Greenfield High School - Bulletin Yearbook (Greenfield, MO)

Page 11 text:

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Critics tell us that We must attend to three things if we would see the harmonious whole that constitutes well-ordered discoures: form, content and spirit. I shall pass by the question of literary form because it is the most discussed and least understood of all elements of discourse when applied to the novel. It is not a theory by which literature. may be pro- duced, but is itself to be derived from literature already made. The novel, itis agreed, has not yet reached the zenith of perfection. Until it has done so or at least until it is old en- ough that we may feel that it has done so, the critical study of its form cannot be fruitful, except, of course, as to those general principles which may be applied to all literature. 'I have already, in a way, covered the ground of Content of the novel, which, to me, means little more or less than the spiritual truth it contains. In order, however, that this truth may be appeciated it is necessary that we observe the spirit of the writer. We need to see the man behind the work if We would grasp the significance of his utterance. His views of life are of more importance than his principles of art. We should know his charac- ter if we would read him sympathetically--the only way we can read with appreciation. We should know whether the author be joyous or sad, serious or satirical, man or mongrel, wo- man or vampire. Moreover we must know the mood of thc man and his prcductg whether of pensive meditation as of Gray in his Elegy, or of that sweet and not necessarily-fatal-sicle ness induced by Shakspeare in As You Like It, or of righteous indignation that blazes as of Carlyle, or of that high seriousness that characterizes everything that John Ruskin wrote. A knowledge of the age in which he lived, of the influences that have modiiied his personality and of the personality itself is a requsite. The death of lrving's sweetheart, the doubt and dyspepsia of Carlisle, the misanthropy and despair of Byron, are all to be esti- mated more than as mere facts in the study of the men. ' Excellence in literature demands an apprenticeship to diiiiculty. We must know the difiiculties that we may measure the men and their work. We .need less reading in quantity and more attention to quality, both of matter and method. We need to look for- the permanent, and to cast aside the stud of the hour. But, after all, the chief thing we have to do with books is rightly to interpret them, not that we may teach them directly, or that we may preach from, but rather that we may carry out that higher interpretation hinted at by Dr. Holland when he had Katrina say: lf from out my book I gather that which comforts and inspires a nobler, sweeter, beauty in my life, and give my life to those who cannot win from the dim text such boon, then have I borne a blessing from the book and been its best interpreter. - -

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Critics tell whole that constif question of literai of discourse when duced, but is itsel not yet reached tg ough that we maj except, of coursel 'I have alrl means little more truth may be appi to see the man bg views of life are l ter if We would ri should know whei man or vampire. l pensive meditatic ness induced by S Carlyle, or of tha A knowled personality and of doubt ands dyspep mated more thanf an apprenticeship and their work. We need l method. We neg But, after not that we may carry out that hi from out my bool my life, and givej borne a blessing 3 I i l I i 1 I 1 I I l o a I l l l i 1 , E l :gains-:f:v:v24,,,5 :.wr:L1,.,n,ra-4-.