Recently I have encountered two different women who seem enamored with the f-word. I only mention their gender because I have not found their male counterparts – these two very different women flaunt that word regularly and in my (probably limited) circle of friends none of the men are so afflicted. One of the women I rather like but the other I avoid (probably because she likes to use my name in the same sentence as that word).
Since my early days I have felt that those who use that word did so failing to find more appropriate words to express their thoughts – perhaps evidence of early potty training or the such. I do not accept that they use it unconsciously.
Add to this my experience years ago when I worked in an office where a group of young women (early 20’s) liked to swear. After I got to know them I understood that perhaps they were decorative but they were not sophisticated. One day I – in their presence – felt the need to utter ‘damn!’ and they talked about it for a week. At least they were not using worse words at that time – but it didn’t stick.
So what’s the big deal? Is it ever appropriate, in a literary usage, to drop the f-bomb? And if so, when? Or more specifically, why? At the risk of opening myself to thunder and approbation from on high, I will attempt to provide my answer – which, Dear Reader, is not necessarily your answer.
One caveat… For this discussion I will assume the usage to be as a pejorative. If that word is used to indicate what is supposed to be a loving, special moment, then I suggest that its usage may be the preface to failure.
When it might be okay.
- As pepper on a well-cooked steak. Spices are good – when sparingly used. James Baldwin once used the n-word in an essay. I emphasize the word ‘once’ because the way he used it, it leapt off the page into your face – gobsmacked! An over-utilized spice loses impact – a sparingly used one can be the rapier thrust that gets attention. Particularly when that word is used by a Black writer.
- As a device to illustrate character. The one woman mentioned above attempted to build a character that she wanted to be thoughtful and intelligent, but let her use the f-word some forty or fifty times in one paragraph! As far as this reader was concerned it had the opposite effect – the character came off as crass and inarticulate, and the work tedious. Didn’t play out, but she (the author) didn’t cotton to the idea that less can be more – claimed she liked the word and would use it as she jolly well pleased. However… If it was her intent to create a special character, then maybe it was effective. I would not seek out that character to share a beer.
- As a distinguishing characteristic. When crafting a story, you want very much to differentiate between your characters. If one sometimes lets drop with a blue-word, and another never does, the one that eschews that usage does not necessarily come across as goody-two-shoes. And the other need not seem vile either, as long as the usage is not overbearing. The problem with that is this: my tolerance limit is not necessarily yours. (I will admit that mine is pretty shallow, as far as this goes.) This approach does support the notion of tag-less dialogue where the voice carries the identity. And, if the clean-language character should drop that special word – Baldwin style – it will draw attention.
- As a spontaneous expletive. The soldier who – in combat – sees his buddy receive what may be a mortal wound, can most appropriately use that word. In that situation, not using that or a similar exclamation can be seen as a waffle on the part of the author. That is a special moment, and not one to be trifled with – even if fictional. There may be others, but choose them carefully.
So, Dear Reader… What do you think? How much pepper is too much?