THE SACRIFICIAL ALTAR
Germinal Idea. “It is so long since I wrote ‘The Sacrificial Altar’ that I am rather hazy. My impression is that I set out to draw a born artist hampered by certain disabilities, and one of these being a disinclination for life and utter absence of the love instinct, all the forces of his nature concentrated upon his art, until they reached the point of obsession. It was not until after he had written the last book that he reacted to the normal instincts he had inherited and which had been automatically developed by the most normal bourgeoisie on earth.”—Gertrude Atherton.
Analysis of Plot.
Initial Incident: César Dupont persuades Louis Bac to meet Berthe. (Note, even in the single incident, the struggle—one of wills—and the argument which wins the younger man.)
Steps to the Dramatic Climax: 1. Louis meets Berthe and “feels nothing.” 2. “—a daring idea sprang ... darted into Louis’s relaxed brain.” 3. Louis goes to the Dupont mansion, steals to the girl’s room, sees her asleep. “He gazed resentfully at that diminished beauty.... Why not give her a fright?” He seizes a pillow and presses it against her face. “She made a sudden downward movement, gurgling. With a quick, cat-like leap he was on her chest.”
Dramatic Climax: His soul and passions are liberated. “The body lay limp and flabby at last.”
Steps to the Climax of Action: 1. Louis takes pains to divert suspicion from himself. 2. In the next three months he writes his book. (Note that this is the climax of action in the artist’s struggle, that the murder is the turning point after which he succeeds artistically. But the climax of action for the man is yet to come.) 3. At the end of the three months, he hears that another has been hanged as the murderer. 4. He confesses to M. Dupont. 5. Dupont refuses to believe the story. 6. Louis writes his confession.
The Climax of Action: He walks to the Catholic cemetery and shuts himself into the family vault.
Dénouement: Left to the reader. By a clue on page 16 one would gather that Bac drank poison or cut his wrists.
Study the development of this plot, as to scenes, summaries, condensations, accelerations, gaps, and omissions with reference to the artistic effect. For example, the initial incident is presented dramatically, the characters act it before the reader. The steps to the dramatic climax are presented partly in retrospect, from Louis’s point of view; those nearest the climax are given dramatically.
Study the plot, also, with respect to the struggle. What details are “for” Louis’s artistic success? How are they related to those “against” his physical being?
Is the plot, in connection with the development of Louis’s character, probable? What logic has the author employed to make it seem so? Mrs. Atherton’s own testimony is valuable by way of reflecting the artist’s temperament. As she herself says, although she has never been impelled to murder and has had always a consuming interest in life, yet until the war, she never permitted anything to interfere with her work.
Characterization. What value is there in Louis Bac’s being French? Mrs. Atherton plays up Louis by making him the spot-light figure and by presenting the story from his angle. The invasion of his mind results, incidentally, in the reader’s seeing the setting, situation, and characters as he sees them.
Study the author’s description and exposition of Louis Bac, then his speeches and his acts. What do the other characters think of him? Observe how the various methods of portraiture strengthen one another in the finished portrait.
Berthe is lightly touched. The reader must “believe” in her as a beautiful young girl, but must not give her too great sympathy. Overmuch attention to her would have detracted from the character unity of the narrative.
César Dupont is the contemporary representative of the confidant, offering opportunity for dramatic form (in the scene work) and consequent interest. Unity of action and effect is conserved by making him Berthe’s uncle; moreover, probability and verisimilitude are gained by the relationship. Madame Dupont, M. Jules Constant, Louis’s servants, and others, are the background characters, carefully subdued so as not to interfere with the chief action and consequent story unity.
Note every reference to San Francisco, then ask yourself how strongly the setting works toward the securing of the reader’s credulity. Try telling the story, mentally, without allusion to locale. What is lost? “On a pedestal was a vase that had belonged to Napoleon, wired and fastened down,” etc. What is the value of this sentence in the direction of capturing belief? Study the management of the time element.
Atmosphere. Study the feeling of the story in connection with the place. The first sentence of the narrative strikes the tone “gray,” and gives the setting. “Lone Mountain” conveys what impression? The cemetery, used so powerfully in the climax of action, deepens the gray note to its most somber hue. This increased depth of tone works integratively with the action to the powerful climax. Point out all the words and phrases that intensify the atmosphere.
Presentation of the Action. The narrator is the author who knows all, sees all, and exercises omniscience over Louis’s mind.
Tell the plot without adhering to Louis’s point of view, placing every event in the order of its occurrence. Note the loss in suspense and cumulative effect.
Details.
Suspense: Where does the story first grip you, and why? At what point does the cause for suspense change, and with what bearing on your interest?
Clues: Make a list of clues to the tragic conclusion; e.g., “If I am awake” (page 33).
Proportion: How much of the narrative is devoted to antecedent circumstances? Notice the long preliminary, the logical necessity for an accurate disclosure of character at the beginning, and compare it with the fine art which leaves the dénouement partly to the reader.
Suggestion.—At what points did you unconsciously create incidents or summarize them?
General Methods of Mrs. Atherton. “I rarely have the solution of a story or novel in mind, merely the principal character, the central idea, and the mis-en-scène. I prefer to let the story work itself out. Else, where would be the fun in it? Writing to me is an adventure, and if I knew beforehand how it was to turn out I should take no more interest in it than I should take in the following year if I knew what was to happen every day. Nevertheless, I would reject any finale that I did not think logical. An arbitrary ending for the sake of dramatic effect or conciliating the public makes the whole book or story worthless artistically.”