美国文学9Steinbeck

1、 激进的三十年代激进的三十年代 v1. Background v2. Literature 1. Background Before and In the Great Depression: Once vthe American dream vthe land of opportunity vthe land of hope and optimism Now va nightmare vthe land of desperation vthe land of despair vBetween 1929 and 1932 the income of the average American fa

2、mily was reduced by 40%. vInstead of advancement, became the keyword. Literature v1) Writers of the 1920s: still writing but didnt produce good works v2) The main stream: left-oriented (左翼的左翼的) John Steinbeck：约翰：约翰斯坦贝克斯坦贝克 vI. Life:1902-1968 vII. Points of View vIII. Style vIV. Major Works vV. The G

3、rapes of Wrath vJohn Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. vAmerican novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist va leading writer of novels about the working class va major spokesman for the victims of the Great Depression Life vGerman-Irish ancestry vBorn in Salinas, California in 1902 vFather: John Ernst S

4、teinbeck, a county treasurer (财务主管) vMother: Olivia Hamilton, a teacher vHe was a “handful”(难以管教的人难以管教的人) as a child, so much so that his mother said “John will either be President or go to jail”. vSteinbeck received his love of literature from his mother who was interested in the arts vHis favorite

5、 book, and a main influence on his writing, was Sir Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur vSteinbeck attended Salinas High School Where he decided while in high school that he wanted to be a writer. vThen studied marine biology at Stanford University vtook only those courses that interested him vnever too

6、k his degree vIn school he was a below average student but did develop many of his views on literature during his time in college. vworked as a laboratory assistant and farm laborer to support himself through six years of study at Stanford University vtravelled to New York vworked as a reporter, but

7、 fired vUndiscouraged, he returned to California to begin work as a writer of serious fiction. vWith Tortilla Flat (煎饼坪煎饼坪, 1935), he received critical and popular success. vThere are many critics who consider it his most artistically satisfying work. vSteinbeck began to write a series of California

8、 novels and Dust Bowl fiction (Dustbowl trilogy), set among common people during the Great Depression, which included In Dubious Battle, 1936 Of Mice and Men, 1937 The Grapes of Wrath, 1939 vThis novel tells the story of a fruit pickers strike in California which is both aided and damaged by the hel

9、p of “the Party”, generally taken to be the Communist Party In Dubious Battle vOf Mice and Men (人与鼠人与鼠， 1937), is a tightly constructed novella about an unusual friendship between two migrant workers. vSteinbecks series of articles on the problems of migrant farm laborers provided material for The G

10、rapes of Wrath (1939) his major novel the finest working-class novel of the 1930s vserved as a war correspondent during World War II vSteinbeck wrote East of Eden (1952) which he considered his best work. vwon the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962 vfelt he did not deserve the honor The Nobel Prize

11、in 1962 v“for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception” “通过现实主义的、寓于想通过现实主义的、寓于想 象的创作，表现出富于同情象的创作，表现出富于同情 的幽默和对社会的敏感观察的幽默和对社会的敏感观察” Steinbeck Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech vthe writer is delegated to declare and to celebrate mans prove

12、n capacity for greatness of heart and spiritfor gallantry in defeat, for courage, compassion and love. “人类已被证明具有伟大的心灵和精神人类已被证明具有伟大的心灵和精神面临面临 失败的勇气，勇敢无畏的精神，宽恕和仁爱之失败的勇气，勇敢无畏的精神，宽恕和仁爱之 心。心。” “名作家必须宣扬和赞颂这些。名作家必须宣扬和赞颂这些。” vI hold that a writer who does not believe in the perfectibility of man has no dedi

13、cation nor any membership in literature. “我认为，一个作家如果不能我认为，一个作家如果不能 热忱地相信人类有自我提高热忱地相信人类有自我提高 的能力，就不会献身于文学，的能力，就不会献身于文学， 也不能算是文学界的一员。也不能算是文学界的一员。” vJohn Steinbeck died in New York City on December 20, 1968 of heart disease or heart attack. National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California Points of vie

14、w v1. His ideas and views were shaped by his California roots and the social conditions in America during his lifetime. v2. His best writing was produced out of outrage at the injustices of the societies by the admirations for the strong spirit of the poor v3.His theme was usually simple human virtu

15、es, such as kindness and fair treatment, which were far superior to the dehumanizing cruelty of exploiters. Style 1. poetic prose 2. regional dialect 3. characterization: many types of characters rather than individuals v4. dramatic factors v5. social protest: spokesman for the poverty-stricken peop

16、le Literary Achievements vEpic the topsoil, no longer anchored by growing roots, was picked up by the winds and carried in billowing clouds across the region. vHuge dust storms blew across the area, at times blocking out the sun and even suffocating those unlucky enough to be caught unprepared. vThe

