_Initial Incident_: Esmé attempts to fly to Brander, dying.
Motivation for the incident lies in Esmé’s friendship for Brander.
_Steps toward Dramatic Climax_: Esmé is attacked by a German plane;
in the struggle the two planes fall inside the German lines. Esmé is
tortured. At length, he consents to take up a photographer.
_Dramatic Climax_: Esmé throws out the photographer.
_Steps toward Climax of Action_: He arrives inside the lines of
the allies. He tells his story to Marston, his friend, who shocked
at Esmé’s defection, declares him a murderer. Esmé, in turn, is
appalled; he is unable to understand Marston’s different code.
Marston walks out of the tent.
_Climax of Action_: Esmé returns to the German lines, to “render a
life for a life.”
_Dénouement_: Marston finds Esmé’s note. In a revulsion of feeling,
he recognizes that he has failed his friend.
PRESENTATION. The story is told by Marston to a nurse, some time
after the event. From Marston’s point of view, therefore, the tale
gains pathos, since his regret is still as unceasing as unavailing.
Further, the method allows the reader a large share in constructing the
story; and, best of all, by changing the chronological order of the
events to the logical (they are also chronological as far as Marston
is concerned), the author gains suspense. Reticence characterizes
the handling of the uglier details, which every reader will fill in
for himself. The enveloping action closes with the breaking of the
wine-glass. (Compare query, page 34.)
CHARACTERIZATION. The tragic failure of friendship, in the struggle
with conflicting ideals of honor, gives the story its poignancy. It
belongs in the group, therefore, with “The Knight’s Move,” by Katherine
Fullerton Gerould, and “Greater Love--,” by Justus Miles Forman. If the
ideal of the mental man is typified by his appearance and behavior, how
well has Miss Freedley succeeded in the creation of Esmé and Marston?
To what extent has she indicated the reaction in each after crucial
moments? How far has she subdued the outer “I” narrator? If anticipated
sympathy on her part motivates Marston’s telling her the story, has the
author justified the hypothesis?