11-An-Iowa-Christmas

LessonElevenAnIowaChristmasObjectivesToenablethestudents1)tohaveabetterunderstandingofChristmasbymakingcomparisonbetweenChristmasandSpringFestival(traditionsandcustoms,changes)2)Towriteanarticlebyimitatingthewriter’scleverstructureandvividlanguage.TimeAllotmentTheteachingplanwillbecarriedoutwithin8periods.BackgroundInformationAbouttheAuthorPaulEngle:(1908—1991)Americanpoet,educatorandeditor.HewasthefounderoftheWriters’WorkshopattheUniversityofIowa.Hepublishedhisfirstbookofpoetry,AmericanSongin1934andsincethen,hisworkhasappearedinprintcontinuouslyandinvariousplaces,fromprofessionalandeducationaljournalstowidelydistributedtravel,popularhistory,andwomen’smagazines.AmonghisworksareCorn(1939),acollectionof20poemsandGoldenChild(1960),libretto脚本foraChristmasopera.AbouttheStory1.Whenwasthetimesettingofthestory?Howdoyouknow?Thestorywassetinthemid1910s,whichcanbeinferredfromPara.4,wheretheauthormentionsthatthewalnuttreeswerecutdownayearlatertobemadeintogunstocksfortheFirstWorldWar.TheUnitedStatesdidn'tgointoWWIuntil1917,aftertheZimmerman'sNoteandthesinkingofAmericanshipsbyGermansubmarines.2.Theauthorusestheparallelpatternofthereareno...anymoretotellthestoryandtogivevividdescriptionsofhowpeopleintheruralWestcelebratedChristmasinthemid1910swhenhewasaboyofeight.HisregretfultoneimpliesthatthiswasnolongerthewaysChristmaswascelebratedinthe1950swhenhewrotethearticle.AlotofchangeshavetakenplaceintheU.S.overtheyears.Theauthor'sattitudetowardthesechangesisclear-----helongstogobacktothedayswheneverythingwassimple,easy,andclosertonature.BythetimetheFirstWorldWarstarted,theU.S.hadbeentransformedfromaruralcountryintoanurbanstate.Thefrontierhadvanished.Greatfactoriesandsteelmills,transcontinentalrailroadlines,flourishingcitiesandvastagriculturalholdingsnowmarkedtheland.Withtheeconomicgrowthandaffluence,however,camecorrespondingproblems.Nationwidebusinesseshadcometodominatewholeindustries;workingconditionswereoftenpoor;citieshadgrownsoquicklytheycouldnotproperlyhouseorgoverntheirgrowingpopulations.Internationally,theU.S.hadbecomemoreandmoreinvolvedinworldconflicts.Betweenthe1910sandthe1950s,theU.S.experiencedtwoworldwarsandtheGreatDepression.ButprosperityreturnedtoAmericainthepostwarera,andtheGNPnearlydoubledbetween1945and1960.3.ComparisonofChristmascelebrationbetween1910’sand1950’s//HowdidpeoplecelebratecChristmasin1910and1950:1)industrialization,railroad,transportation,ruralstates2)progressivism,trust,but,isolation3)in1950’s,afterWWII,economyflourished,consumerism,commerciallyoriented,mainfeatureof1950’s,culture,packagefood,babyboom,rockmusic,popmusicetc.DetailedStudyoftheTextPara1thefunctionofPara.1:Para.1connectstheusualChristmascelebrationwiththeauthor'sownexperience.Bells,whichwouldarousethefondmemoriesofmanyAmericans,arealsoessentialtotheChristmascelebrationoftheregionwheretheauthorspenthischildhood.Theirwayoftransportation,bobsledspulledbyhorses,wassuggestiveofthetimeaswellastheplaceoftheevent--ittookplaceinthemid-westerncountrysideintheearly20thcentury.1.Christmas:ChristmasistheWesternfestivaltocelebratethebirthofLordJesusChrist.Millionsheartheoft-toldtalesofshepherdskeepingwatchintheirfieldsbynight,theMagi(东方三博士,即寻访初生基督的三博士)andthestar,andthebirthoftheChristchild.,MillionofAmericanshavegrownupwithfondmemoriesofChristmastrees,bulgingstockings,gailywrappedgifts,jollyoldSantaClaus,theRed-nosedReindeer,Christmascarols,turkeyorgoosedinners,mistletoe,etc.Itiscelebratedinmanycountriesbutcelebrationvariesfromcountrytocountry.Yetnowadaysitsreligiousmeaningisdiminishing.Inotherwords,youdon’thavetobeaChristiantocelebrateChristmas.Ithasbecometheoccasiontoextendblessingstothebelovedones,toexpressgoodwillandgratefulness,tosendseasongreetingstofarawayfriends,ortodonatetotheunderprivileged.NowChristmasisamajorcommercialseason,contributinggreatlytoannualsalesvolume.Shopsaregailydecorated;promotionstartslongbeforetheholidayseason;andmillionsplungeintothefloodtideofshopping.Giftsaregivenandreceived,butfewwouldbehandmade;dinnersareheld,butfewwouldbemadefromproducefromone’sowngardenandfarm.SosomearguethatthetraditionsofChristmasaredisappearing.Intoday’sincreasingindustrializedsociety,theChristmascelebrationasdescribedinthetextisbecomingrare.2.S3Mybellswereonmyfather'steamofhorsesashedroveuptoourhorse-headedhitchingpostwiththebobsledthatwouldtakeustocelebrateChristmasonthefamilyfarmtenmilesoutinthecountry.Notethewaytheauthornarrowsdownthebell:thesoundofbells---sleighbells,notchurchbells----mybellsonmyfather'steamofhorses.Itgoesfromgeneraltospecific,fromimpersonaltopersonal.Horse-headed:havingtheshapeofahorseheadHitchingpost:aposttowhichananimal,especiallyahorse,ishitched3.MyfatherwouldbringtheteamdownFifthAvenueatasmarttrot,flickinghiswhipoverthehorses'rumpsandmakingthebellsdoubletheirlight,thinjanglingoverthesnow,whoseradiancethrewbackabrilliancelikethesoundofbells:Myfathercausedthehorsestomovequicklydowntheroad,hittingtheirhindpartwithalight,quickblow.Thebellsranglightlyandquickly,butnotnecessarilyharmoniously,overthesnow,whichinturnthrewbacka