The M. I. A. Contests: Story Telling

The M. I. A. Contests

BY JOHN HENRY EVANS, OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' UNIVERSITY

II — Story Telling

The general purpose of these contests in story telling is, of course, to develop in our young men and women the power to im- press an audience with the truth or main thought of a story.

The liking for a good story well told is universal. This is true whether the story be written or spoken, but especially if it be spoken. The world has always liked the story and, it is safe to say, always will. In general, the reason lies in the fact that the story has what is called suspense, keeps you guessing as to what's coming, that it is concrete, dealing with things and persons rather than abstract ideas, and that it aims to give us an interpre- tation of life, to help us to understand what the push of things means. But however we are to account for it, there is no dis- puting the fact of this universal interest in the story.

Everywhere one has use for the story, long or short. In the social circle the story-teller is popular. In the class room, who is more welcome than the one that can start the attention and keep it up with a well-told, "Once on a time?" Even an address be- comes clearer and more entertaining when its ideas are illustrated by a pointed anecdote. And some people, men and women, make a living by telling stories. So, whatever you do in life, you will have need for the gift of the story-teller.

And yet the person that can tell a good story well is compara- tively rare. We Latter-day Saints have neglected this great art. We have had more need of it than other people, but we have not seen its high value for our particular purposes. Thanks, however, to the Sunday School and to the compelling nature of children, we are fortunately coming to something like an appreciation of this story telling art. Moreover, we are a teaching and a preaching people, and since this art is of the greatest necessity to the teacher and the preacher, there is every reason for the cultivation of this art among us. As a people we have, too, a greater amount of raw material for stories than any other community, and it is waiting for the story-teller with his art of the pen and the tongue. May he soon appear !

There is a general impression that there is no particular need to study the art of story telling. One reason given for this idea is that the story telling gift is born in one. Well, maybe it is.

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But is that any reason why it should not be cultivated ? Suppose one has a gift for music. Is he therefore not to learn the musical scale, not to train the voice, not to go near a musical instrument ? Is there any one so utterly lost to reason and common sense as to advocate such folly? And yet there are those who would have us believe that an art in which fewer people excel needs no study, no cultivation! Have you a natural gift in story telling? Then cultivate it with the same assiduity that you would if you had a gift in music, in teaching, or in painting. Do you lack the story- teller's gift? Then cultivate the art of story telling that you may be able to tell a story passing well. For in all art, while the higher powers of it cannot be imparted by any amount of training, still there are a great many things about it that can be absorbed by any who will work to get them. Certainly, one who cannot distinguish one tune from another may be said to lack the musical gift, and yet there are those that have been thus giftless who have learned to sing fairly well. Besides, trying to learn the principles of any art, always increases one's appreciation of anything in- volving that art.

There are three sorts of story telling. You may choose a story already written, learn it by heart, word for word, and inter- pret it before the public. That is called reading or declamation. Or, secondly, you may select a story already written, and give it in public in your own words, following, of course the order of de- velopment found in the author. This is story telling proper, as it is understood in our work. Or, thirdly, you may choose a sub- ject, write it out yourself, memorize it, and give it in public, or, as in the second, tell it in such words as may come to you at the time. This is an original story. This distinction should be kept in mind in all story telling contests, not only because it helps the judges but also because it aids the one who is preparing for the contest.

The first thing to be considered in all these kinds of stories is the selection of the story itself, or the idea underlying the story. Tf the story is original, then the worth of the fundamental idea in it will be estimated. The ultimate worth of a story, like the ultimate worth of everything else, is mostly ethical and moral. It is true that Edgar Allen Poe believed that the whole value of a story lies in the art with which it is told, but Poe's view of life, like his nature and disposition, was warped and twisted. There is really no such value as is implied in the phrase "art for art's sake." There must be something embodied in the art, else there can be no art. One would take small enjoyment in a doughnut all made up of hole, no matter how artfully it had been put to- gether! The truth is, that some ideas are better than others, some truths more important than other truths. One test of basic

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ideas in stories is their universality of appeal. That is, an idea which appeals to all classes of people is worth more, other things remaining the same, than an idea which appeals only to one class. Another test lies in the intrinsic value of the idea. Thus a mere love story may have a universal appeal, but a love story in which the redeeming power of love is shown would have a higher value than one that has a merely sensuous appeal. Hawthorne's The Great Stone Face, a story that shows how one is gradually moulded into the form of one's ideal, is therefore a greater story by reason of its fundamental idea than O. Henry's Ransom of Red Chief, which aims to show that kidnappers may be willing to pay for getting rid of the one they have kidnapped, if he is a mischievous boy, instead of being paid for returning him.

