CONTRAST.
In all effective writing contrast is far more than a figure of speech:
it is an essential element in making strength. A work of literary art
without contrast may have all the elements of construction, style, and
originality of idea, but it will be weak, narrow, limp. The truth is,
contrast is the measure of the breadth of one's observation. We often
think of it as a figure of speech, a method of language which we use
for effect. A better view of it is as a measure of breadth. You have
a dark, wicked man on one side, and a fair, sunny, sweet woman on
the other. These are two extremes, a contrast, and they include all
between. If a writer understands these extremes he understands all
between, and if in a story he sets up one type against another he in
a way marks out those extremes as the boundaries of his intellectual
field, and he claims all within them. If the contrast is great, he
claims a great field; if feeble, then he has only a narrow field.
Contrast and one's power of mastering it indicate one's breadth of
thought and especially the breadth of one's thinking in a particular
creative attempt. Every writer should strive for the greatest possible
breadth, for the greater his breadth the more people there are who will
be interested in his work. Narrow minds interest a few people, and
broad minds interest correspondingly many. The best way to cultivate
breadth is to cultivate the use of contrast in your writing.
But to assume a breadth which one does not have, to pass from one
extreme to another without perfect mastery of all that lies between,
results in being ridiculous. It is like trying to extend the range
of the voice too far. One desires a voice with the greatest possible
range; but if in forcing the voice up one breaks into a falsetto,
the effect is disastrous. So in seeking range of character expression
one must be very careful not to break into a falsetto, while straining
the true voice to its utmost in order to extend its range.
Let us now pass from the contrast of characters and situations of
the most general kind to contrasts of a more particular sort. Let us
consider the use of language first. Light conversation must not last
too long or it becomes monotonous, as we all know. But if the writer
can pass sometimes rapidly from tight conversation to serious narrative,
both the light dialogue and the serious seem the more expressive for
the contrast. The only thing to be considered is, can you do it with
perfect ease and grace? If you cannot, better let it alone. Likewise,
the long sentence may be used in one paragraph, and a fine contrast shown
by using very short sentences in the next.
But let us distinguish between variety and contrast. The writer may pass
from long sentences to short ones when the reader has tired of long ones,
and _vice versa,_ he may pass from a tragic character to a comic one in
order to rest the mind of the reader. In this there will be no very
decided contrast. But when the two extremes are brought close together,
are forced together perhaps, then we have an electric effect. To use
contrast well requires great skill in the handling of language, for
contrast means passing from one extreme to another in a very short space,
and if this, passing is not done gracefully, the whole effect is spoiled.
What has been said of contrast in language, character, etc., may also
be applied to contrasts in any small detail, incident, or even simile.
Let us examine a few of the contrasts in Maupassant, for he is a great
adept in their use.
Let us take the opening paragraph of “The Necklace” and see what a
marvel of contrast it is: “She was one of those pretty and charming
girls who are sometimes, as if by a mistake of destiny, born in a family
of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no means of being known,
understood, loved, wedded, by any rich and distinguished man; and she
had let herself be married to a little clerk in the Ministry of Public
Instruction.” Notice “pretty and charming”― “family of clerks.” These
two contrasted ideas (implied ideas, of course) are gracefully linked by
“as if by a mistake of destiny.” Then the author goes on to mention what
the girl did not have in a way that implies that she ought to have had
all these things. She could not be wedded to “any rich and distinguished
man”; “she let herself be married to a little clerk.”
The whole of the following description of Madam Loisel is one mass of
clever contrasts of the things she might have been, wanted to be, with
what she was and had. A little farther on, however, we get a different
sort of contrast. Though poor, she has a rich friend. Then her husband
brings home an invitation at which he is perfectly delighted. Immediately
she is shown wretched, a striking contrast. He is shown patient; she is
irritated. She is selfish in wishing a dress and finery; he is unselfish
in giving up his gun and the shooting.
With the ball the author gives us a description of Madam Loisel having
all she had dreamed of having. Her hopes are satisfied completely, it
appears, until suddenly, when she is about to go away, the fact of her
lack of wraps contrasts tellingly with her previous attractiveness.
These two little descriptions―one of the success of the ball, one of
hurrying away in shame, the wretched cab and all―are a most forcible
contrast, and most skilfully and naturally represented. The previous
happiness is further set into relief by the utter wretchedness she
experiences upon discovering the loss of the necklace.
Then we have her new life of hard work, which we contrast in mind not only
with what she had really been having, but with that which she had dreamed
of having, had seemed about to realize, and had suddenly lost for ever.
Then at last we have the contrast, elaborate, strongly drawn and telling,
between Madam Loisel after ten years and her friend, who represents in
flesh and blood what she might have been. Then at the end comes the short,
sharp contrast of paste and diamonds.
In using contrast one does not have to search for something to set up
against something else. Every situation has a certain breadth, it has
two sides, whether they are far apart or near together. To give the
real effect of a conception it is necessary to pass from one side to
the other very rapidly and frequently, for only in so doing can one keep
the whole situation in mind. One must see the whole story, both sides
and all in between, at the same time. The more one sees at the same
time, the more of life one grasps and the more invigorating is the
composition. The use of contrast is eminently a matter of acquired
skill, and when one has become skilful he uses contrast unconsciously
and with the same effort that he makes his choice of words.
APPENDIX
Errors in the Use of Words.
_All of_. Omit the _of_.
_Aggravate_. Does not mean _provoke_ or _irritate_.
_Among one another_. This phrase is illogical.
_And who_. Omit the _and_ unless there is a preceding _who_ to which
this is an addition.
_Another from_. Should be _another then_.
_Anyhow,_ meaning _at any rate,_ is not to be used in literary composition.
_Any place_. Incorrect for _anywhere_.
_At_. We live _at_ a small place, _in_ a large one, and usually _arrive
at,_ not _in_.
_Avocation_. Not to be confused with _vocation,_ a main calling, since
_avocation_ is a side calling.
_Awful_ does not mean _very_.
_Back out_. An Americanism for _withdraw_.
_Balance_. Not proper for _remainder,_ but only for _that which
makes equal_.
_Beginner_. Never say _new beginner_.
_Beside; besides_. The first means _by the side of,_ the second _in
addition to_.
_Be that as it will_. Say, _be that as it may_.
_Blame on_. We may lay the _blame on,_ but we cannot _blame it on_
any one.
_But what_. Should be _but that_.
_Calculate_. Do not use for _intend_.
_Can_. Do not use for _may_. “_May_ I go with you?” not “_Can_ I go
with you?”
_Clever_. Does not mean _good-natured,_ but _talented_.
_Demean_. Means to _behave,_ not to _debase_ or _degrade_.
_Disremember_. Now obsolete.
_Don't_. Not to be used for _doesn't,_ after a singular subject
such as he.
_Else_. Not follow by _but_; say, “nothing else _than_ pride.”
_Expect_. Do not use for _think,_ as in “I _expect_ it is so.”
_Fetch_. Means to _go and bring,_ hence _go and fetch_ is wrong.
_Fix_. Not used for _arrange_ or the like, as “fix the furniture.”
_From_. Say, “He died of cholera,” not _from_.
_Got_. Properly you “have _got_” what you made an effort to get, not what
you merely “have.”
_Graduate_. Say, “The man _is graduated_ from college,” and “The college
_graduates_ the man.”
_Had ought. Ought_ never requires any part of the verb _to have_.
_Had rather, had better_. Disputed, but used by good writers.
_Handy_. Does not mean near _by_.
_In so far as_. Omit the _in_.
_Kind of_. After these two words omit _a,_ and say, “What kind of man,”
not “What kind of _a_ man.” Also, do not say, “_kind_ of tired.”
_Lady_. Feminine for _lord,_ therefore do not speak of a “sales-lady,”
“a man and his lady,” etc.
_Last; latter_. We say _latter_ of two, in preference to _last;_ but
_last_ of three.
_Lay; lie_. We _lay_ a thing down, but we ourselves _lie_ down; we say,
“He laid the Bible on the table,” but “He lay down on the couch;” “The
coat has been laid away,” and “It has lain in the drawer.” _Lay, laid,
laid_——takes an object; _lie, lay, lain_——does not.
