_Initial Incident_: Malden marries Sympathy Gibbs, whom Mate Snow has
been considering for himself. This incident motivates the chain of
events that follow.
(The following is revealed out of chronological order, as the plot is
_presented_. But as effect resulting from cause it follows, in the
plot _construction_, the initial incident):
_First Steps toward Dramatic Climax_: Mate Snow writes in the name of
Gibbs, to Minister Malden, saying he is alive. “Gibbs” demands money
as a reward for his silence and non-appearance. Malden, unable to
bear the thought of his child being a bastard, meets the demand. He
further agrees to stay away from his wife and child. (Do you think
the motivation is strong enough, under the given conditions, to make
the Minister do this?) Sam Kow, a Chinaman sees the exchange of
letter and money.
_Next Steps_: (These are revealed at first reading, but cause wonder
and suspense, as the _preceding_ steps are unknown to the boy and to
the reader):
Malden leaves Sympathy and his baby and lives with Mate Snow,
occupying two rooms over the drug store.
The village wonders but Mate Snow seemingly takes the part of Malden.
Nobody, of course, suspects his villainy.
The Minister tries to “convert” Yen Sin, the Chinaman, and motivation
for this struggle goes back to the antecedent period (first
paragraphs) when the minister had voyaged to heathen shores to work
in “the field.” (Notice the reason given for his return, and observe
that the earthly and divine loves were even then at odds in his
make-up.)
_Step in Chronological Order_ (but held back until the outcome): Yen
Sin receives collars from Sam Kow on which Sam informs him of the
exchange of letters and money. This correspondence keeps up for seven
years.
_Further Steps_: Yen Sin keeps his own reserve and his own religion.
One evening Minister Malden fails to show up at prayer-meeting. Mate
Snow presides. The boy creeps off to the pillar-house, where Sympathy
lives. He sees
1. That Minister Malden enters. 2. That Yen Sin also sees. The boy
makes a visit of a month. He returns to find Mate Snow the big man of
the village. Yen Sin has grown older and feebler.
_Dramatic Climax_: Yen Sin is dying: he asks for the Minister. (It
is from the Chinaman’s death that the change of Malden’s fortunes
arises.)
Steps following immediately, and leading directly to climax of
action.--The boy enters the church to see Snow in the pulpit; he
stammers out the Chinaman’s need for the Minister. Snow answers the
call. The boy hates Snow; he continues to look for Malden. He goes
to the pillar-house. He looks beneath a drawn shade and sees Malden
receiving five hundred dollars from Sympathy; he hears her say, “It
brings us to the end, Will.” He hears the Minister thanking God
it’s Mate Snow who holds the mortgage. But Sympathy declares that
Mate has “sucked the life” out of Malden. The boy screams out that
the Chinaman is dying. Then he rushes off to the scow of Yen Sin.
Now follows the struggle of wills, and of races; Chinaman is pitted
against American, in the
_Impulse of Final Suspense_: The boy hears Snow enjoining the
Chinaman to confess. Yen Sin calls for his collars, and as they lie
curling about him, he mildly asks for Snow’s confession. Snow finally
confesses, “I have coveted my neighbor’s wife.” Here Malden enters.
He reveals that Gibbs is alive, and to save his child, he has paid
hush-money. (See above.) He has promised to stay away from wife
and child, but has gone to them in secret. This is his confession.
Then Yen Sin reveals what Sam Kow has written from Infield--on the
collars--Malden has paid money.... Here Snow goes mad, fearing
exposure, and blurts out enough to show it is he who has demanded the
money. Yen Sin points out that at any time “Mista God” would have
accepted confession, “makee allee light.” Minister Malden begins to
comprehend.
_Climax of Action_: Snow drinks poison; he dies. The villagers rush
him off to the doctor’s. The boy and Malden are alone with Yen Sin.
Malden runs to fetch his wife and child. Yen Sin sends the boy for
the minister. Yen Sin’s departure, “China way,” and Malden’s prayer
for his soul.
