710
4217
1923

Copyright, 1918, by
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY

All rights reserved, including that of
translation into foreign languages,
including the Scandinavian

5172

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES

АТ

THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y.

то

FREDERIC TABER COOPER

WITH ADMIRATION FOR THE CRITIC
WITH AFFECTION FOR THE FRIEND

517233

CHAPTER

CONTENTS

FOREWORD.

INTRODUCTION

I. THE PURPOSE OF FICTION

Fiction a Means of Telling Truth-Fact and

Fiction-Truth and Fact-The Search for

Truth-The Necessary Triple Process-Differ-

ent Degrees of Emphasis-The Art of Fiction

and the Craft of Chemistry-Fiction and Real-

ity-Fiction and History-Fiction and Biog-

raphy-Biography, History, and Fiction-Fic-

tion Which Is True-Fiction Which Is False-

Casual Sins against the Truth in Fiction-More

Serious Sins against the Truth-The Futility of

the Adventitious-The Independence of Cre-

ated Characters-Fiction More True Than a

Casual Report of Fact-The Exception and the

Law-Truthfulness the only Title to Immortal-

ity-Morality and Immorality in Fiction-The

Faculty of Wisdom-Wisdom and Technic-

General and Particular Experience-Extensive

and Intensive Experience-The Experiencing

Nature-Curiosity and Sympathy.

II. REALISM AND ROMANCE.

Two Methods of Exhibiting the Truth-Every

Mind Either Realistic or Romantic-Marion

Crawford's Faulty Distinction-A Second Un-

satisfactory Distinction-A Third Unsatisfac-

tory Distinction-Bliss Perry's Negative Defini-

tion-The True Distinction One of Method, Not

of Material-Scientific Discovery and Artistic

Expression-The Testimony of Hawthorne-

A Philosophic Formula-Induction and Deduc-

tion-The Inductive Method of the Realist-

The Deductive Method of the Romantic-

Realism, like Inductive Science, a Strictly Mod-

ern Product-Advantages of Realism-Advan-

tages of Romance-The Confinement of Realism

-The Freedom of Romance-Neither Method

Better Than the Other-Abuses of Realism—-

Abuses of Romance.

III. THE NATURE OF NARRATIVE

Transition from Material to Method-The

Four Methods of Discourse-1. Argumentation;

2. Exposition; 3. Description; 4. Narration, the

Natural Mood of Fiction-Series and Succes-

sion-Life Is Chronological, Art Is Logical-

The Narrative Sense-The Joy of Telling Tales

-The Missing of This Joy-Developing the

Sense of Narrative-The Meaning of the Word

"Event"-How to Make Things Happen-

The Narrative of Action-The Narrative of

Character-Recapitulation.

IV. PLOT

Narrative a Simplification of Life-Unity in

Narrative-A Definite Objective Point-Con-

struction, Analytic and Synthetic-The Im-

portance of Structure-Elementary Narrative-

Positive and Negative Events-The Picaresque

Pattern-Definition of Plot-Complication of

the Network-The Major Knot-"Beginning,

Middle, and End"-The Sub-Plot-Discursive

and Compacted Narratives-Telling Much or

Little of a Story-Where to Begin a Story-Log-

ical Sequence and Chronological Succession-

Tying and Untying-Transition to the Next

Chapter.

V. CHARACTERS

Characters Should Be Worth Knowing-The

Personal Equation of the Audience-The Univer-

sal Appeal of Great Fictitious Characters-

Typical Traits Individual Traits The Defect

of Allegory-The Defect of Caricature-Static

and Kinetic Characters-Direct and Indirect

Delineation-Subdivisions of Both Methods-

I. Direct Delineation: 1. By Exposition; 2. By

Description Gradual Portrayal]; 3. By Psy-

chological Analysis; 4. By Reports from Other

Characters-II. Indirect Delineation: 1. By

Speech; 2. By Action; 3. By Effect on Other

Characters; 4. By Environment.

VI. SETTING

Evolution of Background in the History of

Painting-The First Stage-The Second Stage

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