323 371 room." Sir Harry's expression faded to an impassivity as perfect as that of the granite 329 377 face before him. "Have you any authority from General "Then Major André is being murdered 317 | 365 their friends, if Major André " he hesi- vilely murdered! to provide your ex- 318 366 tated "should chance to escape." ample!" said Sir Harry hotly. "He was 319 367 "Colonel Flint," promptly replied the taken with a safe conduct from one of 320 368 American, "there is but one man in British your own general officers in his pocket. To 321 369 hands who would be acceptable as an exproceed against him as a spy is the rank- 322 370 change for Major André." est violation of the laws of war!" "And that man is - ?" cried Sir Harry, "That is a matter of opinion," said Cap- 324 372 his face lighting with a vast relief. tain Ogden. "The finding of the court- 325 373 "He whom I hear conversing in the next martial was that Major André had been 326 374 taken within our lines in citizen's clothing, 327 375 with a safe conduct from a man in the 328 376 British pay and the British service which, as you must see, Colonel Flint, had 330 378 the same moral force that a safe conduct 331 379 Washington for such an intimation?” he from yourself, or any other British officer, 332 380 asked. would have had within our lines - while 333 381 "I have no such assurance directly," reconducting treasonable negotiations for the 334 382 plied Captain Ogden, "but I am prepared sale of our most important fortress. Any 335 383 to say that if that proposal were to come one count of this accusation would have 336 384 from Sir Henry Clinton, it would be acprocured his just condemnation. All, to- 337 385 cepted, and Major André set at liberty." gether, made the sentence inevitable. And, 338 386 "No proposal so incompatible with every by the way, he is to suffer the full penalty, 339 387 principle of honor and military custom and be hanged. Not, as you seem to as- 340 388 would ever come from Sir Henry Clinton," sume, shot." 341 389 said that gentleman decisively. "I am in a The papers in Sir Harry's hands rustled 342 390 position to assure you of that." like the dead leaves outside the window. 343 391 "Then there is nothing more to be said "By, he can't be!" he swore fu- 344 392 on the subject," said Captain Ogden, rising. tilely. "You have no right to hang him! 345 393 "Allow me to bid you a good morning. I He is an officer in the king's service, and so 346 394 must be on my journey back to West not subject to a shameful death!" 347 395 Point." "He has been condemned as a spy," 348 396 With his hand on the knob and the door said Captain Ogden, "and will certainly 349 397 six inches ajar he paused, while a look suffer the due penalty for that crime, to 350 teach others how unprofitable are such oc- 351 cupations, if for no other reason." 398 of savage contempt impressed itself upon 399 his features. From the morning-room was 352 400 coming a steady, silvery flow of words 401 from the visitor within. After a moment of 402 listening, Captain Ogden closed the door again and spoke softly. Sir Harry started from the mantel, and 353 paced up and down the dining-room. Cap- 354 tain Ogden inclined an ear, as if listening 355 403 to the word-blurred conversation on the 356 404 other side of the partition. Outside the win- 357 dow the leaves whispered sibilantly in the 358 restless wind. "Colonel Flint," he said, "I am a plain 405 man of a plain people, and do not pretend 406 to understand all the subtleties of the code 359 407 of honor. But it occurs to me that the man "Captain Ogden," said Sir Harry, stop- 360 408 who did not hesitate to corrupt that swine ping short in his disordered walk, "in the 361 409 in there, and conducted that corruption prison ships of New York harbor are held 362 410 under the cover of a flag of truce, now twenty-six American officers, three of a 363 411 strains at a gnat — having downed a camel general rank. These will all be returned to 364 412 easily enough - when he refuses to deliver up the true culprit to the punishment he 413 430 stinately refused the liberal offers the The Analysis by John Gallishaw Heretofore in discussing short-stories in this series of analyses I have confined myself almost entirely to that type of story which deals with a situation calling upon the main character to accomplish some feat. My reason for so doing was that I did not wish to confuse those writers who were beginning for the first time to make a definite and intensive study of technical problems. It now seems desirable to take up the other type of story which deals with a situation calling upon the main character, not to accomplish something, but to make a definite decision between two or more courses of conduct. the situation of decision. The story of Wilkeson O'Connell, "A Point of Honor," offers a good example. It will be evident to any close student of the short-story form that there are two possible arrangements open to the writer who has chosen the decision type of story, just as there are two methods open to the writer who has chosen the accomplishment type of story. By this I do not mean the method of composition or writing. I do not mean to differentiate between the narrative method which utilizes the words of the author. The two possible arrangements to which I wish now to call your attention are the chronological arrangement in which the situation is preceded by the explanatory matter and the "flash-back" method in which the situation is first presented and the explanatory matter is then added. In the story of accomplishment there are a great many examples of the two different arrangements -the chronological order and the "flashback" order. But in the story of decision while there are many examples of the story which opens with the main situation and leaves the In a little volume which I am to publish soon I shall go more at length into the various ways in which material may be utilized and various forms in which it may be rendered. For the present it is sufficient to say that the two general divisions or types of story are those dealing with situations of accomplishment and those dealing with situations of decision. For immediate discussion, however, I am going