115. Why are most readers of novels likely to prefer a story with an unfamiliar setting? 116. Name three recent novelists who apparently wrote to accomplish some social reform, and comment on their success. 117. From the novels mentioned in this chapter select three that would interest a sixteen-year-old boy. 118. Would a girl of the same age be likely to prefer a different sort of story? CHAPTER XIV. THE ADVANCE OF THE SHORT STORY 119. What advantages has the short story over a novel and over a play? 120. Can you explain why so few sea stories are now being written by American authors? 121. What kind of short stories seem to be preferred by most young readers? 122. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of short stories that are written in dialect? 123. Do you believe that a short story should undertake to teach a moral lesson? 124. Make a list of your ten favorite short stories and indicate how many of them are by living writers. 125. What subjects are treated most frequently in the short stories now appearing in our magazines? CHAPTER XV. RECENT AMERICAN PROSE 126. Is it true that relatively few persons seem to care for reading essays nowadays? 127. Which of the sentiments quoted from Theodore Roosevelt do you admire most? 128. In what way does the quotation from Woodrow Wilson's speech reflect the spirit of the Declaration of Independence? 129. Mr. Crothers wrote an essay on "The Hundred Worst Books"; discuss the three worst books you ever read. 130. Do you believe that the writings of our recent critics will endure longer than the writings of our recent novelists? 131. Is there a column writer or "columnist" contributing to the newspaper that you read? If so, comment on his work. CHAPTER XVI. COLLEGES AND SCHOLARSHIP IN AMERICA 132. If you were quite free to choose, which college would you prefer to attend? 133. Quite apart from preparation for a profession, what advantages is a college graduate likely to have? 134. Would a lexicographer be likely to write a large dictionary by himself nowadays? 135. Why is it more desirable to read literature than criticism of literature? 136. If you could choose your career, would you rather be a great scholar or a popular novelist? CHAPTER XVII. AMERICAN PERIODICALS 137. Why did our earlier periodicals have such a hard struggle for existence? 138. Describe the general character of two magazines with which you are familiar. 139. Do you like to read a continued story or novel in successive numbers of a magazine? 140. Make up a list of five magazines that would prove most interesting to a family living in a remote district. 141. How do you account for the large number of magazines that are now being published in this country? 142. Do you believe that most Americans spend too much time in reading periodicals instead of good books? CHAPTER XVIII. THE NEWSPAPER IN AMERICA 143. Why did so few printers undertake to publish newspapers in colonial times? 144. Do you read a newspaper regularly? If so, what parts of the paper do you read? 145. Why is the English used on the editorial page usually better than that found on the front page? 146. What objections might be brought against the indiscriminate reading of newspapers? 147. Contrast the appearance and the general policy of two newspapers with which you are familiar. 148. Do you believe that ten minutes given to reading good books are better spent than one hour given to reading newspapers? CHAPTER XIX. THE GROWTH OF OUR LIBRARIES 149. What advantages may any American community derive from a public library? 150. Has your family a private library? If so, about how many books are in it? 151. Are you personally interested in making your home library larger and more useful? 152. Give an account of any large city library that you may have visited. 153. Have you learned how to consult a library catalogue and how to find the usual reference books in a library? 154. In what ways is the possession of an interesting private library likely to influence the home life of a family? CHAPTER XX. THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE 155. Have you ever heard an Englishman use the Cockney dialect? If so, how did it differ from your own speech? 156. What kind of English is spoken in your own town or in the district in which you live? 157. Are most of the persons with whom you associate careful of their speech? 158. Give three reasons why all American boys and girls should be eager to improve their command of the English language. 159. Are any foreign influences affecting the spoken language of your district? 160. What is the significance of the wide-spread use of the English language in so many parts of the world? GENERAL QUESTIONS 161. If a young friend in England asked for the titles of five books that best depict American city life, which would you name? 162. What American novelists besides Cooper have dealt with the American Indian? 163. Name three Americans who, like the author of David Harum, owe their fame to a single book. 164. Which five books written by American authors would you care to take along on a camping trip? 165. Has American literature produced any great literary characters like Shylock, Silas Marner, or Colonel Newcome? 166. Name ten books that could not have been written in any country other than America. 167. Which English writers probably had the greatest influence on American literature? 168. Name five patriotic poems by American authors and quote any outstanding sentiments that they contain. 169. How many American writers that you can recall have written autobiographical works of some sort? 170. Which of our writers do you believe best exemplify the principles of American democracy? SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF AMERICAN WRITERS (THE BIRTHPLACE IS GIVEN IN PARENTHESIS) ABBOTT, JACOB (1803–1879). (Hallowell, Maine.) Writer of juveniles. The Rollo Books; Marco Paul's Adventures. ADAMS, FRANKLIN P. (1881- ). (Chicago, Ill.) Journalist. In Other Words; By and Large. ADAMS, HENRY (1838-1918). (Boston, Mass.) Historian. History of the United States during the Administrations of Jefferson and Madison; The Education of Henry Adams. ADE, GEORGE (1866 ). (Kentland, Ind.) Humorist and playwright. Fables in Slang; The Slim Princess; The County Chairman; The College Widow. ADELER, MAX. See CLARK, Charles Heber. AIKEN, CONRAD (1889 ). (Savannah, Ga.) Poet and story-writer. Earth Triumphant; The Charnel Rose. AKINS, ZOE (1886- ). (Humansville, Mo.) Playwright. The ALCOTT, BRONSON (1799-1888). (Wolcott, Conn.) Philosopher. Orphic Sayings. ALCOTT, LOUISA MAY (1832-1888). (Germantown, Philadelphia.) Novelist. Little Women. ALDINGTON, MRS. RICHARD. See DOOLITTLE, Hilda. ALDRICH, THOMAS BAILEY (1836-1907). (Portsmouth, N. H.) Poet and story-writer. The Story of a Bad Boy; Margery Daw; Judith and Holofernes. ALLEN, JAMES LANE (1849- ). (Lexington, Ky.) Novelist. Flute and Violin (1891); The Kentucky Cardinal (1895); Aftermath (1896); The Choir Invisible (1897); The Reign of Law (1900); The Mettle of the Pasture (1903); The Bride of the Mistletoe (1909); The Cathedral Singer (1916); Emblems of Fidelity (1919). ALLSTON, WASHINGTON (1779-1843). (Waccamaw, S. C.) Poet and essayist. The Sylphs of the Seasons; Monaldi. AMES, FISHER (1758-1808). (Dedham, Mass.) Orator and political essayist. On the British Treaty. |