Judge, 1916-02-05 · page 9 of 28
Judge — February 5, 1916 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the rigid character archetypes that dominated early 20th-century popular fiction. The accompanying cartoon shows two men discussing a string on a finger—a memory aide—illustrating how formulaic these stories had become. The article mocks how fiction writers mechanically assigned personality traits based solely on a character's age. According to this "census department" chart, every age bracket from infancy to 80 had predetermined roles: the angelic child, the precocious girl, the "Snappy Hero" (who inexplicably closes $200,000 deals), the misunderstood young wife, and the predictable villain phases. The satire targets how unimaginative and predictable popular fiction had become—characters weren't individuals but age-based templates. The "Beautiful old age" phase at 65-80 suggests even death couldn't save characters from these tired conventions. It's criticism of mass-market literature's formulaic laziness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Bilkins Wilkins—What's that string on your finger for ? Bilkins— you do it > FICTION By LAWTON vy lo YOU know the age of a character in popular fiction, you know everything. about him. For the part that an individ- ual plays, in any correctly written story or dra- ma, and the sort of nature he discloses, are de- termined solely by the number of his y A difference of a decade may take a man out of the hero class and put him in with the villains. The following chart, compiled by the cen- sus department of a large public library, gives a list of the ages permissible in fiction, together with réles and personalities inevitable to them: Flaxen or golden haired child. Face and sex: as near as possible to those of an angel. Introduced for touch of pathos— asks, with childish innocence, “ Where is papa?” 6 year: Precocious lite girl. Heroine of psychologi study, supposedly humorous. ‘al child zo years. Kid Brother. Enters story and parlor to harass sister's beau. 13 years. Hero of boy story. Comic equipment: noisiness, chums knames, and awkwardness in presence of girls with peculiar ni and “company. 15 years. Younger Sister (Comedy edition). Hair ribbons. Acts as ally of hero. 18 years. Younger Sister (Problem theme edition). Impulsive, high-strung. Ruined by deplo’ ample of married sister. 19 years. Oppressed Ingénue. Pre cly girlish. 1916 model. Shapeliness of figure, of teeth and feature: cs: optional. Brains? 20 years. Popular Heroine, clearness of complexion, and regulari indispensable. Color of hair and secondary to costume. ars. Noble Hero. Without fear, guile, or sense of humor. Saves life of Popular Heroine, or rescues Ingénue from her oppressor. 3 she forgot to give it to me. FIGURES M wife put it’on to remind me to post her letter. Wilkins—Did 24 years. Snappy Hero. It makes no difference whether he is a fascinat- ing young college man or a dash- ingly slangy young salesman; in either case he has no difficulty in landing a $200,000 order and the Popular Hercine at the same time. ars. Young Wife, in problem novel. misunderstood, and therefore an ca blandishments of the Villain. years. Young Husband, in problem novel. Tiring of the joys of home, he hearkens to the rustle of strange skirts. years. Woman with a Past. 2 years. (a) With fur-lined overcoat. Rich Rival of Noble Hero. (b) Without fur-lined overcoat. Victim of Society or alcohol. ears. Female Villain. 1CKALL Either extravagant or prey to the plutocratic ars. Male Villain. Oppressor of Oppressed Ingénue. 48 years. Spiteful Old Maid. 50 years. Employer from whom Snappy Hero extracts a “raise.” 52 years. A combination character (for the sake of economy), made up of “50 years” and “54 years.”” 54 years. Prospective Father-in-law, whom Snappy Hero astonishes into capitulation. 56 years. Elderly Husband, who misunderstands Misunderstood Wife. 60 years. Austere Father. 65 years. Noble-souled Mother, with white hair parted in the middle. 70 years. Noble-souled Father. If New England farmer, has chin beard; if Southern Colonel, has flowing goate« So years. Knitting Grandmother or Patriarchal Grandfather. SUMMARY: Period of likableness Problematic Period. Period of villainy, spite, and oppression. Beautiful old age. 65-80 years. comicbooks.com