Yours very truly,
JAMES SCHOULER.
Indianapolis, Ind.,
April 24, 1913.
"Is the fiction circulated by our public libraries helping to enlighten the people on social and economic problems?"
George Meredith, in a letter written in 1884, said:
"I think that all right use of life, and the one secret of life, is to pave ways for the firmer footing of those who succeed us.... Close knowledge of our fellows, discernment of the laws of existence, these lead to great civilization. I have supposed that the novel, exposing and illustrating the natural history of man, may help us to such sustaining roadside gifts."
Merely "entertaining" fiction is comparable to vaudeville or to tight-rope walking; its use may be to amuse the tired laborer of all sorts; its overuse, however, tends to become a habit and produce flaccid minds. Save for this, all fiction which depends on "plot"—always a hash of used meats—or on farcical or melodramatic "situation," is almost negligible. But on the whole, and because of this flaccidity, I believe, it would be a good thing if all merely "entertaining" fiction could be destroyed.
A very small portion of that fiction which is produced by artists seeking to know and reveal life, deals with economic problems. Except for the work of a few writers (Mr. H. G. Wells, for instance,—he includes economic discussions) it concerns itself with social relations and "the natural history of man." Its circulation must certainly help to enlighten people upon social problems. Here I must fail you, for I do not know what type of fiction has the circulation you mean; the most general circulation, I take it. A novel is helpful as it is a revelation of truth; it is always harmful when it is written from a false or assumed point-of-view; it is very likely to be harmful when it is founded upon shallow observation or a cocksure philosophy. Most of the fiction produced in our country today is founded upon nothing except the desire to circulate; therefore it shouldn't!
Very sincerely yours,