GENERAL. “The Wake” suggests and pictures the customs of the Irish
following a death; at the same time it tells a story. For this latter
reason it is superior, as a narrative, to “Supers,” which emphasizes
the picture, the condition. Emphasis is placed on the situation, with
a gradual heightening of interest as to a suggested outcome. The young
wife of an elderly husband lies dead; she has loved and been loved by a
younger man; the younger man (Kennedy) has declared, “If anything ever
happens to that girl at your side, Michael James, I’ll murder you!” And
now as Michael sits in dumb misery, he awaits the fulfillment of the
threat. The passive situation is merged into the dramatic moment by the
advent of Kennedy, who seeing the dead woman, foregoes his intention.
SETTING. The locale, according to Mr. Byrne, is Ulster, North Ireland.
What is the length of the action?
GERMINAL IDEA. “I wished to write a story of an Irish wake which was
neither utterly sordid, nor indelicately funny.” Is the resultant mood,
atmosphere, in harmony with this intention?
THE ACTION. Where is your interest first aroused? At what point does
the principle of suspense operate to intensify interest? Is the
dénouement satisfactory? Is the action that of a “triangle” story?
Compare it, in this regard, with the action of “The Water-Hole.” How is
the love interest submerged in “The Wake”? How is the hostility Kennedy
bears James overcome? What bearing on the action and on the theme has
the blind misery of James?
THE CHARACTERS. From whose point of view is the story presented? Who
is the main character and why? Is there in any way a suggestion that
Death, as a character, controls? Or is the influence of the dead woman
dominant?
THE THEME. In stating the theme, refer to the germinal idea and comment
on the author’s success.
* * * * *
Compare with this narrative, Chapter IX of Patrick MacGill’s “The
Rat-Pit.” Mr. MacGill’s setting is also in Ulster: Donegal.
It should be added for the benefit of the student who resents, or
finds hampering, an insistence on short-story type, that Mr. Donn
Byrne believes there isn’t any such thing as the short-story. “A story
is a story whether it’s a novel of 100,000 words or a short magazine
affair. There is no difference in technic between a 4,000 word writing,
like ‘The Wake’ and any of my big 15,000 worders--‘Sargasso Sea,’ for
example, or ‘A Treasure upon Earth.’ Get a worth while idea and make
your narrative interesting. That’s the only formula for any piece
of fiction. The short-story is to the novel what the chip mashie
shot is to the full St. Andrew Swing, the same identical stroke used
effectively for shorter distance.”
Bring arguments to bear for or against Mr. Donn Byrne’s statement. Be
sure you have read widely before drawing conclusions, and have studied
the technique of the stories and novels read.