9. THE OUTLINE I Learning to make and use an outline is a most valuable lesson. You will find it useful not only in English but in all subjects-particularly in studying a lesson for recitation. An outline bears the same relation to a story or a lesson that the framework of a building does to the building itself. Your teacher has asked you to find out something about the Eskimo, especially how he lives. You have found a selection about the Eskimo in a book which, for some reason, you cannot bring to class. Shall you copy the entire article? Why not copy only what is necessary? But what is necessary? "The main facts,’ you say. Exactly. By copying these you will save time, and by selecting the main facts you will help to fix them in your mind so that your lesson will be, in a great measure, prepared. Arrange these facts in outline form. Your subject is The Eskimo. Your first topic is: III. How the Eskimo conducts business 1. Trading with other Eskimos 2. Trading with foreigners Can you see that we have arranged all the facts in their relation to each other and in the order of their development? II If you were asked to read the biography of some noted person and to make a report in class of the main facts of his life, the following outline might help you: The subject may be The Life of Roosevelt. Your first topic, then, would be: I. Early Life 1. Education 3. Amusements II. Middle Life 1. Ambitions 2. Accomplishments III. Later Life 1. Closing events history the story of the Read about it in all the Write an outline telling Exercise. Find in your invention of the cotton gin. histories that you can find. about this invention. Make the subtopics tell the story of the invention, which is the topic assigned. Write them. Now rewrite the subtopics, putting under each one all the interesting facts that you have found. If you were going to tell about winter sports, what sports would you mention? What would your topic be? Would your talk be very interesting if you did not fill in all the interesting details? Write this outline. III OMAR AND THE PERSIAN A fierce battle had raged for many hours. Finally the Persian forces were driven back, and Omar was left victor of the field. As he stood glorying in his triumph, a band of his followers came before him, leading a captive in chains. Omar's face lighted with savage joy as he recognized in the prisoner the Persian chieftain who all that day had led the attack against him, the man who had dealt death right and left, but who himself had seemed proof against dart and spear and battle-ax. "Stand forth, thou Persian dog, and learn thy fate," said Omar fiercely. "Thou shalt die, and die within the hour. Neither prayers nor promises can save thy life." "No Persian trembles at the thought of death," the chieftain answered. "I ask not for my life; thou mayest take it how and when thou wilt. I beg but one boon ere I die— a cup of wine to quench my burning thirst." The wine was brought. The captive seized the cup, but hesitated and looked up before he raised it to his lips. "Drink," said Omar, "and have no fear. I would not stoop to slay my meanest foe by stealth and treachery. There is no poison in that cup; neither will we harm thee whilst thou drinkest. I promise that thy life is safe until thou hast drained the last drop of wine." At these words, the Persian, quick as thought, poured the wine upon the ground. With his finger pointing to the earth he smiled and said: "Thou didst give thy word that no harm should befall me till I had drained the last drop of wine the wine that the thirsty sands of the desert now have drunk. I wait to see if Omar keeps his promise." When Omar's followers heard this bold speech, they started forward and were about to rush upon the captive; but Omar stopped them, saying: "My word which I have given must be kept. It is the word of a prince and warrior, and therefore it is sacred." Let us see how to make an outline for this story. You have learned that every story has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. An outline must have a regular form. The parts of the story may be marked with Roman numbers: I. Setting From the story Omar and the Persian we can make this outline: I. Setting 1. Who the principal characters are 2. What they did 3. How they happened to meet II. Suspense 1. How the clever Persian outwitted Omar III. Ending 1. What Omar's followers wanted to do to the Persian 2. How Omar handled the situation 10. FORM OF OUTLINE FOR A STORY I It is well to have a regular form for your outline and use the same form always. The form given below makes an outline that is easily read and quickly prepared. I. Setting 1. Subheading or subtopic II. Suspense 1. Subheading or subtopic 4. Subheading or subtopic III. Conclusion As you study this outline you will see that you should observe the following rules: 1. Keep all headings under each other. Notice I, II, III, in outlines. 2. Indent every subheading one-half inch. 3. Alternate letters and figures for headings and subheadings. 4. Begin the first word of a heading with a capital. 5. Use as few words as possible. Exercise. Outline your history lesson for the day. Be careful to choose very worth-while facts. Use only necessary words. Outline The Wise Dervish, page 1. Be careful that all headings having the same indention in an outline have the same value in the story. Outline the following story: II SOME UGLY OLD LAWYER One of the things that made President Lincoln great was his kindness in small things. Here is a story, told by a man who saw the incident, that gives an instance of such kindness. You should all begin reading this story at the same moment. At the end of one minute your teacher will |