_Learn_. Never used as an active verb with an object, a in “I _learned_
him his letters.” We say, “He _learned_ his letters,” and “I _taught_
him his letters.”
_Learned_. “A _learned_ man”——pronounce _learn-ed_ with two syllables;
but “He has _learned_ his lesson”——one syllable.
_Like_. Do not say, “Do _like_ I do.” Use _as_ when a conjunction is
required.
_Lives_. Do not say, “I had just as _lives_ as not,” but “I had just
as _Lief_.”
_Lot_. Does not mean _many,_ as in “a _lot_ of men,” but one _division,_
as, “in that lot.”
_Lovely_. Do not overwork this word. A rose may be _lovely,_ but hardly
a plate of soup.
_Mad_. We prefer to say _angry_ if we mean out _of temper_.
_Mistaken_. Some critics insist that it is wrong to say “I am mistaken”
when we mean “I mistake.”
_Love_. We _like_ candy rather than _love_ it. Save Love for something
higher.
_Most_. In writing, do not use _'most_ for _almost_.
_Mutual friend_. Though Dickens used this expression in one of his
titles in the sense of common _friend,_ it is considered incorrect by
many critics. The proper meaning of _mutual_ is reciprocal.
_Nothing Like_. Do not say, “Nothing _like_ as handsome.”
_Of all others_. Not proper after a superlative; as, “greatest of all
others,” the meaning being “the greatest of all,” or “great above all
others.”
_Only_. Be careful not to place this word so that its application
will be doubtful, as in “His mother only spoke to him,” meaning “Only
his mother.”
_On to_. Not one word like _into_. Use it as you would on and to
together.
_Orate_. Not good usage.
_Plenty_. Say, “Fruit was plentiful,” not “plenty.”
_Preventative_. Should be _preventive_.
_Previous_. Say, “previously to,” not “previous to.” Also, do not say,
“He was too previous”——it is a pure vulgarism.
_Providing_. Say, “_Provided_ he has money,” not “Providing.”
_Propose_. Do not confuse with _purpose_. One proposes a plan, but
_purposes_ to do something, though it is also possible a _propose,_
or make a proposition, to do something.
_Quite_. Do not say, “Quite a way,” or “Quite a good deal,” but reserve
the word for such phrases as “Quite sure,” “Quite to the edge,” etc.
_Raise; rise_. Never tell a person to “raise up,” meaning “raise himself
up,” but to “rise up.” Also, do not speak of “raising children,” though
we may “raise horses.”
_Scarcely_. Do not say, “I shall scarcely (hardly) finish before night,”
though it is proper to use it of time, as in “I saw him scarcely an
hour ago.”
_Seldom or ever_. Incorrect for “seldom if ever.”
_Set; sit_. We _set_ the cup down, and sit down ourselves. The hen
_sits;_ the sun _sets_; a dress _sits_.
_Sewerage; sewage_. The first means the system of sewers, the second
the waste matter.
_Some_. Do not say, “I am _some_ tired,” “I like it _some,_” etc.
_Stop_. Say, “Stay in town,” not “_Stop in town_.”
_Such another_. Say “another such.”
_They_. Do not refer to _any one,_ by _they, their,_ or _them;_ as in
“If any one wishes a cup of tea, they may get it in the next room.” Say,
“If any one … he may …”
_Transpire_. Does not mean “occur,” and hence we do not say “Many events
transpired that year.” We may say, “It transpired that he had been
married a year.”
_Unique_. The word means _single, alone, the only one_ so we cannot say,
“very unique,” or the like.
_Very_. Say, “_very_ much pleased,” not “_very_ pleased,” though the
latter usage is sustained by some authorities.
_Ways_. Say, “a long _way,_” not “a long _ways_.”
_Where_. A preposition of place is not required with where, and it is
considered incorrect to say, “Where is he gone to?”
_Whole of_. Omit the _of_.
_Without_. Do not say, “Without it rains,” etc., in the sense of unless,
except.
_Witness_. Do not say, “He witnessed a bull-fight”; reserve it for
“witnessing a signature,” and the like.