弗里曼与小说英文.docx

弗里曼与小说英文.docx

《弗里曼与小说英文.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《弗里曼与小说英文.docx（17页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

弗里曼与小说英文

MaryWilkinsFreeman（1852___1930）

IBriefIntroductionoftheWriter

IntheyearsfollowingtheCivilWar,decayingvillagesandabandonedfarmsmarkedthelandscapeofruralNewEngland.CheaplandintheWestandthelureofjobsingrowingindustrialcenterstothesouthdrewoffstronger,youngerandmoreadventuresome.Thosewhoremainedbehindoftenlackedthechanceorthewilltoleave.Asubstantialportionwereunmarriedwomen.Theyweresonumerousthatthestrong-willedNewEnglandspinster,thesternoldmaid,becameapublicinstitution,theobjectofpoems,jokessongsandnewspapercartoons.Itwasjustsuchwomen,waitingtidilyinfadingNewEnglandvillages,whobecamethesubjectsofMaryWilkinsFreeman’sbeststories.

MaryE.FreemanlivedinRandolph,Massachusetts,andinBrattleboro,Vermont,smalltownsindecline,withemptystoresalongthemainstreetandsilentmillsalongtheriver.Shewasinfrailhealthasagirl,andinhersolitudesheturnednaturallytoreading.Asateenagershewroteandpublishedanumberofpoemsforchildren,butherdecisiontomakewritinghercareercamewhenshewasinherearlytwenties.HerloveofbookswasequaledbyacuriosityaboutthetownsofVermontandMassachusetts.Shestudiedtheirhistory,theirdistinctivebuildingsandthedialectandcharacteroftheirpeople.In1881shereceivedtendollarsforapoempublishedinachildren’smagazine,herfirstbookwasacollectionofchildren’sverse,DecorativePlaques（1883）.Herfirstsuccessinwritingfictionforadultscamein1882with“AShadowStory’’.twoyearslater,whenHarper’sBazaaraccepted“TwoOldLovers”forpublication,hercareerwaslaunched,andherstoriesweresoonindemandbyeditorsofmajormagazines.SincethenshedrewtheadmirationofliterarynotablewritersandherstorieswerepublishedinEngland.ManynovelsweretranslatedintoFrench.Inallshepublished39volumes.HerbestwereAHumbleRomanceandOtherStories,andANewEnglandNunandOtherStories（1892）,storiesofstolidvillageandfarmpeopleinremoteNewEngland.

MaryWilkinsFreemanaimed“topreserveinliteraturetheoldandprobablydisappearingwaysofNewEnglandcharacter.Herstoriesmixelementsofromance,realism,andnaturalism.Shewroteofstrong-mindedpeoplewhoseindividualismearnsthewrathoffriendsandvillageneighbors.Shedepictedthepinchedandstagnatinglivesofhesitantloverswhoseendlessprolongedcourtshiparedestinednevertoconcludeinmarriage.HerworkisfrequentlycomparedtothatofSarahJewett.Bothwroteasspinsterladies,describingthelivesofthemenandwomenofsmalltownNewEngland.BothhavebeenidentifiedwiththelocalcolortraditioninAmericanliteraturewriterswhosestoriesandsketchesemphasizedthecharactertypes,customs,settings,andspeechofregionsthat19thcenturyAmericastillpreservedtheiruniqueidentity.

YetMaryFreeman’swritingwaslessconcernedwithlocal,moreconcernedwithcharacter.AndherwritinghadasharpironicedgetoitthatSarahOrneJewettneverattempted.Freeman’sstoriesarewrittenwithgreaterdetachment,lesssympatheticmusingatthedilemmasofhercharacters.Herviewcouldbesharp,critical,unsparing.Lackingthesofttenderness,Freemancouldachievearealismthattomoderneyesmoreclearlyportraysthestrengthandfolliesofthepeopleshelivesamong,arealismthatjustifiablybroughtherrecognitionas“themosttruthfulrecorderinfictionofNewEnglandlife.”

II.ANewEnglandNunSummary

Asalocalcolorwriter,FreemanattemptedtocapturethedistinctcharacteristicsofregionalAmerica.ArecognizableregionalsettingplaysanimportantpartinmostofFreeman'sstories.Thedetailsinherstoriestendtohavesymbolicsignificance,andmostcriticsagreethatherthemesaremoreuniversalthanthosecommonlyfoundinmuchlocalcolorwritingofthetime.Sheisadmiredforhersimple,directproseandherinsightintothepsychologyofhercharacters."ANewEnglandNun"hasaverysimple,perhapsevencontrivedplot.YetFreemanmanagestodepictskillfullythepersonalitiesinvolvedinthissmalldramaandthetimeinwhichtheylived.

