英语短篇小说佳作欣赏

The writer, the narrator and the reader 叙述者

A Piece of Yellow Soap

What sex is the narrator?
male.

What age-group would you put the narrator in?
middle aged people.

What is the narrator’s occupation?
milkman.

From the information provided, what do you think the narrator believes in?
believes in Christianism.
not sure that I believe in Heaven or God myself.

Come up with three adjectives to describe the kind of person the narrator is.
naive anxious, worried, confused

this is a first-person narrative.

Silent defiance

No. Soap does not have the power, it was this woman's strength, self-reliance and her behavior in the face of the milkman that gave him a huge shock, making him dare not face this woman,and then he transfered this emotion to this soap, making it feel that soap had great power.The power of soap is the power of compassion, evoked by the hard lives of the people at the bottom.

soap -> a symmbol of poverty and despair

The Washwoman

儿子不讲信用，不管自己的母亲。
《洗衣女工》是根据真实故事改编的。这个故事由艾萨克·巴舍维斯·辛格（Isaac Bashevis Singer）撰写，于 1951 年首次出版。这是对一个小男孩和一个年迈的洗衣妇之间的关系的辛酸描述，他帮助她洗衣服。这个故事突出了 20 世纪初美国工人阶级，特别是妇女所面临的斗争和艰辛。这个故事是根据辛格自己在纽约市一个犹太移民家庭长大的经历以及他对为家人工作的洗衣女工的回忆。

kindly,

honest and dependable

the narrator admire her sense of duty and pride in her work.

The author of the story - Isaac Singer - is the narrator.

the story touches on the themes of guilt, regret, and the passage of time

他为在她活着的时候没有完全欣赏她而感到内疚，并为他没有做更多的事情来帮助她而感到遗憾。这种遗憾感强调了故事的中心主题之一：重视人际关系的重要性，而不是将人视为理所当然。

He feels guilty for not fully appreciating her while she was alive and regrets that he did not do more to help her. This sense of regret underscores one of the central themes of the story: the importance of valuing human connections and not taking people for granted.

（一）在这篇文学散文中，洗衣女面临哪些困难？（b）她如何应对这些挑战？
艾萨克·巴舍维斯·辛格在他的文章“洗衣女郎”中如何描述洗衣女郎？为什幺描述对叙事很重要？
在《洗衣女工》的中间，作者的母亲说，洗衣女的儿子对自己的母亲不忠，对所有母亲都是侮辱。儿子对母亲不忠吗> 用例子来解释你的观点。
在“洗衣女郎”中，洗衣女郎过着她的生活，做她的工作没有怨恨。用怨恨这个词的含义来解释这个说法。
Rancor means bitterness or resentment. The statement that the washwoman lives her life and does her work without rancor means that she does not hold any bitterness or resentment towards her circumstances, despite the hardships she faces. She accepts her lot in life and makes the best of it, without allowing negative emotions to consume her.

在《洗衣女神》的结尾，作者沉思着说，洗衣女神的灵魂“进入了所有圣灵相遇的领域，无论他们在地球上扮演什幺角色。你认为作者的母亲会同意他的观点吗？用文章中的例子来支持你的回答。

It is difficult to say whether the author's mother would agree with him that the washwoman's soul passed into holy spheres. However, earlier in the essay, she does express admiration and respect for the washwoman's hard work and resilience. Therefore, it is possible that she too would believe in the washwoman's inherent goodness and spirituality.

Symbol 象征

Old Man at the Bridge

The goats--the animals who can't escape. Sacrificial animals. Scape goats who are innocent victims.

"Cat" symbolizes ominousness and fear in people's hearts;
The "dove" symbolizes the peace that people are committed to and eternally pursuing. which in this context is ironic. The doves will fly away.

final Bridge between life and death.

冰山理论
放弃描写战争的宏大场面，只选择了这样一个渺小而又平凡的场面作为创作素材。
Abandon the view of the war and only describe the dialogue between the narrator and the old man.

