Unit-4-英语短篇小说教程

英语短篇小说教程ShortStoriesinEnglish:AReadingCourseUnitFourTheCharacterandCharacterizationReading:“Mr.Know-All”bySomersetMaughamTheCharacter:Originallyreferstoapersonwhotypifiessomedefinitequality,butnowismoregeneralizedtorefertoanypersoninacreativewriting.TheCharacterandOtherLiteraryTerms:•character•heroandheroine•anti-hero•protagonist/maincharacter•antagonist•foilTheanti-heroTheanti-heroisafictionalcharacteroccupyingacentralpositionintheplotbutpossessingqualitiesantitheticaltothoseofthetraditionalhero.Theanti-heroisnotsimplyafailedherobutasocialmisfit,graceless,weak,andoftencomic,theembodimentofineptitudeandbadluckinaworldapparentlymadeforothers.TheCharacter:Aroundcharacter:usuallyhasmorethanonequality,andgrowsinthecourseofthestorydevelopment,ashereactstoeventsandtoothercharacters.Aflatcharacter:isconstructedaroundasingleideaorquality.Suchacharacterdoesnotdevelopinthecourseofnarrationandiseasilyrecognizedandremembered.Afoil:isasupportingcharacterwhoseroleinthestoryistohighlighttheprotagonistbypresentingacomparisonoracontrasttohim.Astaticordynamiccharacter:Aflatorroundcharacterisalsoreferredtoasastaticordynamiccharacter.Astaticcharacterisonewhochangeslittleifatall.Thingshappentosuchacharacterwithoutthingshappeningwithin.Adynamiccharacter,ontheotherhand,isonewhoismodifiedbyactionsandexperiences,andoneobjectiveoftheworkinwhichthecharacterappearsistorevealtheconsequencesoftheseactions.Individualizedandtypecharacters:Individualizedcharactersareonesendowedwithtraitsthatmarkthemasindividuals,asopposedtotypecharacters.Individualizedcharactersbelong,generallyspeaking,torealism,asopposedtothetypecharactersofromanticism.Characterization:Characterizationisthecreationofimaginarycharacterssothattheyexistforthereaderaslifelikepersons.Characterization:directandindirectpresentationTherearetwobasictypesoftextualindicatorsofcharacter:Thedirectpresentationnamesthecharactertraitorsumsitup,suchas“he’sutterlyselfish”or“helovesonlyhimself.”Theindirectpresentation,ontheotherhand,doesnotmentionthetraitbutdisplayandexemplifiesitinvariousways,leavingthereaderthetaskofinferringthequalitytheyimply.Thecommonmethodsofindirectpresentation:theactandspeechintheformofbehaviorandconversation;theactivityofmindinmusing,meditation,self-debatingorinteriormonologue;theexternalappearance,suchasacrookedfaceindicatingacrookedmind,oradirtyanddisorderlyroomconnotingthecharacter’sstateofconfusion.PreferenceforindirectmethodInanindividualisticandrelativeperiodlikeourown,generalizationandclassificationofcharacters/peoplearelesstolerated.Whensuggestivenessandindeterminacyarepreferredtoclosureanddefinitivenessandwhenemphasisisputontheactiveroleofthereader,theexplicitnessandguidingcapacityofdirectdefinitionareoftenconsidereddrawbacksratherthanadvantages.Characterization,thedirectmethodsample1:Hewascertainthatyouwereasgladtoseehimashewastoseeyou.Inyourownhouseyoumighthavekickedhimdownstairsandslammedthedoorinhisfacewithoutthesuspiciondawningonhimthathewasnotawelcomevisitor.Hewasagoodmixer,andinthreedayskneweveryoneonboard.Heraneverything.(SomersetMaugham,“Mr.Know-All,”lines87-91)Characterization,theindirectmethodSample2:“Doyoulikecardtricks?”“No,Ihatecardtricks,”Ianswered.“Well,I’lljustshowyouthisone.”Heshowedmethree.ThenIsaidIwouldgodowntothediningroomandgetmyseatattable.“Oh,that’sallright,”hesaid.“I’vealreadytakenaseatforyou.Ithoughtthataswewereinthesamestateroomwemightjustaswellsitatthesametable.”(SomersetMaugham,“Mr.Know-All,”lines77-83)ReadingTip:ThestoryissetinthedecliningyearsoftheBritishcolonialism.ManypeopleintheBritishcolonies,orinAmerica,theformercolony,wouldcallthemselves“Englishpeople,”regardingthemselvesasmembersofthegloriousBritishEmpire.Butthose“ColonialEnglish”wouldnotbehighlyregardedbysome“real”Englishwhoheldtheattitudeofracialornationalsuperiority.TheStory:SomersetMaugh:Mr.Know-AllQuestionsforDiscussion:Summarizethefourmaincharacters:thenarrator,Mr.Kelada,Mr.andMrs.Ramsay.WhataretheundesirablequalitiesofMr.Keladaaccordingtothenarrator?Findthemoutinthetextandlistthem.AretheygoodproofthatMr.Keladaisanunworthyperson?Wehavebeengivenenoughhintsaboutthetruevalueofthenecklaceandthepossiblestorybehindit.Canyoufindthem?Whydidthenarratorsaybytheendofthestory“IdidnotentirelydislikeMr.Kelada”?Thefourmaincharacters:thenarrator,areserved,politeyetprejudicedEnglishman;Mr.Kelada,anover-zealous,talkativeyetkind-naturedcolonial;Mr.Ramsay,anoverbearing,unpleasantandinsensitiveAmerican;Mrs.Ramsay,amodestyethelplessladywhohadfooledherhusband.Thankyou!