Teachers' outlines for studies in English, based on the requirements for admission to college — Key Ideas to Explore

Scott was trying to portray Saxon character. What are the individual traits of each? What have they in common?

What, if anything, in Rowena compels your admiration of her? What, if anything, is lacking to make her truly a heroic figure?

How does Rebecca compare with Rowena in the latter particular?

Do the principal characters remain the same from beginning to end, or do they show development?

Do we become acquainted with these characters by what they say and do; by what the author says of them; or by what they say of one another?

INTERPRETATION.--It is fair to suppose in every novel that the author has had a more or less distinct purpose in writing it. It may be to present in life-like pictures some dramatic events in history; or to paint vivid scenes that illustrate the spirit of an age; or to hold up ideals of bravery, patriotism, patience, devotion, or some other virtue; or to show the working out of some great truth or principle of life.

What seems to you the purpose of the author in _Ivanhoe_? What ideals of character does he hold up? What service has he done for the reader of history?

METHOD OF NARRATION.--Who tells the story? Would it be difficult to rearrange the plan so that Ivanhoe or some other character should tell it? Why?

Does the narrator speak from the standpoint of one who somehow or other knows all that the characters do and think and feel, or of one who recounts merely his own feelings and what he sees and hears?

Compare _Ivanhoe_ in this respect with _The Vicar of Wakefield_, or with some other novel.

STYLE.--Does Scott attempt to reproduce the language of a time other than his own? Does he introduce dialect? Do the characters talk naturally as we should expect persons of different birth and education to talk, or do they talk alike?

Note how Scott describes an outdoor scene (p. 6); a man (p. 7); a scene of action (pp. 300-306). Try to imitate his methods in descriptions of your own.

Note the parts of the story where the movement of events is very rapid (pp. 322-330), and others where the author introduces description or exposition (pp. 148-152) to retard the movement.

Do you find the sentences natural and easy, or formal and hard to read? Are there many unfamiliar words?

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR.--What are the main facts of Scott's boyhood? his education? his professional career? his success as a poet? his change from poetry to prose? his success as a novelist? his financial distress? his struggle to meet the demands of the law and of his own honor?

Would you judge from _Ivanhoe_ that the author was a man of learning? a lover of nature? fond of social life? fond of animals? fond of children?

Write what you think we have reason to believe of Scott's character from reading this book.

OUTLINE FOR THE STUDY OF THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD

It is well to suggest to pupils who have read _Ivanhoe_ and now turn to the _Vicar of Wakefield_ that the latter is not a romance, but a novel of life and manners; not an exciting story of heroic deeds and wonderful escapes, but a story that paints clear pictures of simple life, quiet humor, and true sentiment. A few facts of Goldsmith's boyhood and young manhood should be dwelt on in order to show his familiarity with the country, the church, and with other matters treated in the story. Other topics of interest are the circumstances that led to the publication of the book; the comparative newness of the novel in literature; eighteenth century essays, like the _De Coverley Papers_; similarity between such essays and this novel.

II. Reading and Study

To become familiar with the details of this story is simple, but students are likely to overlook little references to the customs and manners of the time, and to fail to use their imaginations in picturing the beautiful but simple scenes of country life.

III. Study of the Book as a Whole

SETTING AND SITUATION.--Find five or six references in the story that throw light on the time when the events are supposed to have taken place. (See customs of travel in Chapter III, of dress in IV and XII and of the punishment of criminals in XXX and XXXI.) Draw as definite a conclusion as you can from these references, and be prepared to defend it.

Where is Wakefield? Do we know whether the places described are English or French or Irish? Give reasons.

Could the scene have been laid in some other country or some other century without radically changing the story? What alterations would be necessary?

What do we learn from this book about customs in dress? means of travelling? education? other customs?

PLOT.--How long a time is involved from the beginning to the end of the story?

At what point did you discover the identity of Mr. Burchell? Could you have discovered it earlier if you had read more closely?

Are there frequent surprises, or do events occur as we expect them to?