to confine myself to a story which deals entirely with the second type, that is, answer to the question which it raises still in the balance, and then "flashes back" to explanatory matter, there are very few examples, indeed, of the story of decision, that is of pure decision, told chronologically. In order that you may understand why this is so, it is necessary only that you realize that of the various kinds of struggles which may be used as the Body scene of any story only one of these is strictly usable in the story of decision because it deals with a mental conflict. It deals with the attempt of a character to make up his mind as to which among a number of courses of conduct he is to pursue. If you will go over the stories which you have read and examine them closely you will find that those stories which contain scenes of mental conflict, and of physical conflict, and of oral conflict or argument you were ordinarily more interested in those which contained the oral or physical as opposed to those containing the mental conflict; and that the mental conflict was the one which more than any of the others you were inclined to skip. The reason for this becomes clear upon any close analysis. The whole purpose of fiction is to appeal to the emotions, and the appeal to the emotions can be made ordinarily only through images and through appeal to the senses, since the emotions are the sum of the observer's sensations. The process must be more an intellectual than an emotional one; and since the purpose of fiction is to appeal to the emotions and to leave the intellect out of the question as much as possible, then the task of the short-story writer who essays a story of decision is very hard. He has these limitations clearly before him all the time. For the interest of the story, that is the Body of the story, he is confined to a single scene, which because it is an appeal to the intellect, must be very short or it must run the risk of losing the reader's interest. It is the scene which must be bolstered up by pictorial detail. Yet, provided it is short, its importance will justify it. But the approach is likely to be slow. The ordinary refuge, then, of the person who pro poses to write a story of decision is to open with this main situation, to show the choice of conduct before the main character or to show that a certain choice of conduct must be made even though the various possibilities are left indefinite. Thus he captures the reader's attention by showing that a decision is essential, and piques the reader's curiosity by delaying that decision. Meanwhile he flashes back in point of time and tells the reader of other crises or situations, minor situations which confronted the character at former turning-points of his life, turning points similar to those of the big turningpoint or main situation of the story. As a result of these minor encounters the hero is shown as possessing definite character-traits from which the reader is able to deduce his actions in the main crises and to foretell to some extent the decision which he will make in this main crisis or main situation. This is the method used by John Galsworthy in "The Mummy" which I analyzed in THE WRITER for November last. This flash-back method of telling the story of decision is a very inviting one, because it looks easy. However, its appearance is deceptive. Still it is easier than the story of decision told chronologically. My observation shows me that the story of decision told chronologically presents the greatest of all difficulties to the writer. It is a difficulty which most writers balk by turning the explanatory matter which precedes the main situation into a situation of accomplishment and you have instead of a story of pure decision a story which begins with accomplishment and ends with decision. It is therefore a great pleasure to come upon a story which is one of pure decision told chronologically. That is why this particular story, "A Point of Honor" by Wilkeson O'Connell, is so interesting as an example in craftsmanship. The main character of the story, Sir Henry Clinton, has to come to a definite decision- whether he is to give up Benedict Arnold to the Americans or sacrifice his friend Major André. In order to save his friend he must go back upon a promise made to General Arnold to protect him from the revenge of the Americans. Two choices of conduct confront him. They are clearly cut and decisive. Unlike the story of accomplishment the story of decision has a narrative-question which is not "Can- - succeed in ?" but "What course of conduct will choose?" In this case "What course of conduct will Sir Henry Clinton decide upon when a point of honor is involved?" This main narrativequestion is clearly set forth by the author in lines 367-374. a chair and buried his face in his hands. He was not mourning his lost aide. His teeth were clenched." From line 427-436 we get the sequel of that decision. Sir Harry Clinton hears the voice of Arnold prove vain and plausible through the still open door to the morning room. His reaction to that voice is shown on lines 437-439. “Oh God, Oh God' groaned Sir Harry. 'To have lost André André- to get that." In addition to this sequel and to showing the effect upon the characters involved, lines 440-445 contain the significance of the story given in the words of the author, "But to do Sir Henry Clinton justice, it never occurred to him that he might actually redeem John André by a dishonorable expedient. For, according to his own ?' cried Sir Harry, lights, Sir Henry Clinton was an honorable his face lighting with a vast relief. man." "He whom I hear conversing in the next room.' ""Colonel Flint,' promptly replied the American, 'there is but one man in British hands who would be acceptable as an exchange for Major André.' "And that man is In this story there are 445 lines. The Beginning of this story occupies the first 374 lines. It contains the main situation, together with the explanatory matter necessary to the reader's understanding of that situation. Only at line 375 is the reader aware that Sir Harry Clinton must decide between surrendering Benedict Arnold to the Americans and keeping his word to protect that man. The Ending of