Henty vs. Ballantyne: Chapter Titles

Almost every book is divided into chapters. We all know this, and we're used to this format. Different authors use varying methods of naming their chapters, so I thought that I would compare R. M. Ballantyne and G. A. Henty.

Henty

Normally, Henty used a simple line of text to name his chapters. For example, chapters in The Cat of Bubastes are The King of the Rebu, The Siege of the City, Captive, etc. This method is a good balance between creating interest in the following chapter, and not giving out too much information.

Ballantyne

Ballantyne takes different approach to chapter naming. Sometimes he only has one line of text, but more commonly he includes two, three, four, or even five phrases or words, describing the following portions of the chapter. Here's an example of a chapter title from Martin Rattler: An Enemy in the Night-The Vampire Bat-The Hermit discourses on Strange, and Curious, and Interesting Things. That's all for one chapter.

Which one's right?

There really isn't a right and a wrong when it comes to chapter naming. Both of these methods are fine and effectual. I prefer Henty's way of titling, simply because I don't want to know very much about the next chapter until I read it. If you read Ballantyne's chapter titles, you will know more about what is about to happen, which some people like, and some don't. To see a previous article which contains a more comprehensive view on Henty and Ballantyne's differences, click here.

Tutela ex Vulnero,

John