Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-02
AUTHOR TELLS OF
emotional DEADLOCK
Floyd Dell Relates Happenings In
Seeking Aid OF Psyche
Analysis.
MENTAL CORRECTION METHOD
Says Two-Thirtls of --latest Books,
Which Is Enjoying Popularity,
Was Dashed or Through Clear
Vision Afforded Him.
nf w1NIrr,ID VAN DuzEI,,

~ NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-Mr. Floyd
Dell, critic. short story writer, erst-
while newspaper man, stan member
OF the Liberator and brilliant and
generally. today told me what hap
pens when an author. In emotional
deadlock with himself. seeks the aid
of psycho-analysis
first novel. Moon Calf" Is threat
ened. upon the very heels OF publica-
tion, with such popularity MS has not
been enjoyed by any similar piece of
fiction for years.
~ And Il WAS by declaring HAT two
thirds or this book was dashed off in
sprlghtly manner during the space
OF three months through clear vision
afforded him by this newest vi mental
correctional methods that uie author
who Is thirty-fpur and looks ten years
younger. astonished the c!,y's literary
world.
Not only. he affirmed, did he write
Tho also revised the Other third OF the
work which 1t had taken him three
years 10 put on paper!
When he talked ii over today he
said that what happened TO Tim may
creative work. and tina, The only
quick and sure solution is offered by
the psychoanaly the mind doe
-
his emotional sell and Introduces one
TO Tie other He continued:
when began to write Moon
Cali, my energies we're tied In intcr,cr
gree tobioSra phical. the general
outline is that of my life, though
with lnc!Gents not a.nari Of my own.
tion effectively. in which ny own
emotions were involved. This trouble
isn't necessarily unique In my case;
- ~ al ~ 4.
composer others who do creative
work. For II Is seldom that any
thing worth while is produced un-
lcss there is emotional contic, TO be
solved"
lie then mentioned instances of
persons engaged Ia varicus PROBES
hlons. who. having attained success
gle. suddenly develop emotional hos
tiLty to their work.
These branch from the same rcu-
rotic root. he maintained; they Suf-
fer from some set OF ideas grouped
round m emotional center forced TO
activity by association. harking back
to an ohscurc childhood experience.
He quoted Freud and his methods, aud
told Of lever cues developed In thi6
country.
suppose. MS seine contend. that any
person. willing TO face the truth and
himself. can he his own physician
OF hearing ho:h stories. that OF the
conscious and the other Of the sub
conscious mind. and OF pointing out
the place where IN. two cross"
"a No one possibly could he so tcm-
pcramental, in appearance a. icat.
Il MS s-Floyd pcil. Seated before 1T
tered desk IN the editorial oric" OF
the T.Ibnra;rr rituated ~ "a CORNER OF
u Grerrt"'!ch Village territory. he look =
q cd rs 81 he might have been skc.chc1
ed upon the place left vacant by sus
peuFion Of the Masses In June. 1918.
lie wore a careless suit Of rough
a brow. ard SHIT Of l gray hann n'l
voice there's just bit OF tang sus
gest!nE days out In Iowa: a time
lying behind he peroid OF literary
editing OF n Chicago, newspaper and
/. the removal. seven years ago. to New
York and fame.
Speaking further Of the efficiency
OF Observation-Disclosures. hc told how he
quit his lob in order 10 have plenty
OF time for the book when he nrst
hegm work on i. but hoy, futile he
tlculnr analyst had disassoc!ated
leads and om,ontlcms.
"Moon Calf" he. cNnlained. deals
with the partial adjustment OF an en-
tTemely sensitive child to environ
"rhe hov. was nrs, n poet. then
worked out before. but believe the
difference between this and other
stories is that Moon CALI expresses
pathy for the world which suffers
from him as much as he suffers from
II Moon Cnlr' il any way faithful
as an autobiography, one cannot but
envy Mr.. Dell the, cclorful lights
shifting down - upon his career.
whether or not they spring from
q CONSTITUENCIES. temperament or just
plain neurosiS.
Some of the color Is expressed In
chapter titles. such as these: SHADOW
Shapes" What Is Known as Ego
Z tlsm." The Stranger Sex" "Critiuue
/ OF Pure Reason ''The Not Impossis
Sle She"