Topic: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

One of my best reviewers has a thing against expressing emotions or thoughts just by the look of the eyes (e.g., his eyes blazed with fury, his eyes twinkled with mirth, etc.). I've seen this done in multiple books and I l like it. My reviewer considers it lazy and stupid. He's trying to break me of the habit and is starting to wear me down, even though I really like it. My take on it is that readers know it's the whole face that expresses these things. The eyes just happen to be the focal point.

Thoughts?
Dirk

Quote Post 1

2 Reply by Temple Wang (edited by Temple Wang 2018-07-25 00:09:25)

Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

Dirk B. wrote:

One of my best reviewers has a thing against expressing emotions or thoughts just by the look of the eyes (e.g., his eyes blazed with fury, his eyes twinkled with mirth, etc.). I've seen this done in multiple books and I l like it. My reviewer considers it lazy and stupid. He's trying to break me of the habit and is starting to wear me down, even though I really like it. My take on it is that readers know it's the whole face that expresses these things. The eyes just happen to be the focal point.

Thoughts?
Dirk

Eyes themselves are completely incapable of expressing emotion, or even creating a certain “look.”  The area around the eyes, however, is central to human expression.  And tears, of course, express emotion, though that’s an action of ducts, not eyes.  That said, your examples are problematic.  “His eyes blazed” is sufficient (though I wouldn’t use this).  If you feel you need to explain an expression (“with fury”), then you should have another go at it.  Same thing with the redundant element “with mirth” in the second example. 

Bottom line, the eyes (in the broader sense, inclusive of the area around them) are “obviously” capable of expressing emotions.

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Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

Thank you, Temple. The tricky part is how one can best articulate "the eyes inclusive of the area around them" in narration. It's why I just say eyes.

Quote Post 3

Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

Using the eyes to express emotion which they can't do is similar to using dialogue tags which denote actions that do not generate speech -- you can't laugh, giggle, smile, bark, etc. words in dialogue. Do people understand what you mean when you use such tags? Yes, they do. But does it serve the primary purpose of a speaker tag - to identify the speaker. No, it doesn't. People, even famous authors still resort to such things on occasion and they get away with it. Why? Because they can and they know they can. Now, the question becomes, "Can you get away with it?" Obviously, if you think you can and are comfortable that your audience will also be comfortable with it, or at least accept it, then you've nothing to lose. The decision will be yours up until some future traditional publisher says change it and you'd rather do so than not make the sale. Good luck either way. Take care. Vern

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5 Reply by Seabrass (edited by Seabrass 2018-07-25 05:03:30)

Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

Is the part that 'blazes' the same part that 'twinkles'? Maybe it's the upper eyelids that blaze and the lower eyelids that twinkle. Or the left eye can blaze furiously in wrath and the right eye twinkles in mischievous mirth- but only on Sundays and Tuesdays (in winter). When the eyes blaze, can a character look about, or does the blazing singe too many eyebrows and eyelashes? Do the nostrils flare? And what do them lip things do? (Character's probably eating, so they're kinda stuck keeping food and drool in place.)  Nothing captures emotions like eyebrows scrunching though, whether it's in consternation or vexation or mere puzzlement- wait, don't they rise in puzzlement? Or is that befuddlement? (Right now one of my own is scrunched while the other is raised very Spock-like as I puzzle my way through my vexing consternation.) And let's avoid talk of whether the forehead is furrowing or other wrinkles are crinkling- that's just going overboard.

Too bad them white globes can't change color. Then the eyeballs themselves can become completely expressive. Wait, we're authors! Who says them white eyeball globes (otherwise known as sclera) can't change from unexpressive (inexpressive?) white to blushing pink to enigmatic purple to blazing red or twinkling green? Them eyes can already blaze and twinkle and who knows what else! Nothing like color-coding to let the other character(s) noticing them blazing or twinkling eyes know exactly what's going on. (Hopefully we're not in first-person POV when the POV character's eyes blaze and twinkle, unless there's a mirror conveniently nearby.)

Too bad we don't have gills on our necks. I imagine they'd be able to flap furiously or purse themselves disapprovingly. Wait! We're authors...

Quote Post 5

Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

Seabrass wrote:

Is the part that 'blazes' the same part that 'twinkles'? Maybe it's the upper eyelids that blaze and the lower eyelids that twinkle. Or the left eye can blaze furiously in wrath and the right eye twinkles in mischievous mirth- but only on Sundays and Tuesdays (in winter). When the eyes blaze, can a character look about, or does the blazing singe too many eyebrows and eyelashes? Do the nostrils flare? And what do them lip things do? (Character's probably eating, so they're kinda stuck keeping food and drool in place.)  Nothing captures emotions like eyebrows scrunching though, whether it's in consternation or vexation or mere puzzlement- wait, don't they rise in puzzlement? Or is that befuddlement? (Right now one of my own is scrunched while the other is raised very Spock-like as I puzzle my way through my vexing consternation.) And let's avoid talk of whether the forehead is furrowing or other wrinkles are crinkling- that's just going overboard.

Too bad them white globes can't change color. Then the eyeballs themselves can become completely expressive. Wait, we're authors! Who says them white eyeball globes (otherwise known as sclera) can't change from unexpressive (inexpressive?) white to blushing pink to enigmatic purple to blazing red or twinkling green? Them eyes can already blaze and twinkle and who knows what else! Nothing like color-coding to let the other character(s) noticing them blazing or twinkling eyes know exactly what's going on. (Hopefully we're not in first-person POV when the POV character's eyes blaze and twinkle, unless there's a mirror conveniently nearby.)

Too bad we don't have gills on our necks. I imagine they'd be able to flap furiously or purse themselves disapprovingly. Wait! We're authors...

I don’t think you’re supposed to drink the bong water...

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Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

LOL

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8 Reply by Dirk B. (edited by Dirk B. 2018-07-25 15:21:35)

Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

Twas the Night Before Christmas
...
His eyes -- how they twinkled;
His dimples: how merry,
His cheeks were like roses,
His nose like a cherry...

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Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

Dirk B. wrote:

Twas the Night Before Christmas
...
His eyes -- how they twinkled;
His dimples: how merry,
His cheeks were like roses,
His nose like a cherry...


Exactly.

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Re: Can eyes express emotions or thoughts?

Debbie Green wrote:
Dirk B. wrote:

Twas the Night Before Christmas
...
His eyes -- how they twinkled;
His dimples: how merry,
His cheeks were like roses,
His nose like a cherry...


Exactly.

This is exactly right. If you are writing a preposterous poem or tale, then the more "rules" you break, perhaps the better for the humorous effect. Doesn't quite work the same for a more traditional novel or short story. Still, rules were made to be broken or have exceptions. Take care. Vern

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