Are all the events probable? Has the author succeeded in making them seem probable?

Is the plot simple or complex? How many chapters are used to introduce the story? What is the climax?

Is there, as in _Ivanhoe_, a series of scenes closely connected? Are there incidents that might have been omitted as superfluous? If so, would the story have been more, or less, interesting without them?

How far does Mr. Burchell influence events? How far does Mr. Jenkinson influence them? Squire Thornhill?

CHARACTERS.--Does the author make us acquainted with the various characters by what he says of them; or by what they say and do themselves; or by what they say of one another; or by all of these methods? Examine Chapters I, III, VII, and XI.

Is the Vicar a man of intelligence? of sincerity? of good judgment? Name his chief traits. Would he command our respect if he were our neighbor? Account for the fact that people have been charmed with his character ever since the book was written.

Do the characters seem true to life? Do they remain the same kind of persons from first to last, or do they show development?

Contrast the Vicar and his wife; Olivia and Sophia; Squire Thornhill and Sir William.

INTERPRETATION.--The writer of a historical novel aims to give a vivid picture of certain dramatic events in history. The writer of a novel of life and manners usually has some ideal of life or character, more or less clearly defined, that he endeavors to picture. Try to frame a statement of some truth the Vicar's life may fairly be said to illustrate which seems to you the central idea of the story.

METHOD OF NARRATION.--Who tells the story?

Would the effect have been essentially different if someone else had told it, perhaps Mrs. Primrose, or the author himself?

Does the narrator speak from the standpoint of one who somehow or other knows all that the characters do and think and feel, or of one who recounts merely what he himself feels and sees and hears? Compare with _Ivanhoe_ in this respect.

To what extent does the author use dialogue?

STYLE.--Is there any attempt to use dialect?

Do the characters talk as we should expect them to talk, or do they all talk like the author?

Note a few passages that express humor; some that express pathos. Find a few descriptions that present vividly a scene of beauty. Are the sentences easy and natural, or formal and dignified?

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR.--What do we know of Goldsmith's childhood? his family? his education? his professional training? his travels? his friends in London? his literary enterprises?

What can you find in the experiences and character of Dr. Primrose, of Mr. Burchell, or of George Primrose to suggest Goldsmith's own experiences and character, or those of his father?

What characteristics of Goldsmith do you think you have a right to infer from this story? Give reasons.

COMPARISON.--Does the charm of this novel lie in the setting? in the plot? in the characters? in the style? in the lesson it teaches? or in all of these factors together?

Compare this book, topic by topic, with _Ivanhoe_ or with some other novel recently studied.

OUTLINE FOR THE STUDY OF CRANFORD

It is important that a young student before he begins to study _Cranford_ should have some idea of the kind of story that it is. Otherwise he is likely to be disappointed and to fail to appreciate its charm. Several ways are suggested for approaching the first reading. Let the teacher, or if possible one of the class, give an account of a small English village, using photographs, if they are available, to show some characteristic features. Let the class write an account of some country place that they know well with definite details of the houses, the people, and the customs. Have the best accounts read in class. Present to the class, or have them study from the introduction, the brief facts of the history of this story: who Mrs. Gaskell was; her connection with Knutsford; the original purpose of the _Cranford_ sketches.

II. Reading and Study

Oral reading is more than usually important in a book like _Cranford_, for much of the enjoyment of the story comes from an appreciation of its wit and humor, and these qualities can best be brought out by oral reading. Some part of each day's recitation period might well be devoted to the reading of choice passages. Of special value in securing appreciation of the story is the preparation of compositions based on the students' own knowledge of country life. They may be descriptions, both real and imaginative, of some country village; accounts of small social gatherings or card parties; dialogues to show the characteristics of the people, etc.

In addition to these exercises there will, of course, be need for cross-questioning to make sure that the important facts relating to the scene, the characters, and the events are clearly understood. Some care will be necessary to see that students understand the virtues as well as the foibles of the characters.

III. Study of the Book as a Whole

SETTING AND SITUATION.--Does Cranford seem like a real place? Give reasons for your answer.

