美国文学选读复习资料二

1、【NOVELS & ESSAYS】The Autobiography1. Why did Franklin write his Autobiography? Franklin says that because his son may wish to know about his life, he is taking his one week vacation in the English countryside to record his past. He also says that he has enjoyed his life and would like to repeat it.

2、Franklin begins by stating five reasons for writing his Autobiography. First, since he has always enjoyed anecdotes about his ancestors, he hopes his own life story will interest his son. Second, since he was a poor boy who found fame and fortune, he hopes his story will provide others with a good m

3、odel to imitate. Third, since he cant relive his life as he would like to do, he will relive it through memories, and by recording the memories, make his life durable. Fourth, his writing will allow him to reminisce without boring any listeners. And fifth, his account will gratify his vanity. 2. Wha

4、t made Franklin decide to leave the brother to whom he had been apprenticed? His brother was passionate, and had often beaten him. The aversion to arbitrary power that has stuck to him through his whole life. After a brush with the law, Franklin left his brother.3. How did he arrive in Philadelphia?

5、First he set out in a boat for Amboy, the boat dropped him off about 50 miles from Burlington. The next day he reached Burlington on foot, and in Burlington he found a boat which was going towards Philadelphia. He arrived there about eight or nine oclock, on the Sunday morning and landed at the Mark

6、et Street wharf.4. What features do you find in the style of the above selection? It is the pattern of Puritan simplicity, directness, and concision. The narrative is lucid(易懂的), the structure is simple, the imagery is homely(朴素的). Franklin believes that good writing was smooth, clear, and short. It

7、 is an amusing to say that Franklins prose meets his personal criteria. The simplicity of the style is a very dominant characteristic. His objective tone also is an important stylistic characteristic. His apparent willingness to acknowledge his own imperfections, and his understated accounts of his

8、own triumphs, make him appear a man who keeps as sharp an eye on himself as he does on others. The apparent objectivity explains a great deal of the trust and consequent admiration the Autobiography inspires. Another pleasing stylistic characteristic is Franklins willingness to speculate about the e

9、motions or attitudes causing men to act as they did. Finally, the style of The Autobiography delights as a reflection of the man himself. Franklins style also fulfills the literary ideals upheld by the eighteenth century: whether long or short, the sentences are compact, the grammatical structures c

10、arefully and tightly controlled to make meaning instantly evident, and the vocabulary forceful and direct. While the word is so vague that it covers almost any writing that pleases the reader, most critics end by saying that Franklins style had grace. 5. The author went through many events and frust

11、rations on his way to Philadelphia. Please summarize some of the events and make comments about them. (1) In his early year, Franklin signed a contract to work for his brother James printer. However, the two brothers didnt get along. Franklin particularly resented Jamess beatings. Later James was pu

12、t in jail; it gave Franklin a chance to escape from the unequal contract. Jamess revenge was to prevent Franklin from getting a job at any other printer in Boston. At this point, Franklin decided to try his luck in New York. There is a growing passion in Franklins mind. He was unpleasant with his un

13、just fate and strove for a fair one. Especially when he was revenged by his brother, he made up his mind to make fortune on his own at somewhere else, and immediately he set out. The resolution and venture are particularly valued. This also lays foundation for his future success. (2) In New York, Fr

14、anklin failed in job and was advised to go to Philadelphia. Then Franklin started his way by boat. On the way, a squall tore up sails and drove Franklins boat off course. He had to sleep in the boat all night, drenching wet, without food to eat or water to drink. However, misfortunes never come alon

15、e. Let alone minor frustrations, he had arrived almost penniless in Philadelphia. We could say that he totally started from scratch. It is never easy to achieve success. Fortunately, Franklin didnt give up even having confronted so many frustrations. It is said that failures build success. We can do

16、 nothing facing the visitation of Providence, however, a determined spirit is never indispensable to be mentally invincible, just as what Franklin do on his way to success. Theme of Literature and WritingFranklins a printer by profession, and reading and writing the printed word is what shapes his l

17、ife. He treats his life like a book, using metaphors of printing and reading like calling his mistakes errata (printing errors) to shape his place in the world. Reading is what brings him his greatest pleasure and writing is how he defines himself. The Autobiography of Franklin Franklin reminds us o

18、f the importance literature holds in any society. For Franklin, founding a library and a university giving people access to books and to knowledge through those books provides people with something he sees as just as necessary as other basic life needs, like health care or defense.Pilgrims Progress

19、by John BunyanBunyans text, written in 1678, is Franklins favorite book. Its also a famous allegory about how Christians can make it through the hard parts of life in order to get to heaven. (If youd like to learn more about it or how it works as an allegory, check out this cool lecture given by Ian

