quick question

[robertreams]

I am writing a story in which the protagonist often refers to his soon to be lover as his "David" (quotes because it is figurative), because he closely resembles the classic Michelangelo sculpture. Here is my question. First, should I even use the quotes; second, do I have to continue using them throughout or is once enough to signify the figurative nature of the comment?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[SexyGeek]

Figurative name

I don't think it is necessary to use quotes for what is essentially a nickname.

If I am talking about my good buddy Billy Joe Bob and I say in narrative:

I was holding Bubba's beer when he drove off the cliff.

I don't have to put "Bubba" in quote marks.

Perhaps when you introduce the reason for the name you would use quotes:

I thought of him as my "David," because of his resemblance to the famous statue in Florence.

After that I think you would just say:

I saw David coming into the room.

That's my opinion. YMMV.

 

[Hypoxia]

Perhaps when you introduce the reason for the name you would use quotes:

I thought of him as my "David," because of his resemblance to the famous statue in Florence.

After that I think you would just say:

I saw David coming into the room.

Ditto, except that since it's a private nickname, I would structure that as:

I saw my David coming into the room.

 

[sr71plt]

I'm not aware of an authority on this, but what I'd do is: First, I'd make clear in narration or diaolgue what the reference is to (my first response was King David of the Bible). Then I'd put double quotes around it the first time to make clear it's a euphemism. After that I wouldn't use the quotes. It wouldn't be worth doing if it confused the reader.

 

[SexyGeek]

David

I'm not aware of an authority on this, but what I'd do is: First, I'd make clear in narration or diaolgue what the reference is to (my first response was King David of the Bible). Then I'd put double quotes around it the first time to make clear it's a euphemism. After that I wouldn't use the quotes. It wouldn't be worth doing if it confused the reader.

Michaelangelo's David is, of course, King David of the Bible, but as a youth when he slew Goliath, and before he became King. While the statue itself is of a strong and well-muscled nude, perhaps the very name carries overtones of an innocent youth growing up to power. Some words and names stir ideas from the back of our minds that we might not even be aware of.

And here we have left the path of grammar and are trotting down another road ... message boards have a way of doing that.

 

[sr71plt]

As you noted, the David of the statue shows different attributes than either the David of the Goliath tale or the latter David as king. Which means invoking the euphemism means it's important for the author to establish in the narrative or the dialogue which attributes they are assigning to the euphemism.