Why do you think he carried out the couple's travel plans? Why do you think she didn't?
Do you think people can ever overcome their isolation from one another? II. Writing Technique :
This fictional story is an extremely good example of how a writer can use different literary aspects to bring about an understanding of the character. Literary aspects: Symbolism Feminism Irony
Genre of the Story: ModernismUse of images as subtle symbols—evoking emotion in readers' hearts;
Tendency to present human experiences in fragments that readers have to piece together in their own minds;
Use of the techniques of realism and naturalism—subjects previously considered too trivial or too unpleasant for literature;
Attention to the new psychological insights of Freud, Jung, and other pioneer psychologists and the inner workings of characters' minds.
Use of ModernismIn the text, the author tried to present human experience in fragments, the arrangement of which reveals the relationship between Vera and the man.
We readers have to piece together the fragments of the woman's thought. The narration of their past love is not in a common order: Time jumps back and forth.
1. a leap in time to 6 years ago (Paras. 16—21)The setting of the story: on the lawnMan: poetic, wonderful, sweet and deeply in love with Vera Woman: not the same as the man
2.the time jumped back to after they parted (Paras. 43—44)
imaginary things about Russia, black sea, red chili, dill pickles, etctime jumped back again to 6 years ago (Paras. 47—48—52)Christmas tree; a dog; the letter
.back to 6 years ago (Para. 57) man's confession
Genre of the Story: Feminism
Feminism, in the novel, is reflected in the author's choice of the topic and the description of fine details, with fine perception and sharp sensibility. Through the portrayal of one character, values and ideas of a novel find its full expression.
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The author tried to express her feministic ideaVera is designed to magnify women's desire for spiritual satisfaction. If she couldn't gain it, she would give up.
Different changes on both of them (6 years ago and 6 years later) that paint a clear contrasting picture;
Detailed observation on the air of the man: Para. 11 \again.”;
Carefully-chosen nouns and adjectives to describe the settings;
Portrayal of their mannerisms and revelation of enough of their personalities to allow the reader to come to his or her own conclusion: \shock of recognition…\
Examples for Carefully-Chosen Nouns and Adjectives1.The story begins with \bamboo tables decorated with a Japanese vase of paper daffodils.\
2.She recognized him immediately by the \way he was peeling his orange.
3.She was disappointed by his frown when he looked up at her; she believed that \Writing Devices: Symbolism
Symbolism is an object, sign, or image that is used to stand for something else. Symbolism can add to the inherent meaning of a variety of texts, from music to movies to novels. It creates an even deeper meaning than found in surface reading.
In following the tendencies of most Modernist writers, everyday objects in this story carry a great deal of significance in piecing together the overall meaning. The Symbolism Found in \hidden ideas and give a deeper meaning to the novel.
Explain the significance and symbolic value of the objects listed belowdill pickle—After hearing her friend's story, Vera conjured up a false image of a dill pickle (a red chili like a parrot's beak). This is symbolic of the false impression Vera also formed of her friend. Such misconceptions ensure that a rekindling of their romance will never occur. It is also significant that Vera described the pickle as sour, a word that could also describe the couple's past love affair.
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Vera's glove—He looked more like 6 years ago when he did not know how to hold Vera back—he held the wrong thing, for glove was not strong enough to keep her. Now he still did not know how to do it and he tried to clutch the wrong thing, too the strange beast—?Para. 31: Her strong long-cherished desire to travel to all those distant and mysterious places had been hidden deep in her heart for quite a long time because it was impossible for her to realize it given her financial and health conditions. But now this old wish seemed to be suddenly awakened.
?Para 59: Her long-buried love for the man seemed to wake up again.
Writing Devices: MetaphorIn the text, the use of metaphor always overlaps with that of symbolism.
Another example as mixture of both:
carpet—protection for Vera from sharp stones and mud (hardship and difficulties in life)
The Irony in \\story with an ironic twist.
