unit14theweddingstoryteachingplan.docx

1、unit14theweddingstoryteachingplanUnit 14 The Wedding StoryPre-reading Questions1) What do you think marriage means in ones life2) Many people still believe in the statement that marriage is a life-long commitment. Do you agree or notCultural information1. QuoteTo make a lasting marriage we have to o

2、vercome self-centeredness. George Gordon Byron2. Wedding CeremonyChinese Wedding The three prayers of the traditional Chinese wedding ceremony contained elements of Taoism. The Chinese were mainly Taoists or ancestor worshipers before foreign religions such as Christianity, Muslim or Buddhism entere

3、d ancient China. Taoists believed in the power of heaven and earth to witness important events on earth. It was also believed that a parent or family elder must acknowledge a union for it to be official. An official at the wedding would direct the bride and groom to pray to heaven and earth first, t

4、hen to the grooms parents or family elders and lastly to bow to each other. The official would then declare the ceremony completed successfully and asked the wedding guests to escort the couple into the bridal chamber, the equivalent of the bridal room, to consummate their marriage. U. S. WeddingIn

5、the United States the traditional western wedding custom of the bride wearing a white dress was, during the Victorian era, intended to symbolize purity, although despite popular misconception not necessarily to indicate virginity. A white face veil is worn with the dress to symbolize virginity. Foll

6、owing strict “White Wedding” tradition, a white dress and veil are not worn for the second or third wedding after becoming a widow or a divorcee.Another popular custom during a traditional ceremony is “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”. According to this long-standing

7、 custom, it is considered good luck for the bride to carry something of each category during the ceremony. Often a bride will try to carry one item that meets all these definitions if possible.The wedding ceremony is usually followed by a wedding reception where a meal and wedding cake are served. A

8、t the reception the guests will toast the newlyweds before the meal and after the meal the bride and groom will cut the wedding cake and serve it to the guests. Another enjoyable tradition during the reception is for guests to randomly clink their silverware on their glass which obliges the newlywed

9、s each time to kiss. After the meal and cake there is dancing, with the newlyweds usually having the first dance.At some point during the reception gifts and cards are given to the newlyweds. A favorite custom during the reception is for the bride to turn her back and throw her bouquet backwards to

10、a group of unmarried women at the wedding, the woman who catches it will be supposedly the next one to marry! A modern twist has the groom throwing the brides garter to a group of the unmarried men with the man catching it being the next male to marry.Music is an important part of the wedding ceremo

11、ny and the reception. The most common song used during the wedding procession is the “Bridal Chorus”, also known as “Here Comes the Bride” by Richard Wagner. The “Wedding March” by Felix Mendelssohn and Johann Pachelbels “Canon in D” are also often used as a processional march. At the reception a va

12、riety of music will be played, usually by a live band. The 1950s Swiss Oom-pah song “Der Ententanz”, commonly known in America as “The Chicken Dance”, has become a popular song to be played at some point during the reception.Text ITHE WEDDING STORYJulianne HomokayGlobal ReadingI. Main idea At the be

13、ginning of this one-act play, the storyteller intends to tell a pleasant, rosy wedding story for children at bedtime, so he / she tells a fairy tale in which everything is perfect and idealized, but far from real life. In the process he / she is interrupted, or “corrected” by the bride and groom fro

14、m time to time. Such corrections gradually unfold before us the real picture of their relationship. At the couples persistent request, the storyteller then gives a second version of their wedding story, which is true to life, but very pathetic. The absurdity emerges when the storyteller gives his /

15、her wish “I bid you a good night and sweet dreams.” A conventional and well-intentioned fairy tale is thus rejected by reality, and the bedtime story for children turns out to be a gruesome picture of a wedding that is not worth aspiring to at all.II. Structural analysis1. How is the conflict of the

16、 play manifestedIn this play, the conflict is manifested in the frequent interruptions made by the young couple when the storyteller tells his first version of the wedding story.2. What caused the interruptionsThe interruptions are caused by two reasons. One is that his story is contrary to the couples real life experiences. The other has to do with the frequent bickering between the man and the woman.3. Divide the play into parts