20、 Johnston.) It also acts as his benchmark for what a really good book is, a kind of ideal to which Franklin aspires. So, Pilgrims Progress serves to tell us both what kind of reader Franklin is and what kind of writer he wishes to be. As one of our beloved college professors taught us, we can also t

21、hink of the Autobiography as a modified Pilgrims Progress. Franklin has to pass through the Valley of Shadow (Boston), conquer Vanity Fair (his work on virtue), etc., to help establish a new Celestial City in Philadelphia. While Bunyans Christian just wants to get to his Celestial City, which is rea

22、lly heaven, Franklin wants to help create his. This gets even more interesting when we think about how Franklin is a pious guy who believes in God, but doesnt really hang with organized religion. Perfecting Philadelphia creating a militia, fire department, library, hospital, and university is a way

23、of creating a new kind of heavenly place, one where virtue is celebrated and many religions are practiced, and where the holiest thing you can do, perhaps, is read. (For more on Philadelphia, check out our section on Setting.)ErrataPerhaps because Franklins a printer by profession, examples from tha

24、t trade are sprinkled throughout the Autobiography. The most notable of these is errata, which is printer-speak for errors. See, before word-processing and computers, people used printing machines that were a lot more like typewriters. If youve ever used a machine like that, you know that you cant e

25、rase a mistake once you make one: youre left with a permanent error. Franklin uses this word to talk about the mistakes he makes; whenever he wants to say he screwed up or did something badly, he frames it as one of his errata. We get the sense that these mistakes have really left marks on him, and

26、that theyve left almost tangible impressions on his character. His word usage also calls attention to his dual role as both author of the Autobiography and its subject, since it reminds us of the physical and technical elements of writing and publishing a book, while also underscoring the profession

27、 of its main character.Protagonist As the hero/central character of the Autobiography, Franklin has lots in common with the traditional protagonist figure. Some critics even see him as the hero of a bildngsroman the story of a young persons growth like David Copperfield or Jane Eyre. Considering tha

28、t we meet Franklin as a young boy in poor circumstances and follow him through his education, as well as conflicts big and small, this makes a lot of sense. Along the way, we watch him make what will become a modern city. We dont see his story come to a complete conclusion, like what a fictional wor

29、ks protagonist might experience, but the lack of a proper end to his journey doesnt take away from the beginning or the middle. Like we say in our Character Analysis of Franklin, he really is the center of this book, almost entirely the sum of its parts. Without him, this book has no raison dtre, or

30、 reason for being. If thats not a good position for a protagonist to be in, we dont know what is.Guide MentorFranklins his own guide and mentor, in addition to being this works protagonist. Consider how Franklin gets to Philadelphia all on his own, makes it in the printing business by hook or by cro

31、ok, and slowly rises to the top of the civil service game. Hes the one who encourages himself to keep reading, learning, and thinking. In effect, he becomes his own teacher, and its clear he learns a lot from his self-designed educational programs. Sure, Franklin gets help and advice from a few spec

32、ific folks along the way, but the real constant is his inner self, a voice advocating virtues, principles, and education. He really is a self-made man.Summary In Part 1, Franklin talks about his reasons for writing the Autobiography, saying that since you cant live your life over again, the next bes

33、t thing is to recapture it by writing it down. He describes his early life in Boston, his love for reading, and his job training. Franklin apprentices as a printer to his brother James, but he hates working for him, and runs away to Philadelphia at age sixteen.The Cask of Amontillado1. How many char

34、acters does Poe include in The Cask of Amontillado? What are there names?Montresor, Fortunato and Luchesi. Montresor is a French name meaning my treasure.2. Does Montresor have something of great value to him which we might consider to be his treasure?His pride and the pride of his French family her

35、itage. Perhaps his devious plot of revenge.3. How did Fortunato cause Montresor to lose face in the story? The third paragraph of the story appears in full below. Read it carefully and try to imagine how Fortunato might have insulted Montresor. He had a weak pointthis Fortunatoalthough in other rega

36、rds he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine. Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires. In painting

37、 and gemmary Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially;I was skillful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.4. Does Montresor seem to have much respect for Italians? W

38、hich lines in the paragraph above reveal his contempt?Montresor does not have much respect for Italians. He feels the French are superior, especially with respect to wine. The following lines reveal this (p135, paragraph 3): Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusi

39、asm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires. In painting and gemmary Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack.5. What was Fortunatos insult?Poe does not tell us directly, but only implies it in the third paragraph (p 135, paragr

40、aph 3): .but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially;I was skillful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could. Poe reveals a potential source of rivalry or competition between the two: their expertise in wine. Fortunat

41、o probably insulted Montresors knowledge of vintage Italian wines. By insulting Montresor, Fortunato has insulted Montresors family name and the French race. 6. Why does Montresor entertain Fortunato with wines from his collection? Montresor wants to get Fortunato drunk enough to be able to trap him

