现代大学英语精读6第二版参考用书.docx

现代大学英语精读6第二版参考用书.docx

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现代大学英语精读6第二版参考用书

Unit8

HousewifelyArts

MeganMayhewBergman

AdditionalBackgroundInformation

Whatisthisstoryabout?

Oneanswerissimplythatitisaboutlove.Becauseoftheprotagonist’sstrongmaternalloveforherson,Ike,sheworriesaboutgeneticweaknessesshemighthavepassedontohim—“cancergenes,hayfever,highbloodpressure,perhapsafearofmath”,plusbeingundersizedforhisagemakinghimaneasytargetforbullies.Beingasingleparent,sheknowsthatsheisallhersonhas.Shetakescaretoshelterhimfrombadexamplesandpossibleharm.Thedesiretobeagoodmother,tohelpherchildgrowuphappy,healthy,andproductiveissointensethatsheissometimeshauntedbynightmares.

Theexperienceofparentingherchildgraduallymakestheprotagonistmoreawareofherrelationshipwithhermother:

Willyoulovemeforever?

Ithinktomyself.WillyoulovemewhenI’mold?

IfIgocrazy?

Willyoubeembarrassedbyme?

Avoidmycalls?

Washdisheswhenyoutalktomeonthephone,rollyoureyes,laythereceiverdownnexttothecat?

Thesewereexactlythethingsshedidtohermother.Lovingherson,shefinallyrealizeshowmuchherparentsalsolovedher.Herfather’slovewaseasiertounderstand.Hetriedhisbesttogiveheropportunitiesinlife,butwhenshefailedintheyearataprivatecollege,whichhehadfundedforherwithconsiderabledifficulty,hedidnotjudgeorreproachher.Shelovedherfather,butsheregardedhermotherascoldandharshandfoughtconstantlywithher,reactinglikeherformerself,therebelliousteenager,beingneithermaturenorcompassionateinlookingafterhermotherinoldage,understandingher,forgivingherweaknesses,andlovingher.

Butnowthathermotherisdead,shebeginsincreasinglytomissher,andthedecisiontodriveninehourswithhersonforthesakeofhearinghermother’svoiceagainthroughtheimitationsofCarnie,theAfricanparrot,showshowmuchsheneedsthisconnection.“IrealizehowbadlyIneedapieceofmymother.Ascrap,asound,asmell—something.”Sheknowsshehasnotbeenagooddaughter,andtheparrothermotherlovedandwhichshehatedsomuch,alwaysseemedtocomebetweenthem.Now,however,Carniehasbecomeheronlyavenuetothekindofmemoryshecraves.Butthebirddoesnotgiveherthatsatisfaction,remainingcompletelysilent.Perhapsitcouldnotforgiveherunkindtreatmentofitinthepast.

Nonetheless,thejourneyprovessuccessful.InthetraditionoftheAmerican“roadtrip”,anotherwayofthinkingaboutthisstory,theprotagonistdoesnotmerelymakeanactualjourneywithhersoninacar,duringwhichvariousthingshappenalongtheway,shealsomakesapersonal,emotionaljourneyinwhichsheachievesameasureofenlightenment.Itisatypicalfeatureof“roadtrip”journeysthattheyteachthecharactersthingsaboutthemselvesthattheydidnotpreviouslyknow.

Drivingtowardhome,theystopatthehouseinwhichtheprotagonistgrewup–-“adeserted,plainhouseforplainfolks…”

…Ileadhimtothebackofthehouse,downthehallwaywhichstillfeelsmorefamiliartomethananyIknow…IremovethevalancesMommadeintheearlyeighties,driedbugsfallingfromthefoldsofthefabricintothesinkbelow.Thesearethethingswithwhichshemadeahome.Hercontributionstooursenseofplacewerehumbleandputforthwithgreatintent,craftswhichtookweeksofstitchingandunstitching,measuring,cutting,gathering.Irealizehowmuchinthehomewasdonebyhandandsweat.Myfatherhadlaidthecarpetingandlinoleum.Momhadpaintedthesamedinnerchairstwice,sewedallthewindowtreatments…IscanthekitchenandpictureMompayingbills,herperfectscript,thewayshealwayslistedheroccupationwithpride:

homemaker…

RecallinghowherparentshadcreatedahomethatshedescribestoIkebysaying,“Thiswasabeautifulhouse”,sheunderstandsthatherparentswerenotdemonstrativepeople,notpeoplewhotalkedaboutlove,butpeoplewhohadshownittoherinalltheiractionsandthesethingstheyhadmade.Andhere,also,shefindstheclearrecollectionsofhermotherthatshehadbeenseeking:

“…NowIcanhearmymothereverywhere—inthekitchen,inmybedroom,onthefrontporch…”

Thisvisitalsohelpstheprotagonisttomakeamajordecisionaroundwhichonepartoftheplotisconstructed:

shouldsheandIkemovetoConnecticut,astatetowhichherfirmhasofferedtotransferher?

Ikeisreluctant.

“…Whatifwelivehereforever?

Heasked.Peopleusedtodothat,Isaid.Livedinonehousetheirentirelife.Mymother,forinstance…”

Inrevisitingthehouseofherchildhood,shehasgraspedtheprofoundsenseofhomethatgrowingupinthissingleplacehasgivenher.Sheconcludes:

“Together,wecanmakeasolidgrilledcheese,pruneshrubs,cleanhouse.Together,maybewe’rethehousewifethishousen