Journeys Through Bookland Volume X Part 45

EXPOSITION. In Volume IV, beginning on page 14, is the story of Martin Pelaez, the Asturian, which will offer good material for a composition of another kind. The introduction to _Cid Campeador_, page 9, will give you information you are likely to need to answer questions.

As in the exercise just given, begin to read and make such explanatory comments as are needed to show clearly the character of Martin. You will, of course, need to make the story lucid to the children. Show that--

_a._ Pelaez was a Spanish grandee of great strength and n.o.ble form.

_b._ He was a coward at heart.

_c._ Twice he ran from the enemy and avoided battle.

_d._ Both times he was asked by the Cid to sit with him at the table, and not with the n.o.blest knights.

_e._ The first time Martin thought it an honor to himself; the second time, he saw it to be a grave reproof.

_f._ Thereafter he fought n.o.bly, was seated with the great knights, and became one of the Cid's most favored friends.

When these points have been fixed in mind, proceed to develop an outline for the composition. It may be something like this:

_a._ The character of Martin as we first meet him in the story, with instances to prove the nature of it.

_b._ His character after he was changed by the Cid, with evidences to show it. Exemplified:

1. He was a coward. We know it from-- (_a_) His flight during the first battle.

(_b_) His retreat during the second battle.

(_c_) The fact that he was large, strong and well versed in arms yet would not fight.

(_d_) The fact that he hoped to escape the notice of the Cid.

2. He was teachable. We know it because he needed but two lessons.

3. He was brave. We know it from his conduct in battle.

4. He had many n.o.ble characteristics. We know it because be became the trusted friend of the Cid.

Put into the form of a composition, we might expect something like this:

"Martin Pelaez, when we first knew him, was an arrant coward, for though strong, well-formed and versed in the use of arms, he more than once fled before the enemy. He had other traits of a coward, as we may know from his actions in hiding in his tent and hoping to escape the eye of his master and unfairly gain the reputation of a brave knight.

"Later, however, under the wise treatment of the Cid he was made ashamed of his cowardice, conquered it and became a courageous warrior. In fact, he was one of the bravest and most powerful knights in the army of the Cid.

"More than that, Martin Pelaez developed all the traits of a gentleman.

He became a good keeper of secrets, was wise in counsel and brave in action."

The foregoing is a good example of exposition, the third of the four forms of prose composition.

ARGUMENT. _The Boston Ma.s.sacre_ by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Volume IV, page 217) offers several good questions for debate. We may select the decision of the judges (page 223) as the one furnis.h.i.+ng the best opportunity. Hawthorne says, "The judges told the jury that the insults and violence which had been offered to the soldiers justified them in firing at the mob."

To bring the question into a form for debate we might write it, "Were the judges right in their decision?" This leaves the question evenly balanced, with no prejudice against either side. It might be put more formally: "_Resolved._ That the judges were right in their decision."

The effect of stating the question in the latter form is to throw the "burden of proof" on the negative. In other words, if the question is in the latter form and the arguments are equally balanced, the decision would have to be that the judges were right.

Having determined the form of the question, the children may be separated into two groups, as nearly as possible equal in ability, and one group may be appointed to take the side of the judges and one the side of the soldiers.

Having arranged the preliminaries, converse with the children freely, bringing out points equally in favor of both sides. Avoid any appearance of favoritism. If one side is manifestly stronger than the other, however, you may put them on a level by showing a few arguments to the weaker side. Do this openly, so that all may understand your action.

Encourage the children to study both sides of the question and to be fair-minded. In fact, the ordinary debate where children are appointed to argue upon a certain side of the question does not bring into play the same good methods of thought and judgment as the free debate, in which each child studies both sides of the question, determines which side he thinks the right one, and then argues for that side.

In this question urge the children to study the subject in their histories or in any reference books that may be handy. Help them to get at the truth of the matter. Hawthorne may show prejudice. Does he? We may feel a bias in favor of one side or the other. Do we? Then to the extent of that bias we are liable to be unfair and to fail in making a sound argument.

After the children have read what they can find on the subject, ask them to arrange their arguments in parallel columns, for and against the judges. Something like the following may appear:

FOR AGAINST

1. The Americans 1. The English had were the subjects of the oppressed the colonists English, and subjects by unjust taxes and in should be loyal. other ways (mention them) until the time for loyalty had ceased.

2. The colonists 2. If these colonists were not an organized were a mob they were body, acting legally. justified in their acts.

They were a wild mob, It was an insult and and mobs must be worse to quarter troops quelled or lives and upon them and they property cannot be protected. naturally resented it.

They had had no time to organize and make laws. They had to act at once.

3. The mob was 3. It is always the composed of wild young men who lead.

young men, and most In most great movements of the colonists did not it has been the approve of their acts. young men who were right.

4. The mob called 4. The soldiers forgot the soldiers "lobster-backs," their discipline and "red-coats," and called the colonists "rebel other insulting names rascals" and threatened before the soldiers to use bayonets.

spoke.

5. The mob crowded 5. The soldiers the soldiers off the should have kept to their sidewalk, threw snow barracks, but they paraded and lumps of ice at the streets and them. The young men p.r.i.c.ked the townspeople dared the soldiers to with their bayonets.

fire, threatened to drive them to their barracks and to beat them down.

6. Captain Preston 6. Captain Preston was acting under orders, was unwise, irritating, and he warned the colonists overbearing, and by his that he would preserve att.i.tude provoked the order at any risk. colonists beyond human endurance.

7. The firing was a 7. Captain Preston mistake. It was not by ordered his men to fire Captain Preston's orders. on the colonists.

8. The first shot was 8. A British sympathizer fired by a masked man in a mask fired who appeared on the into the crowd of unarmed balcony of a house and colonists.

fired at the soldiers.

9. The British soldiers 9. By withdrawing were soon withdrawn the troops the British and everything confessed that they were done to make the colonists in the wrong.

feel right about the affair. This showed that the British were still very friendly to the colonists, and desired their good will.

10. Judges who were 10. The judges were supposed to be honorable British appointees, not men heard all the in sympathy with the evidence and would not colonists and too much be liable to make any prejudiced to be able to mistake. decide fairly.

11. The judges 11. The judges knew were so thoroughly they were wrong and convinced that the soldiers were afraid to leave the were not guilty question to the jury.

that they told the jury what verdict to give.

The "points" given above show some of the really minor debatable topics that arise under the larger question. They show, too, how differently the same incidents may appear to different eyes. Perhaps some of the "points" are stated unfairly, to give strength to the argument. Bare a.s.sertions are not proofs and some of the "points" are nothing but a.s.sertions. Opinions are not arguments. Some of the statements would need to bolstered up by facts and "authorities" before they could be accepted as real arguments.

Most debates are oral, but, for our purpose, they are to be considered as written language lessons. Hence, when the arguments are marshalled as above, the child should select the side he feels to be right and compose his argument in proper form. Teach him to see the three parts to his argument, namely, the introduction, the body of his argument, and the conclusion. Tell him to make his style personal, clear, concise, logical, strong, persuasive and convincing. Show him what each characteristic in the above list means.

For example, the _argument_ for the judges made from the a.s.sertions given above might be stated as follows:

_Introduction._ "That the judges were right when they p.r.o.nounced Captain Preston and the eight British soldiers not guilty of murder when they fired on the colonial mob in what is incorrectly called the 'Boston Ma.s.sacre' will be proved in this argument."