If Prescriptivism Is Wrong, Then I Don’t Want to Be Right: A Review of The Elements of Style

I knew it wouldn’t take me long to finish this book. Coming in at a trim 128 pages, The Elements of Style lives up to every ounce of praise and hype that you may have heard about it. The only reason you may disagree with my assessment is if you despise prescriptivism and prefer that language devolve into a fluid and chaotic mess. If you fall into that camp, then read no further.

Toolbox Level 1: A
As was the case with The Bedford Handbook, The Elements of Style is flawless in this department. It was written by an English professor specifically for his students. How could it not fetch the highest of marks? This category is essential to a writer because you cannot hope to write an effective composition without these structural elements. Unless I come across a book that fails to excel in this department, I may merge it with Toolbox Level 2.

Toolbox Level 2: A-
It feels strange to give a book called The Elements of Style less than perfect marks in the style category. I only do so because there are a few points where either Strunk or White come across as too condescending. Whether they were trying to hammer home their point too much or simply lost themselves in a moment of ivory-tower glory, a few quips go a tad too far. These remarks only cross the line for me on style issues that have clearly evolved since Strunk first committed his commandments to print. White affords some leeway for the evolution of written communication, but even he slams the gavel down in a showy way once or twice.

Fulfillment of Purpose: A
Do you have to follow all of the rules laid out in this book? No. The authors each admit this. Strunk and White do suggest, however, that knowing the rules well allows writers to break those rules more effectively should they choose to. The Elements of Style is a firm foundation for writers to embrace and embrace it they should.

I walked away second-guessing my own tendencies: Am I making the most effective use of commas and semicolons? Am I guilty of overwriting, overstating, or overexplaining too often? These questions and more bounced around my head while I read this book. It is easy to grow overconfident in your writing skills, but it takes a stiff jolt to shake you off of that comfortable perch. This book will serve as a wake-up call to any writer open to introspection every time they open it. Strunk and White may plunge weaker writers into insecurity, but those who have the gift will use this book as a stone to sharpen their iron against.

Reading Experience: B+
This book is short and the writing is crisp. These two facts make it easy to read through The Elements of Style so quickly that you fail to absorb enough of its wisdom. I read most of this book twice to ensure I got the most out of it. As much as I enjoy the authors’ ways with words, I think that a cover-to-cover read is the wrong approach for this book. That keeps it in line with the other reference books I have read to date.

I set out to read the five main sections of this book in one sitting each, but in doing so I realized that, while wittier than The Bedford Handbook, this book should still be used for specific guidance rather than general reading. Some of the consecutive rules, principles, and suggestions build upon each other. Others reside as stand-alone nuggets of wisdom. Without constant layering, retention of this book’s wisdom is hard to achieve.

Overall Score: 3.75 out of 4 (solid A-)
From the start, I was interested in comparing the rules and recommendations in The Elements of Style to those found in The Bedford Handbook. Only the first section of Elements concerns the ingredients found in Toolbox Level 1. The Bedford Handbook drifted a little bit into Toolbox Level 2 but only as far as exact word choice, appropriate language, and some paragraph structure instruction. Elements only covers a few Toolbox Level 1 points and even then in just a general way; thus I find that both books are necessary for different reasons, neither one replacing the other.

The portions of the book written by Strunk possess a more colorful voice than White’s contribution, but they are not so unalike in tone and voice that it disrupts the coherence of the book. Both men offer valid, if not exactly timeless, advice. Time will continue to chip away some of the rules they affirm so rigidly, but much of this book’s guidance will continue to be essential to proper written discourse as long as the English language remains in use.

Some may be able to intelligently read this book in just a few sittings. I envy them. Perhaps my reading comprehension and retention skills are closer to average, but I see two ideal ways to read The Elements of Style: first as a true reference book, there for you when second-guess yourself or find yourself written into a pickle; second as a writing nerd’s bathroom reader, enabling the reader to refresh his or her memory of one or two sections per pit stop. Either way, you can’t go wrong turning to this book. The pages are few but the well is deep. Draw from it often.