The Luncheon

男作家被女读者 PUA，放不下面子。

A Day's Wait

男孩不懂华氏度和摄氏度的区别。
小说运用了第一人称“我”——小男孩的父亲来开展叙事，作者从父亲的角度展示与感冒发烧的儿子之间发生的事情，突出了主体性效果，使读者和故事人物产生共鸣。由于采用了内聚焦，即“叙事者=人物”的模式展开叙述，故事的叙述者——父亲就是故事里面的人物，是故事的亲历者。读者随着父亲的心境走入故事，以父亲的角度追随故事，读者也仿佛置身其中，使得文章愈发增加了真实感，拉近了故事人物与读者的距离，具有较强的感染力。

小说中的男孩是一个什么样的形象？请简要分析。

参考答案：

① 善良，体谅他人。不想让父母受冻，不愿给父亲带来麻烦，怕自己的病传染给他人。

② 恐惧死亡却能坚强、勇敢面对。面临死亡时没有哭闹，独自躺着，安静地等待死亡的降临。

③ 天真而又脆弱。不懂华氏温度与摄氏温度的区别，误以为自己将要死去而等待了一天；当得知自己不会死去时，“动不动就吵着要一些无用的小玩意儿。”

小说采用“一天的等待”为标题，有何作用？请简要分析。

参考答案：

① 标题没有明确“等待”究竟是什么，设置悬念，吸引读者。

② 小说情节围绕“一天的等待”展开，标题贯串全文，是小说的行文线索。

③“一天的等待”中，男孩直面死亡、坚强勇敢的精神得以彰显，突出了人物性格，揭示了小说主旨。

What kind of a figure is the boy in the novel? Please analyze it briefly.

Reference answer:

① Kind and considerate of others. He does not want to let his parents freeze, does not want to bring trouble to his father, and is afraid of spreading his disease to others.

② Fear of death but strong and brave. When facing death, she did not cry and lay alone, quietly waiting for death to come.

③Naive and vulnerable. Not knowing the difference between Fahrenheit and Celsius, she waited for a day in the mistaken belief that she was going to die; when she learned that she would not die, she "moved around and clamored for useless trinkets."

What is the purpose of the novel's title, "A Day's Wait"? Please analyze it briefly.

Answer:

The title does not specify what the "waiting" is, which sets up suspense and attracts readers.

The novel's plot revolves around "A Day's Wait", and the title is a clue to the novel.

In "A Day's Wait", the boy's spirit of facing death and being strong and brave is revealed, which highlights the character's personality and reveals the main idea of the novel.

Tone 作者的态度

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse

《美丽白马的夏天》由一个名叫阿拉姆的九岁亚美尼亚男孩讲述，他是加罗拉尼亚部落的成员，生活在加利福尼亚州圣华金山谷郁郁葱葱的果园和葡萄园中。一天早上，亚兰在凌晨四点被他十三岁的表弟穆拉德叫醒，除了阿兰姆之外，所有人都认为他痴呆了，并且对动物有办法。亚兰惊讶地看到穆拉德坐在一匹美丽的白马上。亚兰一直想骑一匹白马，但他家里太穷了，买不起。然而，尽管贫穷，加罗格拉尼亚部落以其诚实和信任而闻名，因此，穆拉德会偷走这匹马是不可想象的。亚兰觉得他的表弟不可能偷马。

穆拉德的疯狂行为被认为是他们的叔叔霍斯罗夫的自然后裔，尽管他的父亲佐拉布是一个务实的人。科斯罗夫叔叔是一个大个子，总是愤怒、不耐烦、易怒。他会咆哮着让每个人都停止说话，并说这没有伤害，不要注意它。事实上，有一天，当他的儿子来告诉他们他们的房子着火了时，科斯罗夫吼道：“够了。这无妨”。

亚兰被邀请与穆拉德一起骑马。穆拉德偷马的想法从阿兰姆的脑海中消失了，因为他觉得除非他们提出卖掉马，否则不会变成偷马。他们喜欢骑马几个小时。

骑了一会儿，穆拉德想一个人骑马。亚兰姆也有同样的渴望，但当他坐在马上踢肌肉时，它抬起头来，哼哼唧唧地向前跑去，最终把亚兰从背上摔了下来。半小时后，他们找到了这匹马，把它藏在一个名叫 Fetvajian 的农民的废弃葡萄园的谷仓里，这曾经是他的骄傲。

