Decoding Strunk’s Rules: Evaluating Choices According to The Elements of Style

The Elements of Style, famously penned by William Strunk Jr., has remained an iconic guide for writers since its first publication in 1918. Its principles have been hailed as the fundamental building blocks to achieving clear, concise, and graceful writing. Strunk’s rules, although seemingly rigid and inflexible, in fact, provide a reliable framework that helps writers make better stylistic decisions. This article aims to decode these rules and discuss how they can be evaluated according to the Elements of Style.

Strunk’s Rules: The Foundation of Stylistic Choices

Strunk’s rules serve as excellent scaffolding for constructing efficiently worded and impactful prose. The first rule, "Choose a suitable design and stick to it," underlines the importance of consistency in writing. Whether it’s the narrative style, tense usage, or voice used, consistency is key. Strunk emphasizes that any deviation from the chosen design should be justified, not random. This rule, when adhered to, results in a cohesive and harmonious piece that is easy and enjoyable to read.

Another of Strunk’s rules, "Use the active voice," has been a topic of intense debate among writers. Strunk argued that active verbs make for more direct, vigorous writing. He believed that the passive voice often leads to ambiguity and dullness, as it shifts the focus away from the subject performing the action. However, it’s important to note that the passive voice is not intrinsically flawed; it can be used strategically to emphasize different aspects of an action. What Strunk’s rule encourages, above all, is conscious decision-making about verb usage based on the effect the writer aims to achieve.

Evaluating Decisions Through the Lens of ‘The Elements of Style’

Strunk’s rules, while providing a solid framework for stylistic decisions, are not meant to restrict writers’ creativity. Rather, they can be seen as tools to critically evaluate the choices made in writing. For instance, the rule "Omit needless words" helps writers identify and remove redundancies to achieve brevity and clarity. Yet, what qualifies as ‘needless’ is subjective and depends largely on the context, purpose, and target audience of the writing.

Similarly, the rule "Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end" can be instrumental in guiding sentence structuring decisions. It helps writers create a sense of drama or surprise, and to emphasize important points. However, it is up to the writer to determine what needs emphasis and when. As such, Strunk’s rules should be seen as guidelines that enhance decision-making processes, rather than rigid dictums that stifle creativity.

In conclusion, Strunk’s rules as outlined in "The Elements of Style" have proven their worth as an indispensable aid for writers. They equip writers with a firm foundation upon which to build their stylistic choices. However, it’s crucial to remember that these rules are meant to be evaluated and adapted according to the unique requirements of each writing task. As Strunk himself said, "It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes disregard the rules of rhetoric". This is not to encourage lawlessness in writing, but rather to suggest that a conscious, purposeful deviation from the rules can result in a more dynamic and engaging prose. Ultimately, the value of Strunk’s rules lies in their ability to engender thoughtful and deliberate writing decisions.