Hills-Like-White-Elephants赏析.ppt

HillsLikeWhiteElephants,ByErnestHemingway,IntroductiontoErnestHemingway(1899-1961),HemingwaysbirthplaceinOakPark,Illinois.,Hemingwayfishingasayoungboy.,TheKansasCityStarbuilding,whereHemingwaytookhisfirstjobasacubreporter.,IntroductiontoHemingway,Hemingwayatthetimeofhisgraduationfromhighschool,1917,HemingwayinhisWorldWarIambulancedriversuniformbeforehisinjuries.,HemingwaytryinghishandatbullfightinginSpain,Here,hecanbeseen(rightofcenter,inwhitepantsanddarksweater)confrontingachargingbull.,AlifelongbullfightingaficionadotwoticketstotheupcomingbullfightsinPamplonawerefoundinhisdeskdrawerafterhisdeathin1961.,Hemingwayshowingoffhismarlincatchwithhisfriend,AmericanbullfighterSidneyFranklin,Discouragedbyatroubledfamilybackground,illnessandthebeliefthathewaslosinghisgiftforwriting,Hemingwayshothimselftodeathin1961.,1925Inourtime(publishedinParis)在我们的时代里（包括印第安营寨）1926TorrentsofSpring春潮1926TheSunAlsoRises太阳照常升起1927MenWithoutWomen没有女人的男人1929AFarewelltoArms永别了，武器1932DeathintheAfternoon午后之死1933WinnerTakeNothing胜者无所得1935GreenHillsofAfrica非洲的青山1937ToHaveandHaveNot富有与贫穷1940ForWhomtheBellTolls丧钟为谁而鸣1950AcrosstheRiverandIntotheTrees过河入林1952TheOldManandtheSea老人与海,HisMajorWorks,PulitzerPrize(1953),TheOldManandtheSea,TheNobelPrizeinLiterature1954,forhismasteryoftheartofnarrative,mostrecentlydemonstratedinTheOldManandtheSea,andfortheinfluencethathehasexertedoncontemporarystyle,Colloquialstyle:influencefromMarkTwainandhisjournalistcareerConcrete,specific,common-foundwordsSimple,short,evenungrammaticalsentencesDirect,clearandpositivestyle,yethighlyconnotativeThestylewasdescribedas“iceberg”TheNobelPrizeCommitteepraisedHemingwayhad“powerfulstyleformingmasteryoftheart”.,Featuresofhiswriting,IcebergPrinciple,HowistheicebergprincipleusedinHemingwaysworks?Hemingwaystheoryofomissioniswidelyreferredtoastheicebergprinciple.Byomittingcertainpartsofastory,heactuallystrengthensthatstory.Thewritermustbeconsciousoftheseomissionsandbewritingtrueenoughinorderforthereadertosensetheomittedparts.Whenthereadersensestheomittedparts,agreaterperceptionandunderstandingforthestorycanbeachieved.,IcebergPrinciple,Symbolism,Hemingwaydislikeddiscussionsregardingthesymbolisminhisworks.Theicebergprinciple,however,byitsverynature,invitessymbolicinterpretationsandHemingwayacknowledgedthisinhisownsubtleway.Nogoodwritereverpreparedhissymbolsaheadoftimeandwrotehisbookaboutthem,butoutofagoodbookwhichistruetolifesymbolsmayariseandbeprofitablyexploredifnotover-emphasized.,HillsLikeWhiteElephants白象似的群山,Themes,Motifs,andSymbolismin“HillsLikeWhiteElephants”,Setting,Theactiontakesplaceinthemid-1920satatrainstationinZaragoza,amajorcityinnortheasternSpainontheEbroRiver.Zaragozaisapproximately170milesnortheastofMadrid.TheregionaroundZaragozareceivesscantrainfall.ThegreeneryobservedbyJigmayhaveflourishedthroughirrigation.,Characters,Jig:WomantravelinginEuropewithamalecompanion.Theauthordoesnotdisclosewhethertheyaresingle,engaged,ormarried;however,itappearslikelythattheyaregirlfriendandboyfriend.TheAmerican:MantravelingwithJig.TheWoman:Waitressatthetrainstation.,StudyQuestionsforcomprehensionandconsideration,1.Whatisa“whiteelephant”accordingtothedictionarydefinition?Whatdoesa“whiteelephant”symbolizeinthestory?Whiteelephantmetaphoricallyreferstosomeexpensivepresentswithlimitedvalue.Itmaysymbolizethebaby,toocostlytokeepinthatitdemandsnotonlymaterialprovisionbutalsoresponsiblenurture.Hillslikewhiteelephantphysicallyresemblethefatwhitebellyofapregnantwoman,asymboloflife,incontrasttothe“brownanddrycountry”.,2.ListtheevidencethattellswhatkindofoperationJigisconfronting.Howriskyisitphysicallyandemotionally?Sincethemansays“itsasimpleoperation”,“justlettheairin”,plustheirrelationshipoflovers,wereadersmayunderstandthisisanabortionoperation.Physicallyitisquitedangerousforitwasbackinthe1920s,whenmedicalconditionforanabortionwasnotwhatitistoday.Besides,thisoperationispracticedillegallyinSpain,arigid,pious,romanCatholiccountrythatequalsabortiontomurder.Theemotionalstressisalsotwo-fold:theguiltyofmurderingyourownchild,andthepreoccupationabouttheconsequenceofthis“murdering”.,3.HasJigmadeuphermindtodotheabortion?Yes,otherwiseshewouldnothavedrunksomuch.Inaddition,shealwaysusessubjunctivemoodtoindicatethebabything:“wecouldhavealthis”,“wecouldhaveeverything.”“wecouldgetalong.”,4.Ifabortionissomethingalreadydecidedon,thenwhatupsetsJig?Whatistherealconflictbetweenthecouple?EvenifJigmakesuphermindtodotheoperation,thisdoesnotcontradictherfeelingofguilty,pityandworrysincerealityleavesherlittlechancetochooseotherwise.Butweshouldnoticethatbabyisnottheonlyonebiting.Sheasamatteroffactthinkmoreaboutthefutureoftheirrelationship,asisquiteobviouswhensheaskstheman:“Thenwhatwillwedoafterward?”“Andyoureallywantto?”“Youwillbehappy?”“IfIdoityouwonteverworry?”,5.Isthereanythingsignificantinthemansoversensitiveresponsetothegirls“everythingtasteslikelicorice.Especiallyallthethingsyouvewaitedsolongfor,likeabsinthe.”Absintheishighlyalcoholicanise-flavored,distilledliquorcontainingtheherbwormwood（甘草）.Greenincolor,turningtocloudy,opalescent（乳白色）whitewhenmixedwithwater.Highlyaromatic（芳香）,thisspiritisdryandsomewhatbitterintaste,withalcoholiccontentof68percentbyvolume.Maybethegirlisambiguouslyaccusingthemanofseduction,resultinginherpregnancy.,WhiteElephant,Thewhiteelephantisconsideredasacredanimalbysomeculturesand,therefore,JosephDeFalcoexplainshowthetermreflectsupontheman:Itnotonlymeansanannoyinglyuselessgift;itmayalsobeapossessionofgreatvalue.Inthiscontextthechildsymbolizesthemansinabilitytoseethatthechildmightprovideameaningtolifewhichhelacks.,Analysis,Thedialoguerevealstothereaderthatthereisadefiniteconflictbetweenthetwomaincharacters,itbutdoesnotrevealtheexactnatureoftheconflict:thetopicofconversationisneverexplicitlyidentified.Themanenjoystheirlifestyleandwantsittocontinue.HepressuresJigtohaveanoperationsotheycanbe“justlikebefore”shebecomespregnant.HeknowsthatJigisreluctant,andheassumessheisconcernedabouttheoperationitself.AbortionwasnotlegalizedinSpainuntil1985,andillegalabortionswereneithersafenorpainless.,零度结尾,引自罗兰巴特写作的零度：以存在主义大师加缪为代表的那种方式，即“中性的”，“非感情化”，回避感情色彩和主观意向性的写作方式。海明威结尾的“零度”特征，不点明主题，不表示意向，拒绝解释和判断，甚至不象结尾。整部小说运用的是非常典型的纯粹的限制性的客观叙事视角，恰象一架机位固定的摄影机，它拍到什么，读者就看到什么。绝少叙事者的干预和介入，甚至可以说非全知的叙事者知道的几乎与读者一样多。小说省略了太多的东西。包括人物的身份，故事的背景以及情节的来龙去脉。因此，想作出确凿的判断几乎是徒劳的。,comments,白象似的群山是海明威短篇小说的经典之作，它写于1927年，收入海明威小说集没有女人的男人。整部小说基本上是由男人和姑娘的对话构成，这个文本是冰山原则的最好诠析。白象似的群山绝不是一篇道德小说，而是一篇情境化的具有多重可能性的小说。贝茨评论说“这个短篇是海明威或者其他任何人曾经写出的最可怕的故事之一。”“对于姑娘来说，有什么东西毁了；不但她的过去，而且将来都是这样。她是吓坏了。”理查德福特说：“这个故事我很欣赏，因为它很现代，没有人说出堕胎二字，但堕胎的感觉失落、困惑、发呆渗入字里行间。”小说的法国译本就把题目译成失去的天堂，意思是无辜的姑娘在人工流产事件中把天堂般的过去失掉了。这个过去的天堂可能指少女的纯真烂漫，也可能指过去幸福美满的好时光。,comments,身份的多义：男人已婚并强迫他的情人堕胎好对付他的妻子；他是单身汉希望堕胎因为他害怕把自己的生活复杂化；但是也可能这是一种无私的作法，预见到一个孩子会给姑娘带来的困难；也许，人们可以想象一下，他病得很重并害怕留下姑娘单独一人和孩子；人们甚至可以想象孩子是属于另一个已离开姑娘的男人的，姑娘想和美国男人一起生活，后者向她建议堕胎同时完全准备好在拒绝的情况下自己承担父亲的角色。至于那姑娘呢？她可以为了情人同意堕胎；但也可能是她自己采取的主动，随着堕胎的期限临近，她失去了勇气。人物性格的多重性：“男人可以是敏感的，正在爱，温柔；他可以是自私，狡猾，虚伪。姑娘可以是极度敏感，细腻，并有很深的道德感；她也完全可以是任性，矫揉造作，喜欢歇斯底里发脾气。”,冰山原则的妙用,1语言的背后：小说人物对话背后的主观动机是被隐藏着的。海明威省略了一切说明性的提示，即使我们能够从他们的对话中感受到节奏、速度、语调，也无法判断真正的心理动机。2省略的艺术：“隐藏在这场简单而寻常的对话背面的，没有任何一点是清楚的。”这使白象似的群山成为一个可以多重讲述的故事，一个可以一遍遍用不同的前因后果加以阐释的故事。这种多重阐释性正是由省略的艺术带来的。一旦海明威补充了背景介绍，交代了来龙去脉，小说就完全可能很清楚。但海明威的高明处在于他绝不会让一切一目了然，他要把冰山的八分之七藏起来，因此他便呈示了一个经得起多重猜想的情境。这反而是一种真正忠实于生活的本相的小说技巧。,冰山原则的妙用,3.白象的比喻：一般说来，小说中的主导动机是揭示主题和意向的重要手段，白象似的群山中类似的主导动机就是姑娘关于白象的比喻，在小说中出现了三次。第一次被提及时，就显出两个人话不投机。这里，微妙的语词张力使潜在的冲突有一种引而不发的势头。第二次，女人重新解释说，山看上去并不真像白象，这正如她本人的话语，前后互相矛盾，含义模糊。第三次出现，它变成一个问题，可供引申：如果我说什么东西像一群白象，你也会喜欢吗？它可以解释成：如果我和你不同，你也会喜欢吗？这个问题，在相爱的男女中，注定是一个基本的困扰，也许是烦恼的根源，或者它将决定这种关系的命运。白象可以暗示妇女怀孕的体型，但从这个比喻也很难生发出确切的判断。我们可以说姑娘是微妙的，有情趣，有诗意，而男人对她的比喻毫无反映，男人是很实在的或者是没有趣味的。但昆德拉认为人们“也完全可以在她的独特的比喻性发现中看到一种矫揉造作，故作风雅，装模作样”，卖弄有诗意的想象力。如果是这样，姑娘说什么堕胎后世界就不再属于他们之类的话语，就只能归结为姑娘对抒情式卖弄的喜好。,Othercomments,HillsLikeWhiteElephantsisHemingwaysmostpenetratingattackonmanastheexploiterofwoman.LindaWagnerpointsoutthatinthisstory,Hemingwayssympathyisclearlywiththegirl.Theyrecognizethatthewomanismuchmorematurethanthemanandthathercharacterdevelopswhileheremainsstatic.Therefore,weconclude-onthebasisofourstudyofworksofliterature,ratherthanonwhatismoretypicalofHemingwayscanon-thatthewomanemergesasthestorysprotagonist.,Othercomments,HillsLikeWhiteElephantstreatsuniquelytheabortionissue(byleavingoutthewholemoralitydebate)whatthemanandwomanarearguingabout.Thekeylinesarethemansreferencetoanoperationthoughnotreallyanoperationatallandhislineofreassurance,IllgowithyouandIllstaywithyouallthetime.Theyjustlettheairinandthenitsallperfectlynaturalestablishthenatureoftheissueforeachcharacter