Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-03

The evaluation Of current literature
is one of the most difficult of mental
endeavors Those who are able to
winnow the wheat from the chaff are
not many. and their difficulties have
been added to by the tremendous IN
crease in the number OF new books
published every year.
1t is vastly to the credit Of reviewers
If, at the end of a 10-year period, they
are able to look upon a certain number
of selections which time has verified as
being of lasting worth.
Surely it is not easy. as any reader
knows; for every reader is at heart, a
critic. He must be. 1t is impossible for
him to read books without passing judg-
ment upon them, even though his
criticisms are known only to himself.
1t is for this reason that backgrounds
are necessary. They say that the best
way to learn to write is to write, and
there can be little doubt that the best
way to learn to read is to read.
One means something more, of course
than reading with the lips. There are
thousands of elementary school children
who can read beautifully, as teachers
vaster experience with books which
only time will give them.
x & Il
This is where background, as such,
comes in. The question of background
is comprehended most easily in rela-
ton to the novel. Fiction is life, and
life is something we all participate in
Therefore we are, at heart. judges of
fiction Perhaps what all do not real
ize is the vast Importance OF the back
ground.
Why are some novels more "lifelike,"
as we say? Surely it is largely because
they manage to give us a living, NOV
ing background When we are reading
we are conscious of something living,
utterly aside from the characters them
selves. Some attempt to explain this
by speaking of description, narration,
etc; but these are only words. after all;
what counts in the novel is background,
next to the essential movement and
character building.
AS one reads a good story, especially
one which the world has long agreed to
call a classic-"Don QuiXote" is such
he finds himself entering into the life
Of the characters, not alone because OF
what they do and say, but because they
are part of land, a town, country
side.
1t is this vivid background, at once
reality and a theory. which makes an
altogether gigantic impression upon
reader, although it may be done so
deity that at the time he Is reading ne
Is never aware OF it.
Such writer's as Anthony Trollope'
for instance, could achieve the back
ground in memorable fashion. 1t will
do no good to lump him off as second
rate" merely, and give sophistication
as an excuse.
One has but to read over again his
half dozen novels in the Cathedral Sc
ries to see what is meant by back
ground as an essential part Of the mod
ern novel. The same thing may be
said of Dickens, even if some profess
to regard him as not Of the first rank:
1t may be said of Thackeray, even OF
Alexandra Dumas.
THESE writer's, to mention but few,
and they Of the distinctly elder school,
make the reader feel that he has been
living in real place. The streets
somehow are there, the very houses,
sidewalks, picket fences are there.
The reader is not so much impressed
with the psychology" Of the characters
nerhaus. as with the fact that they are
real human beings, making due allow
ance for the exaggeration permissible
to every writer, living their lives IN
such places as all of us do live IN most
of our lives.
Who Is there, reading any one OF