Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-03-11
Short Stories of the Bible and Elsewhere

Short Stories of the Bible and Elsewhere
tBcs Shul Stories of the World Edited with ana Intro.
ducton 10y Kouard Bcrcoyci The strutfuri Coz
The short stories of konard Bcrcoyic have rightly or
wrongly been again and again ududgod the best Of those
produced In America II is fitting then, that this succs,-
ul writer should In turn Issue forth q book containing
what lie believes bc the best short stories ever published
And II is not surprising hni Mr. BrrcuyicI whose fame
has been won through his ability arouse Interest by his
ort ures should declare that form literary art the
highest
Short story Highest Literary Art?
There is certainly. much truth in his contention that
no other literary form requires intense concen-
ration on subject and form When drowning man--ns
we persist IN rclatingrclicves his whole life in lmngn-
alton In few moments he necessarily eliminate all
unrcutia and cvtraneous natter from his con cuncss
And when the story Of IL lifetime is related In few
pugsS Is done Icy Perez in "BontIe the Silent" there
must lr great concentration OF material Whatever is
not absolutely essential in short story destroys its artistic
quality.
That is all true Bus It does not necessarily follow
hat the short story is truly highest form Of literary
rt There may after all, be much TO be sai1 the
novel IN which the thought changes and grows us the
work proceeds in which the idea develops constantly
mbeI.shed in which the atmosphere he continually
hinged But that. as KipIlng would say, f. another
story.
Until years the Bible WAS always looked upon
In one or two ways Either it regarded as too holy
he discussed too sacred be spoken Of in voice
whisper else It scomfully dismissed as a book
that could possibly interest only stupid deyout 1t
ny few years since daring soul observed that In
ruth the Bible is literary product the output of human
minds. And nowadays. there is no university English
course which does not nnalyze the Bible as litemrure
The Bible in Literature
Mr. Bcrcoyci has taken ample recognition oI the new
status Of the holy writ And he cevey scizc the oppor
tuuity to adapt it to his purpose To wit:
THE power Of the Bible resides in the unity Of its
structure i has anything hut tmt-but in HE succrsson
IF powerful stories. In the AngloSayon countries where
Is read than in other countries the Bible has had
tremendous influence upon the short story the
addiction to happy ending having originated in the Bible
There the villain usually receives his due punishment and
n worthy in time his due reward Every chapter Of the
Bible is short story. Every conceivable Kind short
tory contained in ir The uIua-reistic is presented
Is wcll the symbolic. Were translate them into
very day vcriaEe could make them sound modern
Is ir they had been written yesterday by of most
practitioners. Almost every story in the Bible has been
mudenizci. consciously mconscoUsy. 10y short story
writers. one could play indHuply with the ideas found
n II. The Joseph and rotiplar story, the Ruth and
Naomi story the job story the Jacob and his story,
have lcnn done and again and constantly being
lone with changes of locale and names of course and
orr twists to >uit modern conditions hu the short story
pattern is to Ice found in the Bible.
The Shcrt Stnry in Gercss
And Mr. Bcrcpvic proves his conviction 10y including
y of his short stories Genesis chapters through
three Bu it ~ccms likely that hr hns had a ~mucrlng
1f what is called higher biblical criticism for he has
carefully dcctrd thusc portions which conflict with the
particular narrative tiar he hus selected
There are some nineteen tnlcs in the book The
criterion for their ,uIcc their celebrity, not their
lldartic value their inherent morality immortality
,r uuHouly. They were selected simply 'rclusc Of all
others tey appealed most to the author Therein think
lir. tln germ of greatness
/ "PrOcuraiOr of Judca"
The first Sury the book is Auaplp frances The
Procmtor of Iudca' There within few page, is
rr~cl of the history of the Jews Than has been
given in heavy lnhorcd tones Tie vivid yet on.mnd
picture o the resistance Of the Jews against Inc ouprcs
sion c the Romans give a Sufficient preparation for the
asu mention Of the execution Of among hundreds of
others, Of srill another Jcw-Ic.us.
"Toutjc the silent" is Of the best known Of our
YddHh stories Throughout life of hunger and suffering
and neglect Boutc has complained has never
Pray cd for alleviatou Of his miscrc And when tho
highc Judge asks him 10 whatever he may wish
his reward for anything U heaven Is Ills for the asking
IF that is the case smiles Runc 'Id love n gel every
single day hig hot bun with fresh butter Md then the
julgc and angels lowered their eyes smlshcd"
| "Ihc Easier Torch
Caulgialc~ intense and gripping tale of ,hr t.rrorimd
low waiting TO he hutchcrcd hy his UhrriUa U.d usocn
aoraut George is mhst ur~crful description " abnormal
pschnIogy The unexpected reaction of LnDa i"I when
the horror rcarhed its pitch the high point OF The
Easter Torch" The sdcishr Interesting Jewish
belief is palhc hallr amusing.