If the story be one chosen to declaim or to retell, it is the ability to choose valuable and appropriate stories that counts. To make use of a silly or a vulgar or cheap story would be to invite adverse criticism from the judges, to begin with. So, on the con- trary, the selection of a pleasing and worthy story would be to insure a favorable reception not only from the audience but also from the judges. In a word, then, if you are to retell a story, or give a rsading of one, be sure to choose a story that has this double value : universal interest, one that will at least entertain your audi- ence, and intrinsic beauty and truth. A story is not necessarily dull because it is true, or necessarily of no value if it is interesting.

So much for the selection of the story and the fundamental idea of the story. What for the rest ?

In the story that is to be retold these are the points most looked for: The story should not be learned by heart, but in giv- ing it the order of development of the author ought to be closely followed. The words used in the retelling should be the contest- ant's own. The best way to do this is to know what the story as a whole means. What is the main thought, the point to be brought out, the meaning of it? That is always the first thing. After this is settled, then find out each step by which this meaning or point is expressed. Since .the time at the disposal of the con- testant is short, a story should be chosen which will not require a great deal of cutting. In fact, the less cutting, the better. Silas Mamer, for example, is too long for the purposes of such a contest as this. So is any whole-book story. Even some short stories are too long. The art of pruning some one else's master- piece is an art to which few who are not masters should aspire — it is too difficult and thankless. It is the details, remember, that make a story interesting and effective.

The story that is to be given as a declamation must of course be learned by heart and given in the words of the author. A good way to do this is to get the thought well in hand first, then the words will come of themselves. Never try to commit mere

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words to memory. Your work is higher than that which a parrot is able to do. You are expected to interpret the story for your audience. But you cannot do this unless you have first inter- preted it to yourself.

The original story, as stated, has to be written first. Now, in writing a story two things are to be kept in mind. The first is the structure of the story. By structure we mean archi- tecture, the way its ideas are put together. There must be a point, and this point must be reached in a definite manner, by definite steps. There must be a story, the story must go somewhere, and it must go in such a way that the reader or hearer can see that it is going. It has usually but one incident. Moreover it goes to the point by means of the fewest possible details. There must be no digressions, nothing introduced for itself alone. The story should go straight to the point, and end when it gets there. That, in brief, is what structure means. Then, secondly, there is what is called style, the way the words are put together. The story falls into paragraphs, which fall into sentences, which again fall into words. All these have certain definite rules and principles. If you don't know them, by all means learn them before you attempt to write a short story. On the whole, the style of a short story should be simple and natural. Don't strain for effects. If you do, you are sure not to get them, and if you don't strain for them they may come of themselves.

As for the delivery of the story, the same general suggestions will serve for all three classes. Speak loud enough for all your audience to hear. Utter your words with distinctness. Pro- nounce all your words correctly. If you have the least doubt of the pronunciation of a word, look it up in the dictionary. If the story have dialogue, try to make your audience realize not only who is speaking, but also the character of the persons speaking.

("Public Speaking," is the title of the next article in this series.)

SUPERINTENDENTS Y. M. M. I. A.

Top row, left to right: M. C. Phelps, Maricopa stake Arizona; Hopkin B. Campbell, Cache stake, Utah; second row: David H Mor- ris, St. George stake, Utah; George S. Heiner, Morgan stake Utah; George Q. Morris, Salt Lake stake, Utah; bottom row: Morns J- Hale, Star Valley stake, Wyoming; Jesse P. Rich Bear Lake stake, Idaho; Norman C. Curtis, North Sanpete stake, Utah.