>mfw i hear someone use the word pretentious as a critique

a lot of authors are legitimately pretentious though - they're simpletons trying to disguise trite and vapid messages through a veneer of intellectualism and depth. key examples that are relevant on /lit/ would be mccarthy and dfw

>>7725876
the key example would be your post.

>>7725900
Your attempt at a witty reply didn't make sense.

cringe

>>7725888

Pretentious is a word to justify your own inability to understand a work of art.

>>7725912
>>7725888
You're both wrong.

cringe

>>7725912
no pretentious means "attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed"

>>7725916
The entire definition falls apart at "than is actually possessed"

Keep using your conflated and stupid words.

cringe

It's a valid criticism that's been used for a long time by some of the most renowned literary critics.

The great French writer Barbey d'Aurevilly in his famous commentary of Les Misérables uses the word "prétentieux" and various synonyms multiple times to discredit Hugo's work. And he is absolutely right in doing so. Les Misérables is indeed a bloated, pontificating, "pretentious" piece of stale melodrama.

>>7725929
>It's a valid criticism that's been used for a long time by some of the most renowned literary critics.

Appeal to authority, lol?

>The great French writer Barbey d'Aurevilly in his famous commentary of Les Misérables uses the word "prétentieux" and various synonyms multiple times to discredit Hugo's work. And he is absolutely right in doing so. Les Misérables is indeed a bloated, pontificating, "pretentious" piece of stale melodrama.

Appeal to authority, lol?

Thank you for typing out a post that effectively said nothing but "This famous guy used it so I agree!"

Cringe

>>7725876
>>7725907
>>7725915
>>7725928
>>7725932

OP is definitely a dfw fanboy

>these fucking "cringe" spoilers

The irony is palpable.

>>7726063
>post count doesn't go up

Seems like I upset you buddy

cringe

>>7725888
this could have been as expressed as:

"some do, a lot of them try to sound smart"

OP is a confirmed edgelord and /r/books contributor
cringe

>>7725876
desu I pretentious is sometimes applicable to certain things but 90% of the time it translates to "that was different/unfamiliar so I didn't like it." Its so annoying because people constantly bitch about how things today lack creativity/ individualism and the second something unique comes along, it gets hit by the "it's pretentious" bandwagon. This doesn't just apply to books, but also to things like films, games etc.

>>7725928
>The entire definition falls apart at "than is actually possessed"
nuh-uh

>>7725876
My writing gets called pretentious all the time
Should I just try to use as simple words as possible

>>7725888
What are the pretense?

you can use "pretentious" when you can confidently deduce what the author was "trying to say"

you can see why this process would be controversial not to mention incredibly difficult

well of course all works of man are filthy rags before god
so of course its a valid criticism; as much so as would be 'self-righteousness' etc

>>7725888
this cucks.
Pretentious is to intelligence what "attention whoring" is to interesting.

>>7725932
you're a fucking idiot bruh

>>7726089
>>post count
oh man. you gotta be a fignewton desu wew