42、 in his plan of vengeance.7. In what two ways does Montresor imprison Fortunato?He fetters (chains and locks) Fortunato to the wall of the catacombs. He builds a wall to close Fortunato off in a small corner of the catacombs, where Montresor will leave him to die.8. In what ways is The Cask of Amont

43、illado grotesque? First, which of Montresors actions are abnormal?The whole obsessive plot of vengeance. The fettering and entombment of Fortunato. Montresors sick sense of humor. 9. Is there anything grotesque about Fortunato?His obsession with alcohol. His drunkenness. His tendency to berate Luche

44、si (he may have been drunk and may have insulted Montresor in a similar fashion). His manic laughter. 10. What is the pretext Montresor uses to lure Fortunado to his wine cellar? He claims that he has just got a cask of Amontilado and stores it in the wine cellar before he may find a connoisseur to

45、testify to its authenticity.11. What happens to Fortunado in the end? The deceived Fortunado is killed because of his inability of getting out of the catacomb.12. Describe briefly how Poe characterizes Mortresor and Fortunado as contrasts.Poe characterizes Mortresor and Fortunado as seemingly contra

46、sting characters chiefly by presenting their identical habit in wine and their different manners towards each other, but actually he intends to show some similarly defective aspects in their nature. The similarity in their nature is also suggested by their names as synonyms in Italian: Mortresor mea

47、ns “fortune” while Fortunado means “treasure”. Their defective nature is highlighted when the revenger Mortresor, who is fully prepared on psychological and operating levels, throws the hardly prepared but totally deceived wrong-doer Fortunado into the deep and damp catacomb and blocks up its entran

48、ce with huge rocks. 13. Who is the narrator? What wrong does he want to redress? It is Montresor. Fortunato has given Montresor thousands of injuries that he has to bear before he has this opportunity of taking revenge.Themes Revenge: Fortunato had committed many offenses against Montresor, the last

49、 one an insult, according to Montresor. Deception: To lure Fortunato into the catacombs, Montresor deceives Fortunato, telling him he wants to taste some wine to determine whether it is genuine Amontillado. Pride: Fortunato readily accepts Montresors invitation to taste wine and determine whether it

50、 is genuine Amontillado, for Fortunato believes himself to be a great wine connoisseur. So proud is he of his ability that he takes on the challenge even though he has a cough and is already somewhat drunk. It is a powerful tale of revenge. Montresor, the sinister narrator of this tale, pledges reve

51、nge upon Fortunato for an insult. Montresor intends to seek vengeance in support of his family motto: Nemo me impune lacessit.“ (No one assails me with impunity.)Theme of Freedom and ConfinementThe contrast between freedom and confinement is extreme in “The Cask of Amontillado.” For one character to

52、 be free, another must die. Most of the story takes place in a vast and incredibly foul smelling catacomb, or underground graveyard. Dead bodies (or at least bones) abound. Freedom becomes less and less of a possibility as the characters move into smaller and smaller crypts, each one more disgusting

53、 than the last. Such confinement makes both the readers and the characters appreciate the deliciousness of fresh air. Hopefully, it makes us, the readers, think more deeply about what makes us feel trapped, and what makes us feel free.Theme of BetrayalBetrayal drives the action in “The Cask of Amont

54、illado. One characters betrayal sets off a hideous chain of retribution, enacted below ground in a mass grave. Behind all this revenge and death, the story is about trust. Without trust there can be no betrayal. The story has much to do with the lengths human being will go to feel better when they f

55、eel betrayed and the tragedy that comes when those lengths hit murderous extremes.Theme of Drugs and AlcoholThe only literal drug we see in “The Cask of Amontillado” is wine. But there are many other drugs circulating between the lines. “Drugs,” in this story, can be anything the characters want bad

56、ly enough to do awful or foolish things for. The storys author, Edgar Allan Poe, struggled with drugs and alcohol. His struggle is carefully woven into this complicated narrative, which can be read as a gruesome allegory for addiction.Theme of Mortality“The Cask of Amontillado” has a frightening fix

57、ation on death, corpses, and bones. Edgar Allan Poes last short story, written only a few years before his death, is a precise and compact expression of anxieties concerning mortality. But dont worry Poe injects plenty of humor into all the doom and gloom. And in the end, we all feel a little happie

58、r to be alive.Theme of Foolishness and FollyIn “The Cask of Amontillado” foolishness and folly can cost you your life. The story amplifies human foolishness and folly to extremes so hideous and cruel they become vices. ”The Cask” only has two characters. By the end of the story, their combined silli

59、ness culminates in tragedy and pain for them both. The tragedy is what makes us think more profoundly about their foolish ways in the hopes that we can avoid ending up, even in some metaphorical way, like them.Plot SummaryMontresor carries a grudge against Fortunato that is never explained. He leads a drunken Fortunato