The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-26
FALL FICTION.
Examination of Several Samples
Shows 1t Is Dull and Trife Nasty.

1t has not been long since novel writers
were complaining that they were hampered
by the necessity of producing tales suited
In incident and moral tone to perusal by
young girls; they declared that public sent,
sment as expressed by publishers forbade
the portrayal of life in certain of it's phases
because young girls formed the larger part
of the novel-reading class and must be pro-
tected. Even Mr.. Howells, who had never
been suspected of wish to write anything
which could not be read with propriety in
a Christian Endeavor meeting, protested
mildly against the tyranny of the young
girl. He has not broken his bonds, but con-
tiAues to publish romances that are re-
. spectacle in every sense of the word.
though not exciting. The newer school of
writer's seems. however, to have freed itself
from feminine thraldom. glance through
half dozen or so volumes taken at ran
dom from the publishers fall output of fic-
ton indicates that the authors were writ
ing chiefly for young men, and for very
crude young men at that. At least 1t is
difficult to understand how any other class
of readers can become interested in these
tales. 1t is not that they are immoral in
tone or tendency, for they are not neces-
sariiy so, though apt to be vulgar; but with
readers accustomed to another sort of
literature they can hardly fail to rate as
inexpressibly dull. Still, it may not be wise
for mature and fastidious critics to con-
denim these works too hastily. The great
number issued within the last year or SO
implies the existence Of demand for them,
and If the demand is genuine it may sig
Nifty changing standard of fiction growing
out of the social conditions of the time the
unrest of the Masses rather than of
their stupidity or a love for slang and
On he Of fIa
public For it is characteristic of many of
these books that they deal with people of
the slums and of the streets-the lowest of
the lower classes. The new fiction may be
intended as sociological studies and to be
read for scientific enlightenment. This
theory obtains some support from the
seriousness of the productions. Dickens
wrote stories of love life but he found
poetry as well as pathos in poverty and
invested the most sordid scenes with a
glamour of romance or of humor. The
successors to this great magician have few
of his magic arts, and in particular are
lacking in the sense of humor They ap-
preach their theme with awful solemnity
and this is, perhaps, what gives their work
the air of being scientific treatises on crime
and poverty and human misery in general.
George Gissings Unbiased" is one of
these. 1t is story of life in London
among people of whom few are respect
able. more semi-respectable and others far
below the latter grade, but none of whom
is in the least interesting The incidents
narrated might well enough be true, and
the characters doubtless drawn from
life, but there is no real excuse for their
existence in fiction. They endure much dis
tress through their own fault, and because
of heredity and environment, but in the de-
piction of their misery the author fails of
the touch of art or genius which creates
sympathy for the sufferers. Realism is evil
IDENTIFY sought for but realism does not con-
sist in minute detail. and the work would
have been more artistic and effective if
shortened one-half. 1t lacks in exact truth
TO nature in that there is not a CLEAN of
humor from cover to cover. The author
should understand that the power to s;ssie !
is what makes existence endurable to the |
unciassed as we'll to the men and |
women whose rank is higher in the social
scale. Mr.. Gissing has put much labor on
his book. but it seems 10 have been hardly |
worth while. A
In Without Sin Martin j. Pritchard
has theme which should be handled |
only by a thorough artist, ii at ALL |
The story is of morbid young Jewish |
girl who fancied herself the virgin whose
son was to redeem her people, and most |
readers will reach the end with the belief |
that 1t would have been better untold |
Pritchard is pseudonym. the author be- |
ing woman who wisely keeps her identity |
unknown.
''Artie" is a volume made up of a series |
of sketches contributed by George AIDE to |
one of the Chicago papers. and may be |
called study In slang. Artie. the hero is |
an office clerk and his mild adventures /
with his chums and his girl" Mamie
make up the series of chapters. Artie is a |
hustling. laxative lliterate youth with |
an extensive vocabulary of slang but
withal he Is manly and honest, and is a |
weli-drawn type of q large class of young /
Americans. IL is rather an amusing tale /
put covers lis fed and caves no room for
further efforts In that direction
CHECKERS" by Henry Blossom jr ia
another story Of q Chicago youth Of much