When are the events related supposed to have taken place?

Why does Mrs. Gaskell pay so little attention to the details of time and place?

Could the scene of this story be changed to some other place and time without difficulty? Give reasons. Compare Cranford with some place that you know in respect to the poverty, aristocracy, social etiquette, employments, and peculiar ways of the people.

PLOT.--What relation does Chapter I bear to the rest of the book? Are there suggestions in it that make you expectant of what is to come in the ensuing chapters?

What connection has Chapter II with the preceding chapter? with the following?

Are Chapters III and IV connected? Are they connected with what follows?

Group the remaining chapters to show which belong together.

How many separate stories do you find with no connection except for the presence of the same characters?

We are told that a good story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. What seems to be lacking in _Cranford_?

If we were to consider as complete stories the incident of Miss Matty's love affair or of Poor Peter, should we find the same lack?

CHARACTERS.--What are the chief motives that prompted the Cranford ladies to do the things that they did, and to do them in the way they did?

How did Captain Brown differ from them in the motives that prompted his actions?

Show how the incident of Miss Jenkins's argument with Captain Brown on the relative merits of Mr. Boz and Dr. Johnson, illustrates one side of Miss Jenkins's character. What is her other side? Illustrate. Compare Miss Matty and her sister to show the strength and weakness of each. What was there in Miss Matty that made the other ladies help her so generously in her trouble?

What sort of woman was Mrs. Jamieson? Were her neighbors blind to her faults? Why did they treat her as they did? Do you think they were insincere?

What other characters in the story have a distinct personality?

INTERPRETATION.--What purpose do you think the author had in writing this book?

From this story, what would you judge were her ideas on sincerity? on the treatment of one's neighbors? on conformity to custom? on social rank? and on other matters of everyday life?

METHOD OF NARRATION.--Who tells the story?

Does the narrator tell us only of the things that she sees and hears, or of other things as well? How is it in _Ivanhoe_? Would the story have to be changed essentially if it were told by Miss Matty, Miss Pole, or some other of the characters? Give your reasons.

Has Mrs. Gaskell succeeded in avoiding the awkwardness in the use of "I" so common in stories told in the first person? If so, how? Compare it in this respect with one of your own narratives in the first person.

Point out, if you can, some ways in which the author has made her dialogues smooth and natural. Compare with one of your own.

STYLE.--Note a few of the most humorous passages; of the most pathetic. In the humorous passages is the author laughing _at_ her characters, or laughing _with_ them? Compare in this respect her treatment of Mrs. Jamieson, Miss Barker, and Miss Pole with Scott's treatment of Prior Aymer, Friar Tuck, and Athelstane.

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR.--What facts do we know of Mrs. Gaskell's girlhood? her education? her married life? her great sorrow? her first literary success? her acquaintance with the literary men of her day? the regard of her neighbors for her?

COMPARISON.--Does the value of this book lie in its setting? in its plot? in its characters? in its style? in its teaching? or in all of these factors?

Compare _Cranford_ in respect to each of the above topics with the other novels that you have studied.

OUTLINE FOR THE STUDY OF SILAS MARNER

A few facts about George Eliot's early life will help to show how she could write as she did about country people--their ideas, habits, and manner of life.

II. Reading and Study

A rapid reading, followed by a second and more careful one, is quite practicable with so short and interesting a story as _Silas Marner_. It is especially to be recommended for this book, since the chapters are so full of suggestions of character, of customs of a by-gone time, and of hints for the further development of the story, that it is difficult for a young reader, urged on by his interest in the plot, to stop long enough to grasp all the essential features. So many important lessons for the beginner may be drawn from the structure of this book, from its teaching, and from its representation of life, that it especially repays thorough study.

III. Study of the Book as a Whole

SETTING AND SITUATION.--What means does the author take in Chapters I and III to acquaint us with the time of the story? How definitely can you fix it? (See p. 47, l. 22.)

