ravisher and we men are simply the ravishees. Better we should ravage, if we feel all that Neanderthal coming on.

  14. Is a sex scene a requirement for a male novelist ? because I recently read Gilead and Home by the Pulitzer Prize winning woman novelist Marilynne Robinson, and neither of these excellent novels contain sex scenes.

  15. Is a sex scene a requirement for a male novelist ? because I recently read Gilead and Home by the Pulitzer Prize winning woman novelist Marilynne Robinson, and neither of these excellent novels contain sex scenes.

  20. @Joanna

    When will people learn the difference between “ravage” and “ravish”? I even saw a Pulliam fellow mention the tsunami that “ravished” Indonesia. Sheesh.

    Here’s a better example of someone not knowing the difference between the two, who talks about an oil spill that “ravished” the gulf coast!

    As a Hill commenter puts it, “How can we even consider this person to be a true leader when she cannot even tell the difference between the definition for “ravished” and “ravaged”? Because, if she wanted to avoid a “ravished” coast, she would advocate for the halting of offshore drilling.”

    That person is of course, Sarah Palin.

    But then who am i to refudiate Sarah Palin!

  21. @Joanna

    When will people learn the difference between “ravage” and “ravish”? I even saw a Pulliam fellow mention the tsunami that “ravished” Indonesia. Sheesh.

    Here’s a better example of someone not knowing the difference between the two, who talks about an oil spill that “ravished” the gulf coast!

    As a Hill commenter puts it, “How can we even consider this person to be a true leader when she cannot even tell the difference between the definition for “ravished” and “ravaged”? Because, if she wanted to avoid a “ravished” coast, she would advocate for the halting of offshore drilling.”

    That person is of course, Sarah Palin.

    But then who am i to refudiate Sarah Palin!

  22. Let’s clear a few things up here…

    1) Oxford English Dictionary:
    -RAVISH: enrapture, fill with delight
    -RAVAGE: lay waste, plunder, make havoc

    2) Women want to be ravished [if they have any soul at all].

    3) Men want to ravage, then ravish:
    MONGOL GENERAL: What is best in life?
    CONAN: To crush your enemies,
    to see them driven before you,
    and to hear the lamentations of their women.

    Sounds about right.

  23. Let’s clear a few things up here…

    1) Oxford English Dictionary:
    -RAVISH: enrapture, fill with delight
    -RAVAGE: lay waste, plunder, make havoc

    2) Women want to be ravished [if they have any soul at all].

    3) Men want to ravage, then ravish:
    MONGOL GENERAL: What is best in life?
    CONAN: To crush your enemies,
    to see them driven before you,
    and to hear the lamentations of their women.

    Sounds about right.

  24. Dear Boob

    Basically, what you are implying is that when Sarah Palin tweeted “To avoid ravished coasts…”, she is basically being a stupid twit. Thanks for “clearing” that up.

    Bob1

  25. Dear Boob

    Basically, what you are implying is that when Sarah Palin tweeted “To avoid ravished coasts…”, she is basically being a stupid twit. Thanks for “clearing” that up.

    Bob1

  26. Surprise! Surprise! Joanna and RSM are so ignorant that they are not aware(or maybe they selectively forget/failed to mention) that Sarah Palin infamously misused the word “ravished” in place of “ravaged” in her equally moronic tweet advice to Gov. Jindal on how to deal with the oil spill and protect the Louisiana coasts.

  27. Surprise! Surprise! Joanna and RSM are so ignorant that they are not aware(or maybe they selectively forget/failed to mention) that Sarah Palin infamously misused the word “ravished” in place of “ravaged” in her equally moronic tweet advice to Gov. Jindal on how to deal with the oil spill and protect the Louisiana coasts.

  28. […] Stacy McCain also declines to participate, for the following reason: One reason I’ve never tried to write a novel is because, sooner or later, you’ve got to have a sex scene. There’s this gnawing fear that (a) the scene would be interpreted as the writer’s own personal fantasy or a roman à clef and (b) the results might be ridiculous. […]

  29. “One reason I’ve never tried to write a novel is because, sooner or later, you’ve got to have a sex scene.”

    No you don’t. Not if you have any talent, anyway.

  30. “One reason I’ve never tried to write a novel is because, sooner or later, you’ve got to have a sex scene.”

    No you don’t. Not if you have any talent, anyway.

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