Journeys Through Bookland Volume X Part 18

Is it not well for the parent to lead his child to see such things in literature, to search for them, and when they are found to treasure them and bring them for mutual enjoyment into the family circle?

G. EMOTIONAL POWER

Fiction appeals strongly to feeling and stimulates the growth of that series of great emotions that make so large a part of character. It may excite ambition and a thirst for power or wealth or give an impulse to labor and self-denial; it may teach us sympathy and love for our fellow-men, or arouse anger, hatred and defiance; it may give us a keener discrimination of right from wrong and lead us far on our search for truth, even into the calm of religious beliefs.

We see the play of emotions in the imaginary persons that pa.s.s before us, and as we learn to love our new friends, their influence pa.s.ses out to us through the words of the gifted author. Bob Cratchit's tender love (Volume VI, page 304) makes us more considerate of the sick and helpless; Tom Brown's manly defense of his praying schoolboy friend (Volume V, page 472) leads us to new respect and admiration for the boy who lives up to his principles, and drives us, perhaps, to begin again upon the duties we have neglected.

By studying with the children the feelings the characters in a story exhibit, the parent may give the best of moral lessons without the appearance of so doing and more effectively than by countless reprimands and formal orders.

As a suggestion of method we offer an outline based upon _Rab and His Friends_ (Volume VI, page 99), one of the most touching stories ever written, a series of incidents that appeal to every holy emotion.

Rab, the great mastiff, claims first place in our minds, dog though he is; but James and Ailie are such lovable beings that we never can forget them.

The story has been read through; we have followed the simple incidents to their pathetic climax; we have learned to know Rab by sight and to recognize his sterling character; James the honest, tender-hearted carrier, and gentle, suffering Ailie, his wife, have taken their places among the dear friends our imagination has created; we have noted the power of the author, his humor, his scholarly English and his sympathetic touch. We may have read the story more than once--at any rate we have read portions of it several times, so we can trace the emotions that are felt by the n.o.ble dog.

Page 100: When the little white bull terrier fastens himself upon Rab's throat and the strong muzzle prevents the big fellow from defending himself, "his whole frame stiffens with _indignation_ and _surprise_."

"He looked a statue of _anger_ and _astonishment_."

After Rab had been released from his muzzle and had killed the little terrier, "he looked down at his victim _appeased_, _ashamed_ and _amazed_."

Page 103: When his master aimed a kick at him, he "drew _cringing_ up"

and "slunk _dismayed_ under the cart."

When his master spoke kindly, "'Rab, ma man, puir Rabbie,'" "the stump of a tail rose up, the ears were c.o.c.ked, the eyes filled, and were comforted"; Rab showed _pride_ and _happiness again_.

Page 104: He was _pleased_ when the medical student scratched his huge head, and _anxious_, when no notice was taken of him.

When he first came to the hospital he felt _pride_ and _condescension_, "like the Duke of Wellington entering a subdued city."

Page 106: When James handed Ailie from the cart, "Rab looked on _concerned_ and _puzzled_."

Page 106: In the consulting room Rab was filled with _suspicion_ and _uneasiness_; he was "grim and comic," and eyed all three.

When Ailie was put to bed and Rab was permitted to enter the room he "slunk in," _half-ashamed_, but fully _determined_.

Page 107: Rab valued himself highly, but felt no conceit: he "had the _dignity_ and _simplicity_ of great size," and the "_gravity_ of all great fighters."

Page 109: Rab felt _perplexity_ and _anger_, "forever c.o.c.king his ear and dropping it as fast," when Ailie entered the operating room.

During the operation he felt _sympathy_ for the suffering of his mistress, _anger_ and _revengefulness_ at her tormentors; "his ragged ear was up, and importunate; he growled and gave now and then a sharp, impatient yelp; he would have liked to have done something to that man."

Afterward in Ailie's room he felt _fear_, _anxiety_ and a _desire to help_, and showed "how meek and gentle he could be, occasionally, in his sleep, letting us know he was demolis.h.i.+ng some adversary."

Page 110: Rab continued to feel a sense of _depression_, _sadness_ and _anxiety_; during his walks with the medical student he was "sombre and mild; declined doing battle--submitted to sundry indignities."

While Ailie seemed to be recovering Rab felt _kindliness_ and _subdued joy_, though _resentment_ lay close beneath the surface; he was "reconciled, and even cordial," had "made up his mind that as yet n.o.body required worrying," but was always prepared for it.

Page 111: As Ailie grew worse, _grief_ and _fear_ began to take possession of Rab; he "subsided under the table into a dark place, and was motionless."

Page 112: When Ailie called in delirium, her strained voice filled Rab with _surprise_, _astonishment_ and a sense of _guilt_; he started up "surprised, and slinking off as if he were to blame somehow, or had been dreaming he heard."

Page 114: At Ailie's death Rab was overwhelmed with _grief_; he licked her hand which was hanging down "all over carefully, looked at her, and returned to his place under the table."

The dog's feeling of _duty_, _obligation_ and _devotion_ was shown when he leaped upon the bottom of the bed "and settled himself, his head and eye to the dead face."

Page 115: Rab remained _in statu quo_ till the carrier returned; _love_ and _devotion_ filled his heart.

Page 115: His _grief_ wholly absorbed him; he did not notice his medical friend when the cart left the hospital.

