I have noticed this same phenomenon before. In the Clan of the Cave Bear series, the author seemed to get progressively more fascinated with the minutae of Ayla's metabolism as the series progressed. I can remember in one particular volume (which one I don't recall) feeling that the random descriptions of Ayla urinating were entirely gratuitous. And I didn't see the point. In the course of one of those novels, Ayla must have urinated 1000 times. Why was it necessary or helpful to provide an account of one or a few of those?

Stephen King does this a great deal as well -- Eye of the Dragon, Needless Things, the movie version of Green Mile all had a good deal of (to me) gratuitous urination in them. (Was there even some in On Writing?)

As a reader I find it adds nothing to the story, and actually, I find it off putting. Yes, people do these things, but unless it really forwards the plot, talking about them just seems unnecessary. Usually there just isn’t anything really that interesting about hearing about somebody’s bodily functions, and it can add a gross-out factor depending on how presented.

There are classic plays and cowboy epics that bring up farting for humor. If farting is good enough for 2000 year old Greek men in bedsheets, who am I to disagree?

Our brains are hardwired with awareness of and the meaning behind body functions. Monkeys throw poopie at their handlers to show displeasure. As any parent knows fart / poop humor is the first type of humor understood and displayed by children.

LOL

I could understand if you had a character that had never been to Europe before and is suddenly confronted in France with the hole in the floor and the hose. Or in Germany with the lack of toilet seats.(They have these black lines painted on the rim as if to say place cheaks here) Or the public rest rooms where you have to tip the cleaning lady sitting outside the door.

But leave it there--no need to describe how so and so figured it out--though those stand on the wood blocks holes in the floor might need some detail---but even then once is enough.

Same with aliens--once is enough if there is something odd or needed plot wise (The Gandulara<sp> Cycle)(guy is transformed into alien (ancient sort of human) and discovers he is a water saver by lack there of, of frequent urination and the fact it turns to crystal.)

I wonder if this goes along with the spoon feeding trend of books because of TV and movies?

quote:

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Sure, it could be overdone easily, but why not describe a little bit of urination if your scene takes you to the bathroom?

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Find the dog & what it is doing... http://www.abcgallery.com/R/rembrandt/rembrandt111.html

The name & a few hundred years turns a painting into a couple of million dollars.

Also in literary form from the Canterbury Tales "The Miller's Tale" Chapter 4: Lines 615-629 of 668 in Modern English:

http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html

Still funny 650 years on...

And so he opened window hastily,
And put his arse out thereat, quietly,
Over the buttocks, showing the whole bum;
And thereto said this clerk, this Absalom,
O speak, sweet bird, I know not where thou art.
This Nicholas just then let fly a fart
As loud as it had been a thunder-clap,
And well-nigh blinded Absalom, poor chap;
But he was ready with his iron hot
And Nicholas right in the arse he got.
Off went the skin a hand's-breadth broad, about,
The coulter burned his bottom so, throughout,
That for the pain he thought that he should die.
And like one mad he started in to cry,
Help! Water! Water! For God's dear heart!

That doesn't change the fact that they do happen. Some people must find them acceptable.

As far as bodily functions outside of the bathroom, I remember a scene in James Clavell's "Shogun" in which an offended samurai urinated on Blackthorn's back.