I dunno, David... Seems "block that metaphor"-worthy to me.

Well, we don't have the rest of the book to compare it to. Extracting a few lines to highlight her metaphorical bent will necessarily emphasize the juicier examples.

Besides, there's nothing wrong with this line:

“Twice a day behind their house the tide boarded the sand. Four times a year the seasons flopped over. Clams live like this, but without so much reading.”

Since I have been in Dillard's house, I can report that she does indeed live by the words in the Ginger quote (or did, in 1989). Not a cheese ball in sight.

Besides, there's nothing wrong with this line:

I did like the clam line. It was Lorrie Moore-esque.

What are you implying, madame? That I have a steam powered Mark IV Purple Enprosenator running 24-7 in my basement at all times?

(Pssst, everybody! It's actually in his bathroom.)

Besides, there's nothing wrong with this line:

"Twice a day behind their house the tide boarded the sand. Four times a year the seasons flopped over. Clams live like this, but without so much reading."

Man, I really dislike "the seasons flopped over." Flopped?

Yeah, I'm going to have to say I find little purpose in her purple. It feels less stained glass, more Bedazzler.

It feels less stained glass, more Bedazzler.

Heh. Dead on.

Also, that would be an awesome writing workshop: Is There Purpose to Your Purple?

It feels less stained glass, more Bedazzler.

Oh, snap!

Besides, there's nothing wrong with this line:

I was going to leave out the third selection in my quoted text, but "seasons flopped over" convinced me otherwise.

Yeah, I'm going to have to say I find little purpose in her purple. It feels less stained glass, more Bedazzler.

Ha! But very true. And it's not like I'm disdainful toward lurid and overblown writing or anything.