4. In satisfying the reader. Jim died for a crime committed by another,
but he seems to have deserved death on general principles. Again, the
surviving family have the poor knowledge and consolation that he was
immediately innocent.
5. In the objective method (already suggested under 3) which conveys
directly the grim tragedy and sordid realism.
A slip in the method is found in the fact that the mind of the child is
invaded once or twice. It would seem that at the beginning the author
meant to present the whole tragedy from the point of view of Rhoda, who
would not comprehend it all, of course, and would therefore serve a
purpose similar to that of the thirteen year old boy in “Ching, Ching,
Chinaman.” But either the task proved too difficult, or the author
changed her purpose, without the revision which would have given
perfection to the method. (See, _e.g._, page 349, “Rhoda took stock
of them....” This illustrates her “angle” or the author’s exercise of
omniscience over her baby mentality.)