Harris, William Foster 1977
William Foster Harris talks about his philosophy of and approach to writing fiction, along with his early life and how it influenced his stories.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: William Foster Harris
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: c. 1977
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Interviewer:
Length: 4 hours, 20 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Black and white (form) vision and color (chromatic)
vision,
Objective (color blind) lighting of sciences,
Subjective (color vision) lighting of poetry and arts,
Evolution of reading and writing (4th millenium B. C.),
Chromatic and achromatic vision,
Story of Noah,
Cones and rods,
Color blindness,
Learning and color mixtures,
Color limited people,
Concepts to be taught in school,
Adequate reading and writing,
Right versus wrong,
Good versus evil,
Virtue versus vice,
Human heritage,
Subjective writing compared to soup,
Beef and noodles,
Liquid makes story,
Ziggurat at Sumeria in ancient Near East.
Tape 1, Side 2: Ziggurat (continued),
Horizontal and vertical worlds related,
Chromaticism,
Persians and Babylonians achieved through colored
walls,
Writers,
Project reach out sketch,
Illumination,
Childhood memories,
Libraries newspapers Bibles catalogs,
High regard for reading developed,
Facilitated ability to write,
Father’s experience as a schoolteacher,
Building schoolhouse in West Texas,
Experiences with children,
Eloquent writing important in communication,
Antagonistic properties of light and dark,
Writing and teaching careers,
Western stories,
Teaching in universities.
Tape 2, Side 1: Problems in writing,
Emotional,
Unity,
Foresight or aura and color vision,
Robert Louis Stevenson,
Good stories,
Facts,
Mystery,
Life goals,
Approaches to writing,
Objective,
Subjective,
Applied to reading,
Dark Ages versus present,
"Light" and happiness,
Decision point of good story,
Plot inverts,
Structure of story.
Tape 2, Side 2: Christianity,
Dichotomy,
At low ebb,
Poor level of literature,
Less self confidence,
Faith in one’s self,
Essential to good writer,
Divisions of story,
Short story,
Characters introduced,
Complication developed,
Decision,
Four-part story,
Characters introduced,
Complication developed,
Additional complications,
Decision,
Christianity,
Empty grammar,
Writing compared to soup,
Beef and noodles,
Liquid makes story,
Effective writing requires daily practice.
Tape 3, Side 1: Reader included in illumination,
Story characters,
Hero heroine villain,
Good writers,
Story through characters,
Reader responding to characters,
First person limits and defines view,
Change in viewpoint made,
Characterization,
Feeling of empathy needed,
Belief in self,
Faith illuminates character,
Subject orientation,
Factual,
Orderly arrangement,
Repeats itself,
Lonely school days,
People and things covered,
Early reading experience,
Bible newspapers Sears & Roebuck Catalog
magazines libraries,
Policy of faith through early life,
Experiences taught,
College,
Aspects that made him a good writer,
Could separate himself from those around him,
Able to convey small expressions,
Newspaper stories,
Real and imaginative worlds,
Writing for magazines.
Tape 3, Side 2: Oil town action,
Oil fires,
Salvaging oil,
Stories written,
Civil War cannon,
About "boomtowns",
Good story,
Person struggling,
Plot example,
Quality of ever moving,
Repeating motive,
Verses add variety,
Chorus adds unity,
Emotional responses from reader,
Body and mind involved,
Learning how to write,
Convey emotion,
"Light" learning,
Good literature used to teach youngsters,
Teaching methods,
Story written in first person,
Use "he" and "his",
Create third-person story with first-person
perspective,
Doing what is morally right.
Tape 4, Side 1: Morality,
Faith,
Philosophy of writer,
Light dark,
Good evil,
Western stories,
Grandfather in Confederate Army,
Four-part story,
Characters introduced,
First complication,
More complications,
Ultimate decision,
Perspective,
Greeks and Romans,
Leonardo Da Vinci,
Writing combines horizontal and vertical,
Inner voice.
Tape 4, Side 2: Inner and outer self (continued),
Writer must entertain reader,
Newspaper business,
Teaching writing,
Walter Campbell,
One-to-one basis with students,
Prolific students,
Satisfaction of being writer,
Literature in same place as science 500 years ago,
People compared to pyramids,
Exterior,
Interior,
All-seeing eye,
Connection between God and his own little world,
Writing comes from within,
Value of creativity.
Tape 5, Side 1: Purpose of dissertation,
How to illuminate yourself,
Patience with being writer,
Books about writing,
Too objective,
Unenlightening,
Helping others to see "light",
Most important aspect of learning,
Scholastic period in education ending,
Objective worship declining,
Contributors to Harris’ life and career,
Kaluchi Ol Slutapi (?),
Leonardo Da Vinci,
Aristotle,
Lester Dent (?),
Walter Campbell,
Jeanne Williams,
Douglas Harris.
Tape 5, Side 2: Blank
Range Dates: ?-1977
Bulk Dates: ?-1977
Access Information
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Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
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