tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post3941329999714899390..comments2024-03-28T18:40:05.789-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: A Tale of Teeth and CharacterJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-83456663648886181072014-11-10T04:58:13.404-05:002014-11-10T04:58:13.404-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-54467328943427207662014-11-10T04:58:12.220-05:002014-11-10T04:58:12.220-05:00Welcome back, Sarah. Sorry I was gone for your fir...Welcome back, Sarah. Sorry I was gone for your first blog after the baby. I haven't used teeth for characterization, but you're right. Bad teeth do say a lot about people. It's a detail that I overlook. I guess when I picture my killers, I never see them smiling so their teeth don't show. Jack Nicholson's manic grin in The Shining comes to mind, but his teeth are perfect. Maybe perfection can also signal that what is on the outside doesn't always reflect a moral character. E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-74044199299601442432014-11-09T11:33:56.426-05:002014-11-09T11:33:56.426-05:00I have been involved in helping prepare people for...I have been involved in helping prepare people for entry into the workplace, usually people who come from situations where no one in their family can even quite conceive of having a regular job. Teeth are a big issue. So are visible tattoos, piercings and scars.<br /><br />Some things are somewhat controllable--a woman can her hair professionally done, get a manicure, wear well-fitting, reasonably fashionable clothes, but that all takes money a lot of people don't have. Men can get a haircut and shave (or trim a beard) and a manicure and reasonable clothes help there, too.<br /><br />The teeth, however, are a much more permanent feature. And outrageously expensive to fix.<br /><br />When one of my brothers hauled his toddler daughter off to the dentist, our mother questioned it. He told her he'd spent his entire childhood with his teeth hurting, and didn't want his daughter to have to do that, too.KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-86656541088941978102014-11-09T11:01:03.106-05:002014-11-09T11:01:03.106-05:00Welcome back, Sarah!
What an insightful blog. Sa...Welcome back, Sarah! <br /><br />What an insightful blog. Sarah Smarsh's magazine piece was fantastic, too. I haven't used teeth to identify socio-economic class, but I will consider that in the future.Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-74556582077794734132014-11-09T09:33:21.256-05:002014-11-09T09:33:21.256-05:00I have not used teeth to identify a character'...I have not used teeth to identify a character's social class, but they definitely would. Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-87879298732798372402014-11-09T08:49:11.396-05:002014-11-09T08:49:11.396-05:00Sarah, I can't ever remember mentioning teeth ...Sarah, I can't ever remember mentioning teeth in any character I wrote. I think it's because when I'm picturing my characters, I don't picture their teeth - their mouth, yes, smiling or showing anger in some way, but never their teeth.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-57137749465164401862014-11-09T06:55:51.746-05:002014-11-09T06:55:51.746-05:00I had a boss once tell me that I needed to take ca...I had a boss once tell me that I needed to take care of a darkened front tooth because it was “unprofessional” in a senior consultant. The root had died years before from a sports accident and over time the tooth had darkened after the necessary root canal. <br /><br />I did provide one minor character with choppers, but have otherwise never used dental peculiarities as a character trait. I’ll have to think about that for the future.<br /><br />~ Jim<br />Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.com