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Show HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS OF INTERPRETATION 64 tute "his will for its inherent cause" what that inherent purpose. is, or it is necessary that he know words, he must know the in other The purpose should be expressed in a simple, terse form, for the sentence form is much too as a preferably definite. cause 1 substantive, The substantive leaves room for the mind and tion to grow as the student develops in the power of sion. Verboseness always indicates loose thinking. After the purpose is well understood and imagina comprehen accepted by the class, the students should be held to the communication of that pur entire pose. This purpose must be the means through which the selection is unified. The unstable, mushy elocution teaching, which permits all students to get or make any idea they feel inclined to from a piece of literature, should be taboo in any rational teaching. The interpreter is always limited by the author-or freed by him -whichever way we may wish to express it. This definite setting of purpose does not mean that individuality need be hampered, for the individual is free to use his own personal touch in express ing that purpose. 2 Examples. Tennyson's purpose in "In the Children's Hospital" is to give a characterization of an ideal nurse. You will find that your class, because they are not trained to pick out the central purpose, will tell yeu that Tennyson wished to show that a belief in Christ is necessary; that it is to tell the story of Emmie or contrast "our doctor" with the red-haired one; to anti own motives and to preach things are details of the nurse's rambling story, but. none of them will unify the beautiful story except the conception of an ideal nurse. vivisection. or All of these Each teacher should be free to determine his purposes, but the following may be helpful suggestions. The aim of the author in "The Awful Fate of Mr. Wolf" is entertainment; patriotism; "Eldorado" to sing a song; "The Explorer" reward; "Instans Tyrannus," to "A Kitchen in Colonel" to give a contrast show tyranny allegory; character study; "The Lady Rohesia" to burlesque; and so on. "Bannockburn" to stir to to illustrate true 1 See Chapter II, Part 1. These selections and many others mentioned in this book are taken from the author's two books Interpretative Selections for Hight Schools and In terpretative Selections for Colleges. 2 |
