ral ways,
extraordinary mastery of point of view; and their works may very
profitably be studied for examples of this special phase of artistry
in narrative. The very title of "What Maisie Knew", by Henry James,
proclaims the rigidly restricted standpoint from which the narrative
material is seen. In Mr. Kipling's tale, "A Deal in Cotton," which is
included in "Actions and Reactions," the interest is derived chiefly
from the trick of telling the story twice,--first from the point of
view of Adam Strickland, and the second time from the point of view of
Adam's native body-servant, who knew many matters that were hidden
from his master.

=The Point of View as the Hero of the Narrative.=--In certain special
cases the point of view has been made, so to speak, the real hero of
the story. Some years ago Mr. Brander Matthews, in collaboration with
the late H. C. Bunner, devised a very clever narrative entitled "The
Documents in the Case." It consisted merely of a series of numbered
documents, widely different in nature, presented with neither
introduction nor comment by the authors. The series contained
clippings from various newspapers, personal letters, I. O. U's,
race-track reports, pawn-tickets, letter-heads, telegrams, theatre
programmes, advertisements, receipted bills, envelopes, etc. In spite
of the diversity of these materials, the authors succeeded in
fabricating a narrative which was entirely coherent and at all points
clear. The main interest, however, lay in the novelty and cleverness
of the point of view; and though such an exaggerated technical
expedient may be serviceable now and then for a special sort of story,
it is not of any general value. A point of view that attracts
attention to itself necessarily distracts attention from the story
that is being represented; and in a narrative of serious import, the
main emphasis should be thrown upon the thing that is told rather than
upon the way of telling it.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. In what ways is the impression of a narrative dependent on the
point of view selected by the author?

2. Imagine a fictitious event; and after you have become sufficiently
acquainted with this imaginary incident, write seven distinct
themes, in each of which this incident is projected from a different
point of view:--1. As seen by the leading actor; 2. As seen by a
minor actor; 3. As seen by different actors; 4. As told in letters;
5. From an omniscient point of view; 6