October 04, 2007

Avert Your Eyes

Do you have “issues” with too much profanity or overly explicit (ahem) “romantic” scenes in books? Or do you take them in stride? Have issues like these ever caused you to close a book? Or do you go looking for more exactly like them? (grin)

When I was a kid my mom never had to worry about the love scenes on a movie with me around because I would get so uncomfortable that I'd leave the room or cover my eyes and plug my ears. I am still pretty uncomfortable with them but not to the same extent as I used to be. But books are different. The writing makes all the difference. That and my imagination. I can handle love scenes just fine while reading as long as no one else is in the room with me. If someone is present I feel like a pervert.

As far as profanity goes, I don't speak it often and I don't like to hear it. It is the language of the unintelligible. I don't see the need for it in movies or in books in most cases but I don't really have a problem reading it.

9 comments:

Mei said...

I am over 30, and I still get uncomfortable when my family is watching a movie together and a sex scene comes on.
I generally don't have a problem with profanity either, but I do think there's a point at which it takes over (to the detriment of the story).

BookGal said...

I agree with you- the writing does make all the difference.

Anne said...

Oh, I totally agree with you about someone else being in the room! Yuck!

I don't use profanity, either, but sometimes it just goes with the character. When someone tries to make a soldier in the heat of battle or a policeman in hot pursuit say "Gee whiz!" instead of what they'd really say, it annoys me to no end. But I also get annoyed when it's there just to be there.

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

Its funny, but I didn't realize that I feel the same about reading more graphic scenes when someone else is in the room until you verbalized it. If I'm reading something like that and hubby walks in, I will put the book down just in case he pops his head over to see what I'm reading and then gets the wrong idea. :)

Have a great day!

CJ said...

Add me to your list of not wanting to read an overly 'romantic' scene with someone else in the room. It does seem a bit... wrong. Strange, isn't?

cjh

Petunia said...

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. It shouldn't be that big of a deal but for some reason it is. Hello, my name is Petunia and I'm a prude. =)

pussreboots said...

Reading overt romance with others in the room doesn't bother me. Reading to one's self seems like such a private affair even if people are present.

Happy BTT.

Ana S. said...

I agree with you that the writing makes all the difference. I can handle almost everything if it's written tastefully. However, I also feel uncomfortable if I'm in a public place or there's someone else in the room.

Petunia said...

Puss-I guess you're not the Goldilocks type of reader. =)

Nymeth-Hey! Glad to see you around. Getting settled in?