Page 117: After the carrier's death, _grief_ wore down the dog's brave spirit; he became _discouraged_, _impatient_, _resentful_; "he was aye gur gurrin', and grup gruppin'." Yet he was _faithful_ to his trust, for he was only impatient and resentful when a stranger came and interfered in the business of the dead carrier.

It is evident that the study of emotions is to a great extent a study of character, and that in this instance, we have given a tabulation of Rab's traits of character. It is through the showing of his feelings that Rab influences us. A little introspection shows that we are feeling just what the dog feels, or that some emotion is aroused in us that responds to the feeling of the dog. We are not exactly _surprised_ when the bulldog grips Rab, but we are _indignant_ that he should have no chance to defend himself--we would be among the first to slit the muzzle. We may not be pleased that Rab killed the bulldog, but we are glad that Rab defended himself. We realize the strength of the mastiff's powerful jaws, and are not _amazed_ at what he did--we are now rather inclined to feel sympathy for the helpless little terrier.

So we might go on incident by incident and compare our feelings with those of Rab, but that would require much s.p.a.ce and perhaps it would not be of great benefit to the reader, for our feelings may not be his feelings, and the things which arouse him may have little effect upon another. It is sufficient to call attention to the value of a.n.a.lysis, and show that self-study is a valuable adjunct to reading.

It is well that most children are not likely to indulge to any great extent in introspection, for too much is injurious. However, it can do the young no harm for them to study the feelings of others, and now and then examine their own emotions. By so doing, they may learn that some reading, which is destructive to peace and productive of unpleasant or evil feelings, should be avoided.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND REFLECTIONS

The studies so far given are comprehensive, and are suited to all forms of fict.i.tious narrative. Most of the ill.u.s.trations have been drawn from the simpler tales in the earlier volumes, but the studies are equally applicable to the more difficult selections of the later volumes, and may be easily adapted by the parent to children of any age. The restrictions of s.p.a.ce have compelled us to offer but one set of studies here, but there are many simpler and many more difficult ones scattered through the books where the juvenile readers will find them, and it is hoped become interested in them. In another place we have shown parents how these may be found easily and used consecutively if they wish so to use them.

The studies here given serve to systematize the work and enable parents to see the logic of the plans. Children are not interested in the studies as such, nor in the plan, and, in fact, are liable to be repelled if the machinery of instruction is evident.

Fortunately, children like to read many times the things they enjoy, and should always be encouraged to do so. But they are likely to read stories over and over again, for the plot only, and to become so fascinated by it as never to notice the more valuable and intrinsically more interesting things the narrative contains.

Yet every person who reads or tells stories to young children has without doubt often noticed how insistent they are upon verbal accuracy.

The story must be told the third time just as it was the first and second times. This means that they are sensitive to the thing as a perfect whole, and feel that any change mars the beauty of the story as a scratch mars the face of a favorite doll, or a broken seat spoils the toy buggy.

There comes a time when, if you give a boy a mechanical toy, he is more interested in how it is made than in the running of it. He wants to "take to pieces" everything he has. Then he will enjoy a.n.a.lytical work on a story if he is led to it intelligently. Then the old stories come in for new readings, "to see how they are made," to find something in them that he never found before.

The style of reading which a child does when he is "looking for something" is very different from his reading when he is absorbed in the story. Suppose he is trying to find out what kind of a man is James, in _Rab and His Friends_. He forgets for a time the story, and reads rapidly along, merely running his eye over the pages, watching intently for the word _James_, or the word _carrier_. When either of the words appears he stops to read carefully. He may have to go back a few words, perhaps to the beginning of a paragraph, all the time with his attention fixed exclusively upon what is said about James. When he has read it on the first page, he skims along to the next one and stops again. This is reading intelligently for a purpose, and is really one of the most valuable kinds of reading, the kind he will use most frequently when he is a man, the one that will save time for him when in later years he most needs it. It is the style of reading, too, that is much neglected in the schools.

To a.n.a.lyze the character of the hero of a story is as practical a lesson in life as any child can gain. In trying to discern the springs of action, in seeing how words and acts show character, and how dress and appearance indicate what a person really is, he is learning to understand his acquaintances and to judge whether they merit his trust and confidence, or are to be regarded with suspicion and disdain. This is the practical wisdom without which many a man has found himself the victim of misplaced confidence, or allowed himself to be led into temptations he could not resist by those who professed friends.h.i.+p for him.

Again, when studying the scenes, a child is learning to picture vividly and exactly, and is training his mind to close discrimination. He is training himself to avoid the mistakes that the careless reader makes.

Many a man has found himself paying for careless reading, because he did not see a thing exactly as it was described to him.

At the risk of repet.i.tion we have argued again for the reading of stories in the different ways and for the different purposes suggested, for we know that the parent who will follow these plans will interest his children, will see them improve, and will find them growing nearer to him, while he will be more of a companion, less of a ruler. In so doing he may forget some of the cares of the day and find himself growing younger, more contented and happier as his family reaches the age when it can take care of itself. Then, later, when the long years of old age have come, it may be that the parents will discover that while they read and worked with their children they taught themselves to find in reading a solace for their loneliness.

It is scarcely necessary to say that many of these latter comments and suggestions are as applicable to reading other kinds of literature as they are to the reading of stories, but stories form so large a part of a child's reading that it has seemed best to place them in this connection. Many essays contain something of narration, and not infrequently an incident forms the basis of a beautiful lyric. In print these studies may appear formal and forbidding, but where they are presented in a conversational manner, they become attractive and inspiring.

Completed Studies

_The Hare and the Tortoise_

(Volume I, page 71)