a silver dish——saul bellow索尔·贝娄 银盘子分析.ppt

asilverdish saulbellow introduction saulbellow sstory asilverdish illustratestheskillofoneofthegreatestamericanauthorsofthetwentiethcentury thestoryspansaperiodfromthemiddleofthegreatdepressiontothemid 1980s showingthechangesthattimerendersinbothsocietyandinoneman slife themaincharacter woodyselbst isoneofbellow sfinestcreations alonesome successfulbusinessman woodyreminiscesaboutthecircumstancesunderwhichhisfather aconmanandthief causedhimtolosehisscholarshiptoaseminaryschool anactthatredirectedhisentirelife authorbiography saulbellowisconsideredoneofthegreatestwritersamericahaseverproduced havingwoneverymajorwritingawardavailable includingthenobelprizeforliterature hewasbornonjune10 1915 inlachine quebec canada hisparents whohadrecentlyemigratedfromrussia movedthefamilytochicagoin1924 afterhighschool bellowattendedtheuniversityofchicagofortwoyearsthengraduatedwithhonorsfromnorthwesternuniversityin1937 takingdegreesinsociologyandanthropology hewentontodosomepost graduateworkattheuniversityofwisconsin butsoonreturnedtochicago whichisthecitythathehasbeenmostcloselyassociatedwiththroughouthislonglifetime formostofbellow slife hewasateacher hisfirstpositionwasatpestalozzi froebelteacherscollegeinchicago from1938to1942 duringworldwarii heservedwiththemerchantmarines withmoneyfromaguggenheimfellowship hetraveledineuropeafterthewar afterastintasaneditoratencyclopediabritannica s greatbooks programfrom1943 1946 hetookpositionsatuniversityofminnesota 1946 1949 1954 1959 andthentheuniversityofchicago wherehebecamethegrunierdistinguishedprofessorintheuniversity sacclaimedcommitteeonsocialthought in1962 bellow saffiliationwiththecommitteelastedformorethanthreedecades until1993 hethenwenttobostonuniversityandbecameaprofessorofenglish apositionthathehelduntilhisdeathin2005 saulbellowdiedat89onapril5 2005 atbrookline massachusetts hehadhadfivewives threesons andwithhisfifthwife onedaughter bornwhenhewas84 authorbiography summary afterhisfather sdeath woodyselbstfeelsayawningemptinessinhislife attheageofsixty heisdeeplydisturbedbyquestionsaboutthemeaningsoflifeanddeath inhisperiodofmourning herecallsatriptothewhitenile wherehehadseenabuffalocalfbeingseizedbyacrocodilewhiletheparentbuffalolookedonwithoutunderstandingwhatwashappening theirbrutegriefnowhelpshimtocopewithhisown aswoodyreflectsonhisownlife hisfather s andtheirunusualrelationship thestoryrevealsthecontoursofwoody simaginationandthetravailsofhisexperiences hispresentlifeisfullofcares forhesupportshisinvalidmotherandtwoinsanesisters oneofwhomhehascommittedtoamentalinstitution awife fromwhomhehasbeenseparatedforfifteenyears amistress and now hisfather swidow halina andherson whoplaystheorganatgamesinthestadium despitethenumberofdependentswhomhehasaccumulated woodylivesalone workingasatilecontractor asayouth woodygrewupfast andhisspirithasremainedindependent atthefuneralparlor heinsistedondressingthecorpseforburial andatthefuneral herolleduphissleevesandshoveledthedirthimself thereisnoharminwoody yethisself respecthasnotallowedhimtoliveentirelywithinthelawandhasledhim overthecourseofhislife intotheft smuggling procuring andadultery still heismovedbyhonesty hehatesfaking andhehasalwaysheldinhisheartbothabeliefinloveand asecretcertaintythatthegoalsetforthisearthwasthatitshouldbefilledwithgood saturatedwithit woody smemoriesandreflectionsprobetheseelementsofhispersonality hisparentsexertedverydifferentinfluencesonhim hismotherhadbeenconvertedtochristianitybyauntrebecca shusband thereverenddr kovner