,aswellasfortheauthorspurposes.Themanwantshislovertogetanabortionsothattheycancontinuetotravelfreeofresponsibilities-andthusthatheisnotreadytosettledownwithafamily.Thewomansconcernsaboutabortingtheirbabyaremorecomplicated.,Othercomments,Theauthorisusingthispointofconflict,nottomakeapro-lifeorpro-choicestatementbutbecause,regardlessofawomansopinionofherrighttochoose,terminatingapregnancycanbepsychologicallydevastating.Thewomanperceivestheseriousnessofthechoicethemanwisheshertomake,whilethemaniseitheroblivioustoitsmagnitudeorwillingtopretenditissimpleforhisownpeaceofmind.,Othercomments,Thewomansconcernsassheconsiderswhethertodowhatherloverasksherarethree-fold:First,sheseemstobetroubledbythestaticnatureoftheirrelationship-itisallaboutfun(lookingatthingsandtryingnewdrinks)anddoesnotseemtobemovingforwardtowardanykindofcommitment;hisdesirethatshehaveanabortionsuggeststhatheisnotconsideringmarriagetoandhavingafamilywithher.Ifababyonthewaydoesnotmovehimtopropose,whatwill?Second,shequestionsherloverscertaintythatifshehastheabortiontheywouldthenbejustlikewewerebefore.Butcantheygobacktowheretheywerebefore?Tosuchquestionsreadersmayrespondthatheiseitherfoolinghimselforverynaive,whilesheismuchmorematureandrealistic.,Othercomments,Thewomansthirdconcerncanbeestablishedbyadiscussionofthesignificanceofthetitle:thewoman,unliketheman,wondersifthebaby,whichseemstobeawhiteelephant(somethingburdensomeanddifficulttogetridof),mightturnouttobeofsignificantvalue.Afinalpointofconsideration,then,inthediscussionofthestorystitle,ishowthewomansbeliefinthepossibilityofthebabysvaluetothemandthemansopinionofitonlyassomethingbothersomeandworrisomeaffectsthereadersattitudetowardeach.,Othercomments,Hemingwaysstoryisnotpredictable.Indeed,thereaderdoesnotknowforcertainintheendthatthewomanwillgothroughwiththeabortioninspiteofhersayingshelldoit.Whatthereaderdoesknowisthatsheisright:whatevertheydoaboutthebaby,theywillnotgobacktowheretheywere.Thewomanknowsmoreaboutthemanthanshedidbefore.Anditislikelythatthisexperiencewillaffecthisappealtoher.Besideshisnaiveteandunwillingnesstosettledown,hisoversimplificationoftheabortionitselfdeservesconsideration.Rememberthatthisstoryissetpost-WorldWarI,andhowdangersinvolvedingettinganabortionatthattime.Anotherconcernthatthismightaddtothewomansgrowinglististhatthismaniswillingtoriskhisloverslifeinordertopreservehiscarefreewayoflife.,Othercomments,Indeed,theendingofthestoryforeshadowsthemansleavingthiswomanaswell.hedoesnotcomedirectlybacktoheraftermovingtheirbagsbuthasadrinkaloneatthebarfirst,suggestinghisdesiretobeawayfromhernowthatsheisnotsomuchfunassheusedtobe.KennethJohnstonsuggeststhattheman“seekingamomentofpleasureapartfromthewomantendstoconfirmthegirlsdarkpremonitionsand.hintsatsomefuturedissolutionoftheirrelationship.”,Othercomments,DoesHemingwaytakeamoralstanceagainstabortionasmurderorapoliticalstanceinfavorofawomansrighttomakechoicesaboutherownbody?Istheissuekillingornotkillingtheirchild?thewelfareofthebabyinthisstoryisofsolittleconcerntothecharacters.Theman,ofcourse,perceivesthechildonlyasawhiteelephantinthemostnegativesenseoftheterm,and,surprisingly,referstoanabortionasperfectlynatural.Thewoman,themorepositivelycharacterizedofthetwoandthustheonereceivingmoreoftheauthorsapproval,doesapparentlyrecognizethatsheiscarryingapotentiallyvaluablelife,butherprimaryconcernseemstobeherrelationshipwithherlover.Sheknowsthatwhatevershedecides(whatevershechooses)todo,herrelationshipisirrevocablychanged.,Othercomments,Isabortioneventheissuefinally?Sincethestoryendsbeforesheactuallyhastheabortion,weshouldlooktoseewhatisresolvedtodeterminewhatissueHemingwayismostconcernedwithinthisstory.Whetherthewomangoesthroughwiththeabortionornot,therelationshipisover.Themanwillmostlikelydeserthereitherway,andhisappealtothewomanhasmostlikelydiminishedsignificantlyasaresultofhisattitudetowardherpregnancy.Weconclude,then,thattheissueisthattheyhavereachedaturningpointintheirrelationshipandthathishandlingofthecrisisisbringingabouttherelationshipsdemise(dimaiz=end,death).,Thisshortstoryisaboutacouplewithamajorconflictthegirlispregnantanddoesnotwantanabortionherboyfriendappearstowanthertogetanabortion.,“HillsLikeWhiteElephants”waswrittenbyErnestHemingwayandwaspublishedin1927inabooktitled“MenWithoutWomen.”,Overtime,sinceitspublication,peoplehavereadandanalyzedthisseeminglysimplepieceoffictionandhaveformedvariousopinionsonthethemes,motifs,andsymbolismthroughout.Iwillbepresentingsomeofthemhere.,THEMEthemainthoughtorcentralideaexpressedbyawork,OnethemeisCommunicationincluding,AconflictbetweenthecoupleTheirinabilitytocommunicateeffectivelyThegirlsdependenceupontheman,Anothertheme.SelfishnessandManipulation,“Well,letstryandhaveafinetime.”,“Itsreallyanawfullysimpleoperation,Jig.Itsnotreallyanoperationatall.”,“Iknowyouwouldntmindit,Jig.Itsreallynotanything.Itsjusttolettheairin”,“IllgowithyouandIllstaywithyouallthetime.Theyjustlettheairinandthenitsallperfectlynatural.”,“Wellbefineafterwards.Justlikewewerebefore.”,“Thatstheonlythingthatbothersus.Itstheonlythingthatsmadeusunhappy.”,“Youdonthavetobeafraid.Iveknownlotsofpeoplethathavedoneit.”,“Well,ifyoudontwanttoyoudonthaveto.Iwouldnthaveyoudoitifyoudidntwantto.ButIknowitsperfectlysimple.”,“Ithinkitsthebestthingtodo.”,“Iloveyounow.YouknowIloveyou.”,“Iwontworryaboutthatbecauseitsperfectlysimple.”,“ButIdontwantanybodybutyou.Idontwantanyoneelse.AndIknowitsperfectlysimple.”,“Idontcareanythingaboutit.”,Afinaltheme.Choices,ConfrontingandacceptingthefutureOREvasionofresponsibility,MOTIFSomethingthatrecursthroughoutthepiecetodevelopthetheme.Thiscouldbeareference,anincident,oranactivity.,Alcoholisonemotif,ThereisdrinkingthroughoutthestoryFirsttheyordertwoglassesofbeerThenthegirlwantstotryAnisdelToroTheyorderasecondroundofbeersThentheyorderathirdroundofbeersAftermovingtheluggage,themanstopsinthebarroomandhasanotherdrink,Intryingtoavoidconversationandtheissueathand,thecouplefillstheirtimewithalcoholicdrinks.,Attheendofthestorytheyeachdrinkalone,HesitsatthebaranddrinksanAnis,Sheisatthetablefinishingherbeerfromthethirdround,AsecondmotifThemansover-simplificationofthe“operation”.,Usingthiseuphemism,ratherthantheharshword“abortion”,isonewayheminimizesthischoice.,Hiscontinuingstatementsstresshow“perfectlysimple”thisprocesscanbeandalsoimplyhisstrongopinionthatsheshouldjust“doit”.,SYMBOLISMtheuseofwords,places,characters,orobjectsthatmeansomethingbeyondwhattheyareonaliterallevel.Asymbolisawordorobjectthatstandsforanotherword,object,oridea.,Thetitleactuallycontainsthreedifferentsymbolsincludinghills,thecolorwhite,andthewhiteelephant,Hills,theroundedenlargementofthegirlsstomachwithababy,Symbolize,TheColorWhite,Symbolizes,theinnocenceandpurityofherunbornchild,WhiteElephant,Symbolizes,uselessnessorbeingunwanted,Awhiteelephantsale,forexample,isatypeofyardsaleorbargain-binsale.Atthesesales,stuffthatisunwantedissold.Thisreferencecouldimplythattheunbornbabyisuselessorunwanted.,WhiteElephant,Symbolicof,avaluablepossessionwhichtheownercannotdisposeof,AccordingtoAsianlegends,thepossessionofawhiteelephantwasregardedasbothablessingandacurse.Itwasgoodbecausetheanimalwassacredandwasconsideredtobeahigh-levelgift.Itwasbadbecausetheanimalcouldnotbeusedasalaboranimalandwouldbeexpensivetoownandmaintain.,WhiteElephant,Symbolizes,avoidanceofadifficulttopic(“anelephantintheroom”),Thephrase“anelephantintheroom”isaeuphemismforatopicpainfullyobviousthatnoonewantstodiscussitreferstoaquestion,problem,orissuethatisobviousbutisbeingignored.,WhiteElephant,Symbolicof,strengthandfertility,Accordingtotradition,Buddhasmotherhadadreamaboutawhiteelephantthatbroughtheralotusflower.Thefollowingdayshegavebirthtoherson.,Jig(Nicknameofthegirl),Ajigisadeviceusedinwoodworking.Somehavesuggestedthathernameissymbolicbecausethemanthinksofherasatoolanobjectratherthanapersonwithemotionsandfeelingsaboutherunbornchild.,AjigisalsoatraditionalIrishdance.Thisnicknamecanshow,inasubtleway,thatthegirlandmandancearoundeachotherandaroundtheproblemthatexistswithoutsayinganythingimportantorcomingtoanycleardecision.,BambooCurtains,Symbolize,boundariesthecoupleisfacingatthispointintheirlifeORtheseparationthatexistsbetweenthecouple,AnisdelToro,ThispowerfulliquorcansymbolizetheexcitementthatherAmericanboyfriendhastooffertoJig,butthedrinkfailstodeliver.,ThisnewdrinkthattasteslikelicoricecanrepresenttheinnocenceofJig,sinceshehasneverheardofthisdrinkbefore.,RailroadTracks,Thesearetracksthatrunside-by-side,yetnevermeet,andcouldrepresenttherelationshipbetweenJigandherboyfriendbeingtogetheryetnevercomingtogether.,Thesetracksarethedivi