Plotsummary

"ANewEnglandNun"isthestoryofLouisaEllis,awomanwhohaslivedaloneformanyyears.Louisaissomewhatofaneccentric,asshelikestokeepherhousemeticulouslyclean,wearmultipleaprons,andeatfromhernicestchinaeveryday.ShehasanolddognamedCaesarwhoshefeelsmustbekeptchainedupbecausehebitaneighborfourteenyearsagoasapuppy.LouisapromisedJoeDaggetfifteenyearsagothatshewouldmarryhimwhenhereturnedfromhisfortune-huntingadventuresinAustralia,andnowthathehasreturneditistimeforhertofulfillherpromise.WhenJoearrives,however,itbecomesobviousthatLouisaseeshimasadisruptionofthelifethatshehasmadeforherself.WhenJoearrives,Louisaattemptstohaveaconversationwithhim,butisdistractedwhenhetracksdirtonthefloor,re-arrangesherbooks,andaccidentallyknocksthingsover.ThetwohaveacoolandslightlyawkwardconversationwhenLouisainquiresafterJoe'smother'shealthandJoeblushesandtellsLouisathatLilyDyerhasbeentakingcareofher.Clearly,sheisonlyplanningonmarryingJoebecauseshepromisedthatshewould,sinceitwouldmeanthatLouisawouldhavetogiveupthelifethatshehasmadeforherself.

Laterthatnight,asLouisaisenjoyingamoonlitstroll,shehappenstooverhearaconversationbetweenJoeandLily.Throughthisconversation,LouisalearnsthatJoeandLilyhavebeenseeingeachotherintheshorttimethatJoehasbeenback,andthatJoeisinlovewithLilybutrefusestobreakhispromisetoLouisa.LilysupportsJoe'sdecision,andthoughJoeencourageshertofindsomeoneelse,Lilysays,"I'llnevermarryanyothermanaslongasIlive."Thenextday,whenJoecomestovisit,LouisareleasesJoefromhispromisewithoutlettinghimknowthatsheisawareofhisrelationshipwithLily.JoeandLilythenparttenderly,andLouisaisleftalonetomaintainherpresentlifestyle.

III.GeneralComments:

Considereda"regionalist"writer,likeKateChopinandfellowNewEnglanderSarahOrneJewett,MaryE.WilkinsFreemanbeganwritingatatimeinAmerica'shistorywhenliteraturewasbecomingthefirst"cultureindustry",andshefoundagrowingmarketforherworkinpopularmagazines.ThiscollectionshowsFreeman'smanymodes—romantic,gothic,andpsychologicallysymbolic—aswellasheruseofpathosandsentimentality,ofdryreserve,andofhumor,satire,andirony.TheselastaremostvividlyexpressedinTheJamesons,aseriesofsketchesaboutvillagelifereprintedforthefirsttimesincetheturnofthecentury.Alsoincludedherearestoriesthatcenteronquestionsofwomen'sintegrity,courage,and,often,privation;thatexploreculturalconstructionsofmasculinity;andthatdramatizetheinterconnectionofruralNewEnglandwithmoderncultureandcommerce.

1ChoiceandConsequences

OneimportantthemeinFreeman’s“AnewEnglandNun“isthatoftheconsequencesofchoice.Louisaisfacedwithachoicebetweenasolitaryandsomewhatsterilelifeofherownmakingandthelifeofamarriedwoman.

2CourageandCowardice

Anotherimportantandrelatedthemein“ANewEnglandNun”istherelationshipbetweencourageandcowardice.MaryWilkinsFreemanshowsusthatitisoftendifficulttomakedecisions.Throughthecourseofthestory’saction,weseeLouisaEllismovestowardself_searchbymakingherownchoicewithouthesitation.Thechoiceofremainingaloneshowsherselfwillandherownvisionoflife.

3DutyandResponsibility

Dutyandresponsibilityareimportantthemesinthisstory.Peoplewereexpectedtobeself-sacrificingandtoputresponsibilitytofamilyorcommunity,aheadofpersonalhappiness.Freemanshowsusthattoorigidadefinitionofdutycanbedangerous.Adheringtothisrigidnotionofdutyandresponsibility,thethreepeopleLouisa,Joe,Lilywouldbemiserableandhadnothingworthwhileattheend.

4FleshandSpirit

Theconflictbetweenfleshandspiritisathemethatrunsthrough“ANewEnglandNun”andisdepictedthroughavarietyofstrikingimages.Louisa’ssolitarylifeislargelyalifeofthespirit,orasshesays,ofsensibility.”Itiscontrastedwiththelifeofthefleshasrepresentedbymarriage.

IVStyle

ANewEnglandNunistoldinthethirdperson,omniscientnarration.FreemanwasskillfulatusingsymbolismIhershortstories.ButhertouchislighterthanHawthorne’s.ThereweremanysymbolsinANewEnglandNun.Thereisagreatdealofsymbolismassociatedwithnatureandplantlifeinthisstory.Forherwritingstyle,Freemanhasfrequentlybeenpraisedbycriticsforhereconomical,directwritingway.Sheusesshort,concisesentencesandwasteslittletimeondetaileddescriptions.Hercharactersaresketchedwithafewstrong,simplestrokesofthepen.Forexample,thereaderneverreallylearnswhatLouisalookslike,butitdoesmattertothestory.Weknowwhatweneedtoknowtokeepusinterestedandtokeepthestorymoving.Freemanisalsoknownforherdry,oftenironicsenseofhumor.

V.Questionsfordiscussion：

1WhatarethemainthemesinANewEnglandNun?

2WhatkindofpersonisLouisaEllisinthisstory?

3Whatarethesymbols?

andhowdotheycommunicatethestory’soveralltheme?

4WhatkindofwritingstyledoesFreemanshowinthisstory?

5Howdoyouviewonthemaincharactersinthisstory?

Requirement:

ReadthefollowingshortstoryofANewEnglandNun,thendiscusstheabovequestionsorallyinclass.Writeyourvieworcommentonthisstoryafterr