Trimble Chapter 7: Readability

How does Trimble’s claim in this chapter (Ch. 7: Readability) compare with the analogy we can make with the final battle scene in the film, “Stomp the Yard”?

On page 59 Trimble writes, “A readable style is one that invites reading”.  Trimble wants the author to do two things: be fresh (i.e. teach new information or amuse him) and wants the piece to be concise.  By utilizing those two points, the piece becomes readable, based on Trimble’s definition.  In “Stomp the Yard”, the final battle scene was nothing more than a dance off.  Pride and respect was on the line.  In order to win the battle, one group had to be “fresher” than the others, and wow the judges and crowd with their awesome dance moves.  If a dance move was overused or not out of the ordinary, the crowd would lose interest and the group that performed the weak move would lose.  Trimble feels the same way in readability.  If you want your piece to be read and not put down after a couple of sentences, it needs to be different, informative (or amusing) and concise.