Study the interval of time between every two stages of the action.
Observe the quickening of tempo near the close, added to a cumulative
weightiness of effect.
THEME. The story is thought-provoking in its bigness of theme which
every reader will express for himself. Many will see no further than
the concrete events. Others may be tempted, perhaps, to read more into
the story than the author consciously included. But it seems to be
clear that the end of the struggle is in the yellow man’s favor. The
closing sentence emphasizes the irony of mission work.
CHARACTERIZATION. Is the boy’s angle uniform in regard to his
apprehension and comprehension at the age of thirteen? Does he
occasionally seem older? younger?
What attributes of the Minister invite your sympathy? How are his
qualities given--through the boy, or through his report of acts and
speeches?
At what point do you begin to watch for trickery on Mate Snow’s part?
What is his dominant trait?
What trait of the Chinaman is exploited? Is it racial or individual?
SETTING. Point out links that connect the locale of this story with
that of “Down on their Knees.” Notice that the chief scene-settings
are: the Chinaman’s scow, the church, the home of Sympathy Gibbs. Why
is the drug-store residence of Minister Malden not used? Why not the
transactions at Infield? Give two reasons, one with regard to unity,
the other with regard to handling of plot.
Is there reason that the action might have strayed over too much time
and place for the purpose of the short-story? Could a novelette be
constructed out of the material included?
DETAILS. By what early preparation does the death of Snow from _poison_
become so logical as scarce to challenge question? (See page 442.)
“Tubbed box trees,” “the big green door,” “lilac panes,” “silhouetted
against the open door,” “a steam-blurred silhouette,” “shadows of the
uneasy flock moved across the windows,”--these illustrate what ability
of the author? Point out other examples.
Page 447--“If--if one had faith!” To what dénouement is this a clue?
Page 448--“He’s gone out in the back-country to pray alone.” Clue to
what? Do you think it credible that Mate Snow never suspected where
Malden went on these occasions? If he knew, what motive kept him
silent? Where did Mate Snow suppose the Minister got the hush-money?
Page 449--“The door was still open, a blank, bright rectangle giving
into the deserted vestry, and it was against this mat of light that I
spied Minister Malden’s head,” etc. What processes work to make this a
memorable bit of description. Point out similar examples in this story
and in the other stories of Mr. Steele. Point out examples in stories
by other authors.
Study Mr. Steele’s use of shadows, here and in “The Yellow Cat.”
Compare them with Mr. Dobie’s shadows in “Laughter.” The value of
shadows lies in their suggestion. They call up the real thing in
fiction more easily and economically than the thing itself, as
described, can do. The reason is obvious. If there is a shadow, the
reader knows, unconsciously, there must be something to cast it. Hence,
curiosity may be aroused; in any event, “belief” is secured in the
reality of the object.
“Approaching ... I put one large, round eye to the aperture.” (Page
455.) Did the boy think of himself as having a “large round eye”? Or
does the narrator think of himself (now a man of years) as he looked?
Is it sound technique, either way regarded, or would it be better to
leave out the “large, round”?
Is it more fascinating to read of something viewed in part and
surreptitiously than it is to read of the same scene viewed as a whole
and freely under usual conditions? What primitive impulses are appealed
to?
Page 457, in the paragraph beginning, “I shall never forget the
picture,” occurs preparation for the “China way” departure. What is it?
In the same paragraph what excellent bit of description occurs?
What do you think of the idea “--the emotion of humor, which is another
name for perception”? (Page 458.)
Page 459, in the paragraph beginning, “Yes,” he murmured, is an
excellent example of irony. How does it aid the action?
Do you believe that in the struggle of wills Mate Snow would have
given in to the urge of the Chinaman? What circumstances argue for the
result? What is against it?
Page 465. Do not fail to take the full meaning of the paragraph to
heart: “He lay so still over there on the couch.” In what lines is the
thought most poignant?
Page 467. Why is the expression “Urkey’s unwashed collars” used with
fine effect?
What satisfaction do you find in the closing tableau?