17、 afflicted region became known as the “Dust Bowl.” vBy the mid-1930s, the drought had crippled countless farm families, and America had fallen into the Great Depression. vUnable to pay their mortgages or invest in the kinds of industrial equipment now necessitated by commercial competition, many Dus

18、t Bowl farmers were forced to leave their land. vWithout any real employment prospects, thousands of families nonetheless traveled to California in hopes of finding new means of survival. vBut the farm country of California quickly became overcrowded with the migrant workers. vJobs and food were sca

19、rce, and the migrants faced prejudice and hostility from the Californians, who labeled them with the derisive epithet “Okie.” The story vthe migration of a dispossessed family from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl to California vtheir subsequent exploitation by a ruthless system of agricultural economics vBeg

20、inning: the Exodus story of Okies on their way to an uncertain future in California vEnding: a scene in which Rose of Sharon, who has just delivered a stillborn child, suckles a starving man with her breast. Major Characters v(1) Tom Joad v(2) Jim Casy v(3) Rose of Sharon v(4) Ma Joad (1) Tom Joad v

21、Tom is the protagonist. vLoyal son of Ma and Pa Joad. vTom becomes their strong right arm on the familys trip to California. vIn the early chapters of the novel, Tom rejoins the family after serving four years of a seven-year sentence at the Oklahoma state prison for killing a man in self-defense. v

22、His apparently unjust imprisonment does not embitter him, however, and he carries on with his life without moping about the past. vBecause he is honest, caring, self-confident, and quick to stand up for his rights, his younger brother Al looks up to him and Ma Joad regards him with great affection.

23、(2) Jim Casy vFormer preacher who rejects organized religion and its rigid moral dictates in favor of simply loving his fellow human beings and working on their behalf. vIronically, Casy devotes himself to a cause that depends on organization and moral dictates: uniting workers to agitate for their

24、rights, including the right to a just wage. vHe maintains that society has a moral obligation to treat and pay workers fairly. vCasey dies at the hands of his opponents, but Tom Joad takes up his cause. (3) Rose of Sharon Joad Rivers vToms pregnant teenage sister vimmature and fanciful early in the

25、novel va mature young woman through her experiences in the migrant camps. vAfter her child is stillborn, she feeds a starving man with her breast milk. (4) Ma Joad va kind, loving, and strong woman vthe beating heart of the Joad family vpumps courage, hope, and moral values into the veins of each fa

26、mily member vmaintains a positive outlook despite the hardship Themes vclass clashes and conflicts between the labors and the management vkinship, unity and cooperation vlove, hope, perseverance in the face of hostility vdeceit, greed, prejudice vthe great depression Conflicts v(1) The Joads must ba

27、ttle numerous forces, three of which are beyond their control: the severely depressed economy the terrible drought the illnesses that kill Grampa (Grandpa) and Granma(Grandma) Joad vTheir human adversaries include demanding bankers who evict sharecroppers with bulldozers greedy businessmen corrupt l

28、aw officers prejudiced middle- and upper-class citizens Biblical Allusions and Overtones (寓 意) v(1) The plight of the Joads recalls two Old Testament stories: va) the Israelites departure from Egypt for the Promised Land, as told in the Book of Exodus v b) The tribulations suffered by the innocent a

29、nd upright Job, as told in the Book of Job. v(2) The life and death of Jim Casy recalls the life and death of Christ, as told in the New Testament gospels. v(3) The title of the novel alludes to verses in the book of the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament. Writing Techniques v(1) poetic description

30、s of nature v(2) omniscient narration v(3) the use of dialogue that imitates the patois of particular regions and social classes v(4) the rat-a-tat presentation of abundant specific details to capture the atmosphere of a particular locale Symbolism vGrapes vDust: (1) Utter ruination of a way of life

31、; death (2) forces beyond the control of the Joads vThe Turtle: Perseverance of the Joads. vLight Truck That Hits the Turtle: Law officers and others hostile toward the Joads. vBulldozer: The brute power of the unfeeling, indifferent banks. vRoute 66: The lands traversed by Moses and the Israelites

32、on their way toward Canaan. vThe Thousands of Migrants on the Road: The Israelites in their exodus from Egypt vCalifornia: False Promised Land vRose of Sharon: Fertile and plantable future for the Joads. Sharon: a fertile plain along the coast of Israel, A rose of sharon: a shrub with showy flowers.

33、 Early in the novel, Rose is the showy flower. Late in the novel, she is the fertile plain full of promise and nourishment for survival. 2004年山东科技大学年山东科技大学 英语综合试卷英语综合试卷 Part II Literature II. Give brief explanations to the following authors and their literary works. （55=25%） 1. John Steinbeck 大连外国语学院2004年英美文学 v10. Of Mice and Man was written by _. vSteinbeck received his love of literature from his mother who was interested in the arts vHis favorite book, and a main influence on his writing, was Sir Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur vSteinbeck began to write a series of