那天下午，一位名叫约翰·拜罗（John Byro）的亚述农民——加罗格拉尼亚人的亚述朋友——来到亚兰的家。他向阿兰姆的母亲报告说，他一个月前被盗的白马仍然不见了。听到这句话，亚兰得出结论，穆拉德一定有这匹马很久了。拜罗来的时候，正在阿兰姆家的科斯罗夫大喊“没有坏处”，以至于拜罗被迫离开以避免回应。

亚兰跑到穆拉德身边，告诉他拜罗的到来。亚兰还恳求穆拉德在学会骑马之前不要归还马匹。穆拉德不同意说亚兰至少需要一年的时间才能学会，但他承诺他最多会保留六个月。这成了例行公事。穆拉德每天都来接阿兰骑马，每次尝试后，亚兰姆都会不断地从马背上摔下来。两周后，当他们打算把马带回藏身之处时，他们在路上遇到了约翰·拜罗。农夫非常惊讶。他认出了他的马，但拒绝相信男孩们偷了它。后来，男孩们悄悄地把马还了回去。当天下午，拜罗来到阿兰姆家，通知被盗的马已经归还。他感谢上帝，因为这匹马的脾气也变得更好了，也表现得很好。

Modernisim 现代

常常心不在焉的主人公沃尔特·米蒂在开车送妻子去城途中又一次习惯性陷入了充满英雄情结的白日梦。
他把自己幻想为一位英勇的海军飞机指挥官，果断地带领部下穿越重重风暴和迷雾。
作为海军飞机指挥官全速飞行穿越风暴的幻觉产生于他驾车飞速行驶的过程中；

妻子在美发店下车之后，他又陷入了第二场白日梦。这一次他摇身一变成为了一位医术高超、闻名遐迩的外科医生，仅仅用一支钢笔就不费吹灰之力地修好了出了故障的麻醉机，并在众名医束手无策的情况下挥洒自如地为垂死的著名银行家施行手术。
把自己想象成外科医生的幻觉则来源于他所戴的白手套、妻子所提及的医生以及刚刚路过的一家医院；

从停车场出来之后，行走在大街上，他又开始了第三场白日梦，这次他是一位百发百中的神枪手，在法庭上为自己辩护，并狠狠地教训了凶暴的地方检察官。
产生作为神枪手出现在法庭上的幻觉则是因为报童的叫卖中提及的有关庭判的头条新闻；

在第四场白日梦中他又成了英国皇家空军的轰炸机机长，准备穿越德的炮弹封锁执行一项自杀式的军火运输任务。
而成为英国皇家空军的轰炸机机长的幻觉来自于一张旧报纸上的文字和图片。

故事末尾的最后一场白日梦中，他则变成了一个永不低头的死刑犯，面对着行刑队，始终保持神秘莫测、桀骜不驯。
妻子准备给他买精神药物

沉默寡言的 taciturn

https://wenku.baidu.com/view/e791dc16c7da50e2524de518964bcf84b9d52d81.html?wkts=1686664116950&bdQuery=modernism+James+Thurber

Style 风格

Araby 意识流

孤儿主角被邻居姐姐吸引，想要去阿拉比集市购买物品送给她，结果姑父来的很晚，去了又被成年人的爱情所打击，最终成长。

通过使用第一人称叙事，乔伊斯传达了年轻男主的困惑思想和梦想。乔伊斯利用这种对叙述者感受的熟悉，在读者中唤起了一种类似于男孩在故事转折点的“顿悟”的反应——一个突然的洞察力和理解的时刻。

通过使用第一人称叙事，乔伊斯传达了他年轻男主角的混乱思想和梦想。乔伊斯利用这种对叙述者感受的熟悉，在读者中唤起了一种类似于男孩的'顿悟'的反应——在故事的转折点上突然的洞察力和理解的时刻“（5）。如果没有观众对男孩的压力有同理心的联系，就不会与他的发展有任何联系，乔伊斯在最后主要使用它来创建他的角色的顿悟和并行主题。

