belletristic
- adjective
- /ˌbɛləˈtrɪstɪk/
- Literature
:
belletrista
- As she explains, what is important about the personal is that the author has a personal investment in the topic (hence "obsessions" in the title), not for the sake of personal revelation but so that the writing may be "eloquent" rather than "dutiful and dull"; in other words, so that it appeals to a general audience in a belletristic way that theory does not, and to an upscale audience that might appreciate and expect "eloquent" writing.
Examples
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Trivial as the point may seem, it is something more than the inconsistency one might expect from belletristic sloppy thinking.
Academic text (1991) -
In the long view, Theory rather than personal or other kinds of belletristic criticism might in fact represent an aberration; historically, theory was marginal.
Academic text (1999) -
Moreover, recent belletristic criticism has not entirely abandoned theory, but calls upon familiar theoretical topoi, such as subjectivity and positionality, and, as I have noted, still works in fairly characteristic critical patterns.
Academic text (1999) -
In writing texts that identified and prescribed virtuous behavior and then transforming the production, sale, and purchase of those texts into a virtuous act, Franklin's belletristic writings and his economic prescriptions worked in tandem to demonstrate how individual labor and American commerce served the common welfare.
Academic text (2016) -
The collection of stories showcases a variety of belletristic styles that prioritize beauty and artistic expression over mere information.
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Many readers appreciate belletristic works for their lyrical prose and emotional depth rather than their factual content.
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Her essay on modern poetry is a fine example of belletristic writing that captivates with its artistic flair.
Synonyms
Valuing beautiful, stylish language more than facts
Antonyms
How Literary
Surface Forms
Etymology
Belletristic comes from the French phrase belles-lettres, made of belle ('beautiful') and lettres ('letters' or 'writing'), which literally means 'beautiful letters'. So, to call writing belletristic is to say it values style and beauty more than useful information.