The story takes place at a restaurant table and right from the very beginning, readers can see themselves as being merely another patron sitting at the next table, watching and listening to everything that is happening between the two main characters. The author never states what either of the characters—Vera and \—is really thinking. Based on their reactions and movements, the reader could derive things about the characters, their past relationship, and the places that they are at in their lives today.
The author describes and contrasts the very different changes of Vera and the man after 6 years of separation.a poor, green man-----a wealthy man of the upper class
a middle-class woman---a poor woman
III. Sentence Paraphrase Para. 2\
Antithesis is used here to show a contrast between them, bringing an ironical effectShe smiled because she was very glad to see her old friend.While he frowned because he could not recall where he had met her. Para. 13 I am still just as ignorant for all your telling me. ----I am still ignorant in spite of your telling me.
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Para. 14 serious and infuriated out of all proportion to the occasion. completely uncalled-for, totally unnecessary under the circumstances----What had happened that afternoon made him a fool of them both. Para. 15 His was the truer.
That memory about the ridiculous scene gradually disappeared. After all, it was a wonderful afternoon. His memory was the truer one. They did have a good time on that whole afternoon.
Para.31… she felt the strange beast
(metaphor: the desire to go to those places)that had slumbered so long within her bosom stir, stretch itself, yawn, prick up its ears, and suddenly bound to its feet, and fix its longing, hungry stare upon those far away places.
----Her strong desire to go to those places held so long in her bosom now awoke. The desire became stronger and stronger. She was burst with her desire. Para. 36 But what has become of your beautiful piano? ---But what has happened to your beautiful piano? Para. 40 He let it go at that.
He didn't pursue the matter, showing once again how self-centered he was. Under normal circumstance, a man would be dying to know what had happened to the woman to force herself to part with her beloved piano.
Para. 57 Only I did desire, eventually, to turn into a magic carpet (metaphor: the protection) and carry you away…
Magic carpet is an allusion to the story in The Arabian Nights which describes how a magic carpet can carry people wherever they wish to go. I.Word Study 1.apart
a. a. separate by a distance b. into parts
c. other expressions: to tell apart; to pull apart; to drift apart; to fall apart; to come apart; to grow apart
Examples: (a)The two schools are only a few blocks apart. ? 两个学校相距只有几个街区远
He is now living apart from his family. 他与家人分开居住。
Examples: (b)You need special equipment to take this machine apart.要拆开这部机器你需要用特殊的设备The economy has fallen apart. 经济已崩溃。 2.beyond
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prep. a. farther away than; on the far side of
b. past or outside the limits, reach, or scope ofExamples: (a)Our school is just beyond that tall building. ?学校就在高楼那边。There is peak beyond peak. 层峦叠嶂。The plane fell into a rice paddy a few miles beyond the mountain.
飞机落入离山几英里的水稻田中Examples: (b)Don't swim beyond your depth.不要到你能力不及的深水区去游泳。
That Swiss watch costs at least 10 thousand dollars. It's way beyond his means. 那块瑞士表至少价值10,000美元，他根本买不起。 The lecture was quite philosophical. It was completely beyond me .
演讲太富哲理性了，完全超出了我的理解范围。 be touched beyond words?感动得无法用言语来形容 the guest staying beyond the hour of welcome? 呆得过久而不再受欢迎的客人 the beyond来世，不可知的彼岸
He is beyond this kind of thing. 他绝不屑做这种事情。beyond recognition beyond description
beyond belief beyond doubt 3. fixv. a. to repair/mend; cure
b. to put in order; adjust or arrange
c. to fasten firmly or make firm, stable; place definitely ?If it is not broken, don't try to fix it. ?Fix your hair.
?He fixed the picture on the wall.
?If you don't fix the lid on properly, the milk will spill out. ?Marriage is fixed on the 7th, June.
?I'll fix the day if you want to meet them.
?Nothing is fixed in the world, everything is relative. ?He looked at me with fixed eyes.
?We are supposed to fix the broken machine. ?Let me fix you a cup of tea.
4. parev. a. to cut off or trim the outer coating, layer, edge or part of… b. to cut the nails of your fingers or toes
c. to reduce, diminish, decrease gradually (often fol. by down)
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