What sort of place was Lantern Yard? Describe the people who worshiped there. What was their social life? Why was their church called a chapel?

Compare this place, where Silas first lived, with Raveloe in respect to location, people, religious beliefs, wealth, social life, etc.

Although Raveloe is not on the map, in what part of England is it supposed to be?

Do the descriptions, for example, of the company at the Rainbow or of the party at the Red House, seem like caricatures or like pictures from real life? Give reasons.

Has the author been true to the life of a certain place and time? (See Introduction, p. 34.) Is the setting closely interwoven with the story, or could the scene have been changed without loss of interest to New England, or to some other place, fifty or a hundred years later? Give reasons.

PLOT.--Make a list of the most important scenes (seven or eight in all), note the train of incidents that leads to each, and the suggestions in each that prepare us for the further development of the story. Show that there are two distinct stories separately introduced, but finally woven together.

Note in what places these distinct stories touch each other and how they are knitted together. In the arrangement of the scenes is there any attempt at contrast? (See Introduction, p. 40.) Are any of them merely episodes that might be omitted without loss to the story? Most of the scenes mark a climax. Is there any one scene so interesting and important by reason of the characters brought together and the facts unfolded that we may call it the climax of the story?

Is there unity in the plot?

What use is made of Marner's cataleptic fits in the development of the plot?

How are we prepared for the explanation of the mystery of the lost gold? (See p. 94, ll. 24-29; p. 97, ll. 17-20; p. 241, l. 29; p. 242, l. 3; p. 268, ll. 3-21.)

Why does the author cause Marner to go back to Lantern Yard and fail to learn anything of his former friends and the results of their injustice?

How many of the principal characters are brought into the last chapter?

Is what is said of them, and what they say themselves, characteristic?

Has the scene any beauty in itself?

Sum up the features that make it a fitting conclusion.

CHARACTERS.--From what classes of society does the author take her characters? Is she equally successful in dealing with the different classes?

Contrast Nancy and Priscilla. Which is the more interesting? Why?

Trace the changes that take place in the characters of Silas Marner and Godfrey Cass.

Do the other characters change too, or are they essentially the same throughout the story?

Do you think Marner's sudden loss of faith seems probable in view of his religious devotion?

What is the significance of the Sally Oates incident (p. 65) in Marner's life?

What effect did the gold have upon him? Contrast this with the influence of Eppie.

In the development of Marner's character, what is the significance of the scene at the Rainbow when Marner tells his neighbors of the loss of his gold?

What sort of man was Godfrey at the beginning of the story? Was there any excuse for him in his lack of manliness? State the struggle going on within him the night before he told his father about taking Fowler's money. What was the effect on him of telling only a little of his secret? Why did he at last tell Nancy all? What was his punishment?

INTERPRETATION.--What idea does the development of Silas Marner's character illustrate?

Does the author's devotion to this idea mar at all your interest in the book as a story?

What truth does Godfrey Cass's life illustrate?

What satire do you find on people or customs?

METHOD OF NARRATION.--Who tells the story?

Could the author have made one of the characters tell the story just as well? Give reasons.

Does the narrator write as though in some mysterious way she knew all about the characters, or does she write only what she might have seen and heard?

To what extent does she use dialogue?

How do we become acquainted with the characters?

Find several passages where the author interrupts the flow of her story to make explanations for our benefit (for example, pp. 100-101).

STYLE.--Does the author use the language of her own time?

To what extent does she make use of dialect?

Is the language of the characters consistent with the author's description of them? Note the difference in choice of words and grace of expression when the author speaks in her own person, and when she speaks through the mouth of one of her characters.

Find passages that express humor (pp. 201-203), pathos (pp. 67-69), satire (pp. 184-185).

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR.--What do we know of George Eliot's early home? education? religious experiences? life while manager of the house at Griff? life at Coventry? early literary work? first attempt at novel writing? success as a novelist?

Would you judge from this book that she was fond of social life? simple country life? animals? children? books? Give your reasons.

How do you suppose she knew how to describe the horse sale? the evening at the Rainbow?