Details

姑姑在焦急地等待丈夫归来，小姑娘在想着如何捉弄无聊的客人，客人在自顾自沉浸在对自己病体的自怨自艾中。

创造真实感所需的所有细节：打开的窗户、棕色的西班牙猎犬、白大褂，甚至是所谓的沼泽的泥土。透过悲剧的幽灵镜头，所有普通的细节，包括阿姨的评论和行为，都呈现出一种令人毛骨悚然的基调。

＂ｓｅｌｆ-ｐｏｓｓｅｓｓｅｄ女孩

Character and characterization

妻子背叛，凯兰达没有说出真相

Mr. Max Kelada: Mr. Kelada is the central character in "Mr. Know-All." He is portrayed as a gregarious, talkative, and confident man who is proud of his accomplishments. He is also shown to be a bit of a show-off, often bragging about his knowledge and experiences. He is a skilled storyteller and enjoys being the center of attention. However, his arrogance and tendency to exaggerate his stories often rub other people the wrong way.
Mrs. Ramsay: Mrs. Ramsay is the wife of the narrator and is depicted as a kind and gentle woman who is always trying to make everyone feel comfortable. She is a good listener and is empathetic to other people's needs. She is also shown to be quite perceptive, noticing things that other people miss.
The narrator: The narrator is an unnamed character who is traveling on a ship with Mr. Kelada and his wife. He is initially put off by Mr. Kelada's arrogance and is skeptical of his stories. However, as the story progresses, the narrator's opinion of Mr. Kelada changes, and he comes to appreciate his wit and intelligence.
Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay's cabin-mate: This character is not named in the story, but he is portrayed as a quiet and reserved man who is uncomfortable with Mr. Kelada's constant talking. He is also shown to be quite judgmental, often making assumptions about people based on their appearance.

Overall, the characters in "Mr. Know-All" are well-drawn and multi-dimensional, with their personalities and actions driving the story forward. The story explores themes of cultural differences, prejudice, and the importance of keeping an open mind.

Paul's mother - Greediness and Materialism: Paul's mother is a greedy and materialistic woman who is obsessed with wealth and status. She constantly complains about their financial situation and always wants more money. She is also emotionally distant from her children and does not show them any affection.
Paul - Obsessive and Determined: Paul is a determined and obsessive young boy who is fixated on winning money for his mother. He is willing to do whatever it takes to win, even if it means sacrificing his own health and well-being. He is also sensitive and perceptive, as he is able to sense the winning horses.
Uncle Oscar - Cynical and Practical: Uncle Oscar is a practical man who is skeptical of Paul's ability to predict the winning horses. He is also cynical about the value of wealth and material possessions, which is in contrast to Paul's mother.
Paul's sisters - Naive and Innocent: Paul's sisters are young and innocent, and they are not aware of the family's financial troubles. They are also naive about their mother's behavior and do not understand why she is always unhappy.

Attentive and kind

Irony

the irony is that Alan is desperate for a love potion to manipulate Diana into loving him back, yet what he fails to recognize is that the potion will most likely make Diana obsessed with him. The old man predicts that Alan will soon find her obsession suffocating which is why the old man is sure Alan will also be needing the poison in the future.

Conflict 冲突

人与自然的冲突 There are two conflicts occurring in The Phoenix. One conflict is Man versus Self. Poldero has a greed for profit and goes to extremes to gain profits when the phoenix stops bringing him such. This leads into the second conflict, Man versus Nature.

Setting

死神是一个伟大的平等主义者在他的王国里没有阶级差别所有的人无论贫富贵贱最终都会来到这个王国。从某种意义上说通过与死亡的接触劳拉已经从她的梦幻世界———园会世界———完全苏醒过来进入了现实世界顿悟了事物的真谛。死亡非但没有给她带来恐惧相反却促使她去思考生活到底是什么。虽然她无法解释生与死的哲学意义但却十分明白这两者之间的界限是微乎其微的生与死常常是携手而行。