Runaway-by-Alice-Munro爱丽丝门罗

RunawaybyAliceMunro__________________________________________________________________________________________Abouttheauthor:BorninWingham,Ontarioin1931,AliceMunrohasbeenhailedasawriterinthetraditionofChekhov.ShehaswonmanyawardsandprizesallovertheEnglish-speakingworld.SheandherhusbanddividetheirtimebetweenClinton,Ontario,andComox,BritishColumbia.Source:RandomHouseofCanada()Aboutthisbook:“Runaway”isthefirststoryinthisstunningcollection,suretobearunawaysuccess.Alloftheeightstoriesherearenew,publishedinbookformforthefirsttime.Twooftheeighthaveneverappearedanywhere,sothiswillbeaspecialfeastforthemillionsofMunrofansaroundtheworld.Miraculously,thesestoriesseemtohavebeenwrittenbyayoungwriteratthepeakofherpowers.AliceMunro’scentralcharactersrangefrom14-year-oldLaurenin“Trespass,”throughtheyoungcouplein“Runaway,”whosehelpfulolderneighbourintervenestohelpthewifeescape,allthewaytoa70-year-oldwomanmeetingafriendofheryouthonaVancouverstreetandsittingwithhimtorecalltheirtangledlivesfiftyyearsearlier,throughawebofcheerfullies.Threeofthestories,“Chance,”“Soon,”and“Silence,”arelinked,showingushowtheyoungteacherJulietmeetsherfishermanloveronatrain(and,byterriblechance,visitshisB.C.homeonthedayafterhiswife’sfuneral);how,yearslater,shebringsbabyPenelopebackeasttoshowherparentsandlearnssadsecretsabouttheirmarriage;andhow,twentyyearson,shevisitstheestrangedPenelopeinhercult-likeB.C.community.Theresultismorepowerfulthanmostnovels,aqualityinAliceMunro’sstoriesthathasbeennotedbymanyreviewers.Thefinalstory,“Powers,”spans50yearsandrunsfromGoderichtoVancouverandinvolvesacastoffourcharacters,eachofwhomstepsforwardtodominatethescene,notleastTessa,theplaingirlwhosepsychicpowerstakeheronthevaudevillecircuit.ButitisAliceMunro’sownpowersthatdominatethiscollectionandthatwillamazereviewersandreaders.Howcanshekeepgettingbetter?Howcananyonepersonknowsomuchabouttheheadsandheartsofsomanydifferentpeople?Andhowcansheweavethemtogetherinstoriesthatdelightacademicsandordinaryreadersalike,makingeachnewAliceMunrobookarunawaybestseller?Source:RandomHouseofCanada()DiscussionQuestions:“Runaway”1.WhyisSylviasofondofCarla?IsSylviaright,giventhecircumstances,tosuggestthatCarlaleaveherhusbandandgiveherthemeanstodoso?2.WhenCarlatellsherparentsshewantsa“moreauthentic”life,whatdoesshemeanbythis[p.33]?HowmuchdoesCarlaknowaboutauthenticityoraboutlife?3.WhatisClark’sappealforCarla?WhatdarkersuggestionsdoesthestorymakeaboutClark’scharacter?ItseemsthatClarkhaswantedtogetridofCarla’sbelovedpetgoat:why?WhatresonancedoesCarla’svisionofthegoat’sboneslyinginanearbyfieldhaveforthereader’sunderstandingofherfuture?“Chance”4.WhydoesJulietdecidetopursueEric,amanshehasmetbrieflyonlyonce?Isthisahaphazardadventure,ordoesshegotoWhaleBaywithadeterminationaboutwhatshewants?ShehastoldEricaboutherstudiesinGreekandLatin,“Iloveallthatstuff.Ireallydo”[p.71].Later,shethinksofherloveoftheclassicallanguagesasher“treasure”[p.83].WhydoesshechooseamanwhosereadingincludesonlyNationalGeographicandPopularMechanics[p.82]?5.Considertheendofthestory:“Shecantellbyhisvoicethatheisclaimingher.Shestandsup,quitenumb,andseesthatheisolder,heavier,moreimpetuousthanshehasremembered.Headvancesonherandshefeelsherselfransackedfromtoptobottom,floodedwithrelief,assaultedbyhappiness.Howastonishingthisis.Howclosetodismay”[p.85].WhatdoesthispassageexpressaboutJuliet’ssituationandherfeelings?“Soon”6.WhenJulietfindstheprintofChagall’sIandtheVillageandbuysitforherparents,shetellsChrista,“Itmakesmethinkoftheirlife....Idon’tknowwhy,butitdoes”[p.88].WhatisthesignificanceofthispaintingasagiftandthatJulietlaterfindsithiddenawayintheirattic?WhatdoesJulietcometounderstandaboutherparents’marriage?7.SaratellsJuliet,“Whenitgetsreallybadforme–whenitgetssobadI–youknowwhatIthinkthen?Ithink,allright,Ithink–Soon.SoonI’llseeJuliet”[p.124].WhydoesJulietrefusetoacknowledgethisstatementfromherdyingmother?Whatmakesthefinalparagraphofthestorysoeffectiveinconveyingthemoment’scoldemotion?“Silence”8.LikeCarlain“Runaway,”Julietseemstotakeprideinherchoiceofanunconventionallife.DoesPenelopepunishhermotherfordenyingherthecomfortable,conventionallifesheexperienceswithherfriendHeather’sfamily[p.144]?IsJulietrightorwrongtosharewithPenelope,justafterEric’sdeath,talesoftheirargumentsandhisinfidelityandtodescribetheburningofhisbodyonthebeach[p.149]?IsitpossiblethatJulietsayssomethingduringthistimethatis,forPenelope,unforgivable?Towhatextentdoesthestoryrepeatthepatternof“Soon”andJuliet’srejectionofherownmother?9.WhatdoesJulietnotseeaboutherselfthatiscleartothereader?Whataspectsofhercharacterareproblematic?Issheadmirable?Issheanarcissist?Isshe“lackinginmotherlyinhibitionsandproprietyandself-control”[p.156]?HowdoesshehandlethesufferinginflicteduponherbyPenelopeandthediminishmentofherlifeassheages?“Passion”10.WhenMrs.TraversistalkingaboutTolstoy’sAnnaKareninawithGrace,shesayshersympathiesshiftedfromKitty,toAnna,toDolly,“Isupposethat’sjusthowyoursympathieschangeasyougetolder.Passiongetspushedbehindthewashtubs”