the story is on lines 418-447. It includes the decisive act, which is the speech of Sir Harry Clinton, beginning on line 417 and running through line 419: ""General Arnold is under the protection of Sir Harry Clinton,' said Sir Harry stiffly, 'and that protection is inviolate.'" Just as the Beginning of the story is concerned with setting forth the main situation and its explanatory matter, so the Ending of the story is concerned with setting forth the conclusive act and its explanatory matter. This explanatory matter is concerned with showing the effect of that decisive act upon the characters involved. On line 420 we learn that "Capt. Ogden bowed and left the room." In lines 421-423 we see the effect upon Sir Henry Clinton: "Sir Henry Clinton sank into With the Body and Ending thus accounted for there are left only lines 375-416 for the Body of the story. It is in this Body of the story that its only weakness appears. The story might have been better pictorially had the writer shown the effect of Captain Ogden's taunt upon Sir Henry Clinton through his expression or through some other clearly pictorial reaction. In this way the mental struggle could have been indicated. Instead it is left to be implied by the reader. It is quite obvious that as soon as the reader becomes aware that Sir Henry Clinton has to decide between keeping his word to General Arnold and rescuing Major André his interest is aroused and he will certainly read from there to the end of the story. But the explanatory matter in the first 374 lines is all necessary. It is in these first 374 lines that the writer is faced with his most difficult task. He has to keep the reader interested for the length of time necessary to read those 374 lines. It is because Mr. O'Connell is a first-rate craftsman and because he understands the depiction of character that he is able to make a good job of this most difficult story. He understands the laws of interest. He knows how to arouse the curiosity of the reader and he knows further, that once having aroused the curiosity of a reader, it is necessary that that reader be kept interested through seeing forces in action, by seeing two forces meet. In this case, the forces are two human beings. First, Sir Henry Clinton and Captain Delland. Finally Sir Henry Clinton and Captain Ogden. Every writer knows either consciously or subconsciously that the only two ways in which the Anglo-Saxon interest in narrative may be aroused, is by a minor situation of accomplishment or decision and he therefore introduces at the earliest possible moment a minor narrative-question in order to hold the interest of his reader until the main situation or the main narrative-question is clear in that reader's mind. Mr. O'Connell loses no time in doing this. On line 3 the reader is aware that something is to be accomplished. He is aware of somebody with a narrative purpose and he is also made aware that there is somebody else who holds an opposing view. It is quite clear to the reader on line 3 that Captain Delland is trying to persuade Sir Harry to adopt a course of conduct, and from then on to the end of that encounter the two forces are clashing. The clash is not very vigorous but it is still clash. Wherever there are two forces at variance there is a clash. That is all that it is necessary for any writer to remember in keeping the interest of his reader until he arrives at a main situation. Structurally then, the Beginning of Mr. O'Connell's story is firstrate. It begins with an encounter, switches into another episode or meeting, resumes with an encounter between the soldier from West Point, Captain Ogden, and Sir Harry Clinton. The first of these encounters consumes the first 158 lines. Lines 159-208 are an episode between Sir Harry Clinton and the soldier who comes to announce the arrival of General Arnold. Lines 209-225 are another episode between Sir Harry Clinton and Capt. Delland. It will be noticeable that at the end of each of these meetings there is a definite crisis in the narrative. The first one, at the end of the encounter between Captain Delland and Sir Henry Clinton, makes clear to the reader that there is no way of rescuing Major André. This crisis which comes at the close of the episode between Sir Harry Clinton and the soldier makes clear to the reader that Benedict Arnold has arrived and that Sir Harry Clinton is called upon to assume a course of conduct. At line 226 which follows the episode between Captain Delland and Sir Harry Clinton it is evident that Sir Harry Clinton has the utmost disgust for General Arnold. We learn on lines 223-225 "Yet Sir Harry's mouth was puckered in sour disgust as he hearkened to them" (The words of General Arnold.) The result of each of these meetings is a crisis, but in the case of the first meeting the result is a minor crisis. But in the case of the meeting between Sir Harry Clinton and Captain Ogden the main crisis or turning-point, that is the main situation, becomes apparent at line 375. An analysis of this story will show that in the story of decision the interest is kept in the explanatory matter by presenting to the reader a number of meetings from which result definite crises or turning-points which indicate the character of the person who is being called upon to make the decision. It is obvious that these turning-points or crises must be the result of real characterization. It is because the characterization in this story is first-rate that Mr. O'Connell has been able to hold the interest of his readers for 374 lines, - an extremely difficult task for any craftsman, - one which very few craftsmen essay and one which only a very limited number are able to carry through to a successful completion. This is no task for the amateur. Of course the story is unique in the fact that much of the explanatory matter necessary in an ordinary story is not needed here because of the knowledge which most readers possess of the facts in this story. Everybody knows about the betrayal of West Point. Everybody knows who Benedict Arnold is and who Sir Harry Clinton is, yet even if more explanatory matter were added it is almost certain that Mr. O'Connell is a sufficiently good craftsman to have added it without in any |