The critique highlights the writing style of Norman Mailer's "The Naked and the Dead," suggesting it often lacks depth and precision. The author points out that the prose feels rushed, with an abundance of adjectives accompanying common nouns, leading to a superficial reading experience. This tendency to combine familiar descriptors with subjects gives the narrative a predictable and clichéd quality, detracting from the authenticity of the characters and events.

Moreover, the use of excessive adjectives is described as a hallmark of mainstream best-seller literature, suggesting that such stylistic choices prioritize commercial appeal over literary substance. This approach may attract a wide audience, but it also risks diluting the complexity and richness of the narrative, rendering it formulaic rather than engaging. Mailer's work, while popular, exemplifies this criticism of contemporary storytelling techniques.