himselfaconvertedjew whoseministrywasfinancedbyawealthywidow mrs skoglund kovnerimpartedhisfervortowoodyand taughthimtoliftuphiseyes gavehimhishigherlife aftertheboyacceptedjesusashispersonalredeemer hewaspaidfiftycentstostandupinchurchesandgivehistestimony thoughnotaverydevoutjew morrisselbstwasincreasinglyalienatedfromhisconvertedfamily heconsideredkovnerafoolandresentedthewayhiswifeanddaughterswerebeingturnedinto welfare characters woodyselbstthisstoryfocusesonthelifeofwoodyselbst whoisnowasixty year oldtilecontractorinchicago woodyisthecenterofhisextendedfamilyandthemeansofsupportformanypeoplearoundhim helivesalonebuthasagirlfriend helen whomheseeseveryfridaynight everyfridayhealsoshopsforgroceriesforhiswife fromwhomhehasbeenseparatedforfifteenyears hegoesonsaturdaystovisithismotherandhistwosisters whoareintheirfiftiesandstillliveathomewiththeirmother hehassupplementedtheincomeofhisfather whohasrecentlydied andhisfather smistress halina woodylivesaloneinanapartmentatophiscompany swarehouse hetravelsinternationallybyhimselfonceayear heisgenerallylaw abidinganddependable buthealsohasacriminalstreak inthepreviousyear forinstance hesmuggleshashishinfromkampala justfortheexcitementofdoingso thehashishisusedtostuffthethanksgivingturkey hedoesnotliketokeepentirelywithinthelimitsofthelaw consideringitamatterofself respecttodootherwise whenheisinhisteensduringthegreatdepression woody bybirthajew convertstocatholicismandattendsaseminary whichispaidforbyabenefactress mrs skoglund hetakeshisfathertomrs skoglund shouseoneday andhisfatherstealsasilverdishfromacuriocabinet asaresultofthistheft woodyisforcedtoleaveschoolandgotowork morrisselbst livingonthestreetsofliverpool england fromtheageoftwelve morrisselbstcomestotheunitedstatesatagesixteen sneakingintothecountrybyjumpingashipinbrooklyn heneverestablishesanofficialidentityinthecountry hespendshislifepursuingillegalandsemi legalmeansofsupport inhisforties heleaveshiswifeandthreechildrentolivewithoneofhisemployees halina withwhomheremainsformorethanfortyyearsuntilhisdeath morris or pop aswoodyoftenreferstohim isagambler cheat andthief whofeelsentirelyjustifiedinbeingthewayheis whenhecomestowoodyandasksforhishelponthebehalfofhismistress halina woodysuspectsthathispleaisbogus asitinfactturnsouttobe whenpoptakesthesilverdish hepromisestoputitbackifmrs skoglundgiveshimthemoneyheasksfor whenshegiveshimthemoney hestealsthedishanywayandthenlectureswoodyabouthowreligiouspeoplearereallytakingadvantageofhimanddeservewhattheyget halinabujak halinabujakisacatholicwomanwhohasworkedinmorrisselbst sdrycleaningshop whenwoodyisfourteen morrisleaveshisfamilytolivewithhalina andmorrisandhalinaliveashusbandandwifeforoverfortyyears althoughhalinaremainsmarriedtosomeoneelse ofallmembersofhisextendedfamilywhomwoodysendstodisneyworld halinaenjoysitmost particularlythehallofpresidents mitoshbujak thesonofhalina morrisselbst slongtimecompanion mitoshisonlymentionedonceinthestory heplaystheorganatthestadiumforbasketballandhockeygames helen helenisthemistressofwoodyselbst his wifedefacto inhistightschedule woodyschedulesfridaynightsforbeingwithhelen hjordis mrs skoglund shousekeeper hjordis isatough suspiciousoldmaid unwillingtoacceptthegoodinanyone reluctanttoallowmorrisselbstintothehouse eveninterribleweather whenleavingtheskoglundhouse woodyrequeststhathjordisphonethelocalymca wherehercousinworks togetaroomformorrisandhimself shedoesso butreluctantly feelingthatsheisbeingtakenadvantageofbypeopleshedoesnotlike auntrebeccakovner woody saunt rebeccakovner isthesisterofhismother sheismarriedtothereverenddoctorkovner andtogethertheyworktoconvertpeopletochristianity includingwoody hismother andhissisters whenheisattheseminary woodyworksunderauntrebeccaatasoupkitchenshelterforthepoor andhepilfersfoodhedoesnotneed justforspite reverenddoctorkovner thebrother in lawofwoody smother reverenddoctorkovnerisactivelyinvolvedinconvertingpeopletochristianity hedespisesmorrisselbst andthefeelingismutual morrisaccuseskovnerofconvertingjewishwomenbymakingthemfallinlovewithhim mother woody smother whoisnevermentionedbyname isconvertedtochristianitybyhersister auntrebeccakovner andhersister shusband sheisaself importantwomanwhosesternpiousnessdrivesherhusband morris toleaveher duringthenextfiftyyears uptothetimeofthisstory sheliveswithhertwodaughters woodyaccuseshismotherofspoilingherdaughters makingthemfatandcrazy andbeingoutoftouchwiththerealworld joannaselbst woody ssister joannaselbst isdepressedandmentallyunstable paulaselbst woody ssister paulaselbst ischeerfulbutmentallyunstable mrs aaseskoglund anoldwidowwhohascookedforthewealthyskoglundfamilyandmarriedtheirson aaseskoglundusesthemoneythatsheinheritstopromotechristiancharitableprojects suchaspayingwoodyselbst stuitionataseminary sheisdeeplyreligious prayingtogodwhenshehasadecisiontomake sheischaritableenoughtogivemoneytomorrisselbst amanofwhomshedisapproves sheacceptsnoexcuseswhenshefindsoutthatwoodyandhisfatherhavestolenfromher backgroundinformation existentialism acentralpropositionofexistentialismisthatexistenceprecedesessence whichmeansthatthemostimportantconsiderationforindividualsisthefactthattheyareanindividual anindependentlyactingandresponsible consciousbeing existence ratherthanwhatlabels roles stereotypes definitions orotherpreconceivedcategoriestheindividualfits essence backgroundinformation existentialism thereisnoharminwoody buthedidn tlikebeingentirelywithinthelaw itissimplyaquestionofself respect p170 inthecourseoftime motherandthegirlsturnedintowelfarepersonalitiesandlosttheirindividualoutlines ah thepoorthings theybecomedependentsandcranks p185 backgroundinformation asilvercupinthesackjoseph hisbrothers benjamin judah pointofview omniscient internalfocalized thisstoryismoreconcernedwithrevealingtheinwardthoughtsandfeelingsofitscharactersthantopresenttheminasuccessionofdramaticincidents characters reactionstoeventsareasimportantastheeventsthemselves thestoryisbasedonwoody smemoriesandmentalreflections butitdoesnotplungethereaderintoastreamofconsciousness thoughtsandactionsarepresentedobjectivelyratherthansubjectively throughthewordsofanarratorwhoreferstowoodyinthethirdperson contradiction healsopickedthelockofthestoreroom p173 youpickedthelock icouldn t idon tknowhow p181 conjecture thetellerwenttocallmrs skoglundandwasabsentalongtimefromthewicket p183 pointofview omniscient internalfocalized symbol bell thesoundofbellsisperhapsthemostdelicatelydrawnimageinthestory woodybelievesthattheir vibrationsandthebangingdidsomethingforhim cleansedhisinsides purifiedhisblood connectedastheyarewithchurches bellsrecallthereligiousagonyatthecenterofwoody slife theyalsosymbolizethehonestythatwoodyandhisfathervaluedsohighly for asthenarratorsays abellwasaone waythroat hadonlyonethingtotellyouandsimplytoldit theme father son loveson father p171p175p184father son p174p181 theme father son understanding p177p178learnedfrompop p177 p186admire p178p184 furtherstudy pop sstrongwill hewantedwhathewantedwhenhewantedit p178 187 heneverpresentedhimselfasabeggar therewasn tacringeinhimanywhere p180 popneverhadthosegrovelingemotions t