Evolution of Expression - Volume 1

s, signs rather than things signified. They are not, therefore, objects of thought for the student while pra

actice as well as class drill, the student should hold in mind an audience to whom he directs his attention. The office of the teacher is to hold constantly before the pupil these two mental concepts, his thought and his audience, or his thought in relation to his audience. The pupil must be taught to respond to the author's thought as to his own, and at the same time he must be inspired with the desire to give that thought to others. In his endeavor to awaken other minds his own will be quickened. This mental quickening r

is not to be regarded as an artist yet; nor is it now profitable to measure him by the criteria of art. Let the form of his expression be as crude as it may, only let it be born of the thought. The student is learning to think on his feet; and the act of mental concentration upon his author's thought in relation to his audience is not at first a simple task. Do not hurry him in his development. R

n upon the central idea or theme of the selection. The WHOLE or unit of thought should be held before the pupi

LYS

nd study of a selection previous to any effort toward expression. It is needless to explain that one cannot give what he does not possess; and it is equally self-evident that one gains by giving. Long and thoughtful quiescent concentration should precede the concentration of mind while speaking. The author's words are

up of essential PARTS. Each part is a part of the whole, because in its own way it reflects the whole. The perf

on to the revelation of truth resulting from the relationship of parts; the analysis must culminate in synthesis, else it would defeat its purpose. The end of literature, as in other forms of art, is revelation. The end of analysis is to lead to the perception of this revelation. In the earlier stages of development the pupil's attent

Written expression, as well as oral, is individual. Each pupil may have a different formulation. Inasmuch, however, as every author is possessed by a defi

logical method of procedure rather than an arbitrary model. The elaboration of these principles is without limit and must

heerful Locksmi

for working basis:

ul Loc

Pa

e makes. Paragr

nal appearanc

of objects around h

ice of t

st at once in the Cheerful Locksmith, whom

ng a definite picture

is cheerful personality through i

onship of

hadows (b

awakened in (a) and helps

al outgrowth f

the

ch maybe stated thus: The spirit of cheerfulness, radiating from the Locksmith

preliminary work himself, directed, as far as necessary, by the teacher. However, it is not essential that a formal analysis of every selection be made; indeed, as has been already implied, minute analysis

lected through an oral reading of "The Cheerful Locksmith," the reader has attained the steps of development embodied in Volume IV. However, in drill on the selections in Volume I., the teacher should never th

r much beyond that may be achieved. The student must be inspired by an ardent desire to awaken the interest of his au

mind of the student should be engaged with the motif of the selection as it first catches the mind. Nothing in later study can make up for the loss of the first glow, the undefined answering response to the animating spirit of a writer's message. His differentiated meanings, his elaborations of theme for