Fundamental qualities fact that these four terms, especially the last two, are so broad in their application that they are not convenient to use in characterizing masterpieces. More convenient, because specific, are the terms which in earlier chapters are grouped about clearness, force, and beauty. They form, however, but a small fraction of the vocabulary of criticism, which contains literally thousands of terms. For the most part they are not purely technical, but such as are employed commonly in talking about men and women. Not a few focus attention upon the effect produced upon reader or listener. Fascinating, bewildering, inspiring, and thrilling are examples of this sort. Others are concerned with the art of composition, such as graphic, dramatic, melodious. A very large number are devoted to the author's individuality, as keen, dignified, eccentric, cheerful. Non-technical terms best It is not advisable to memorize lists of critical terms; as a rule the difficulty lies in discovering what, in a given masterpiece, produces its charm and what perchance may displease us, rather than in finding terms to express our likes and dislikes. There is a certain advantage, however, in having a few lists of terms convenient for ready reference, partly because precisely the right adjective will not always come to mind when desired, and partly because the young student needs to be impressed, as he is likely to be if he examines the lists with care, with the thought that since books are but men and women revealed through their words, we require, when talking about masterpieces, few terms not found in the vocabulary of common, daily life. Literature at its best is not technical and complex but very simple, and such should be the terms we employ when talking about it. The diagram below is designed not only to fix in memory the fundamental qualities of style, but to show the interdependence of these qualities. Purity is represented as the broad foundation of the higher qualities. Clearness and Force are placed side by side because usually found together. One hesitates to declare that either is more important than the other. But Beauty, though dependent on all the lower qualities-based upon them, surely deserves to stand highest. CHAPTER VII NARRATION Definition The technical name for all connected communication of thought by means of words-all composition, that is, whether oral or written-is discourse. There are four forms of discourse: narration, description, exposition, and argument. The first of these is the story-telling form. It includes all compositions which give, in orderly fashion, the particulars of an event or a series of events. The brief accounts we give one another of our happenings from day to day are narratives; so too are the news items furnished by the daily papers. Biographies, histories, and books of travel are made up largely of narration; and anecdotes, short stories, novels, and plays are conspicuous examples. Purpose of this chapter In the chapters on purity, clearness, force, and beauty we have considered a number of ways in which compositions may be made effective, with but little regard to whether these compositions are narration or some other form of discourse. Later chapters have something to say about the art of composition as found in such important literary forms of narration as prose fiction and drama. The purpose of this chapter is to bring together a few practical suggestions in regard to the more common, simpler forms of narrations such as all of us employ day by day. First suggestion: Do not waste time in unnecessary preliminaries. Notice the word unnecessary. Usually some account of when and where the incidents occur is desirable, Unnecessary preliminaries some explanation of attending circumstances; but such preliminaries should be brief. For example, if the purpose of a narrative is to tell how you caught a trout, it is unquestionably unwise to devote merely the last of six paragraphs to the actual struggle between you and the fish. What happens is the important thing to be told, and the most interesting thing; therefore get through with preliminary explanation as quickly as possible. order Second suggestion: Follow a chronological sequence; that is, tell of the incidents in the order of their occurrence. This Following is sometimes a difficult matter, especially chronological when many things have happened in quick succession, or apparently "all at once." Moreover the memory is treacherous and the mind does not always keep things arranged in their proper sequence. Finally, through excitement, or embarrassment, or haste, the narrator becomes "all mixed up," or incoherent. It is hardly necessary to add that a good way to avoid incoherency when writing a narrative is first to make out a topical plan and then study it carefully to see if each item is in its proper place. Making Third suggestion: Make the narrative complete, omitting no essential detail. This refers not only to incidents but to explanations. What happened may have narrative made a deep impression on the narrator's complete mind; he was present, it may be, and saw it all-perhaps was one of the actors. Yet he may not realize how much must be explained in order that others may have sufficient material out of which to construct mindpictures, or images. He does not realize that he must be eyes, ears, and all the other senses for those to whom he tells his story. That this third suggestion is needed is well proved by the fact that often when told of an accident, for example, we repeatedly interrupt the informant with questions questions asked because our minds, busily employed trying to form correct pictures of what happened, find that they lack sufficient material. It is an excellent plan, therefore, when writing a narrative, to pause frequently and ask, Am I giving a sufficient number of particulars? Will my readers real-ize this series of incidents and see plainly what occurred? Fourth suggestion: Do not bring in irrelevant matter. In other words, preserve unity. How long it takes the unskilled yet loquacious narrator to tell of Excluding some simple occurrence! He digresses; he irrelevant imparts unnecessary information; he com- matter bines two or three stories, it may be, unable to keep in mind the one important task before him. A narrative should move with reasonable rapidity and directness, whether it be a simple item of news or a long romance. Climax order preferable Fifth suggestion: Try to keep up the suspense. Keep something back, if possible, that the reader or listener may be led on and on, ever expecting something new, till a climax, with its attendant moment of surprise and its gratification of curiosity, has been reached. At first thought, this precept may seem more appropriate for writers of fiction than for those whose main purpose is to picture events faithfully; yet a little practice will show that even in reporting the common incidents of every-day life it is possible to give our narratives something of dramatic structure. Sixth suggestion: For vividness, introduce dialogue when possible. We like to hear others talk. What did he say? is a question we are all fond of asking. Dialogue We prefer novels in which there are many pages of dialogue; for dialogue makes the narrative seem real, brings us nearer to the characters. And since what |