高级英语课件The One who Walks Away fromOmelas

1、The Ones Who Walk Away from OmelasUrsula Le GuinUnit9Teaching PlanTeaching ObjectivesnTo enable the students to learn about an allegorical storynTo familiarize students with science fictionnTo discuss the topic “what is happiness and on what real happiness depends”Teaching FocusnUtopia, an ideal soc

2、iety for human beings, is a long-pursued dream and we have had various types of it from Plato to Thomas Moore and others. Is it true? Can it become true?nIt is a science fiction, an allegory, a Utopia or a mixture. Anyhow the focus is the story itself: what can we get from it? nAll figures of speech

3、 applied. A cast of characters. The description of the child. nHow does the author convey his ideal of her ideal society? Teaching MethodsTeacher-oriented teaching methodStudent-oriented teaching methodThe elicited methodTeaching Procedure. Introductory Remarks. Background Information. Learning Focu

4、s. Key words and Expressions. Explanation of the Text. Division of the Text. The Writing Style. Rhetorical Devices. ExercisesIntroductory Remarks. Introductory Remarksna piece of allegorical writingn provocative thementhe nature of happiness and on what it dependsndescribing the eventsna. the Festiv

5、al of Summernb. march in processionnc. a horse race npeople of Omelas not simple but happynthe basis of their happinessn a just discrimination of what is necessarynWhat is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive.nno monarchy, slavery, or any commercial, political or military insti

6、tution, and no guiltna child locked in a tiny room and mistreatedna terrible justice of realitynAll the happiness of Omelas is based on its suffering.nthe nature and basis of happinessnShould happiness of the many be based upon the suffering of the few? nan open, thought-provoking endingnSome people

7、 leave Omelas after seeing the child.Detailed Study of the Text. Background InformationnUrsula Le Guin nAmerican Science fiction writernborn in Berkeley, Californian studied at Radcliff College and Columbia Universitynprolific writer both for adults and childrennHer worksn“Hain” novelsnRocannons wor

8、ld (1966) nThe Left Hand of Darkness (1969)nHer “ Earthsea” trilogynA wizard of Earthsea (1968)nThe Tombs of Atuan (1971)nThe Farthest Shore (1972)nWilliam James nAmerican Philosopher and Psychologistnborn in New York Citynteaching anatomy, physiology and philosophynhelped found the American Society

9、 for Physical researchnHis booksnThe Principles of Psychology (1890)nThe Will to Believe (1897)nThe Varieties of Religious Experience (1902)nThree principal aspects of his philosophynvoluntarismnpragmatismn “radical empiricism”nAllegoryna symbolic story that serves as a disguised representation for

10、meanings other than those indicated on the surfacenThe characters often have no individual personality, but are embodiments of moral qualities and other abstractions. nAllegorynclosely related to the parable, fable, and metaphor, differing from them largely in intricacy and length. Learning FocusnSt

11、ylena piece of allegorical description ndescribing the city of Omelas and its citizens ndwelling on a provocative theme: the nature of happiness and on what happiness depends.nrefuting the view that pain is intellectual and evilnconcluding that the happiness of the many is based on the suffering of

12、a fewnintroducing the misery and suffering of a child nputting forward the problemnallowing the readers to give free rein to their imagination.nWords and Phrasesnsparkle with na shimmering of ndodge in and out nrise to the occasion nin the silence ofnfarther and nearer nbreak into ndulcet shepherdsn

13、festered sores nto the touch nimbecile through fear nin communion with nin rank nsit hunchednfumble with npeer in atnscream for nseep in npoignancy nabominable misery nbrood overnclamornmauve ntambourine nlithe nsnivel nvapid. Key words and Expressionsnrigging (n.): tackle，esp. the chains, ropes, et

14、c., used for supporting and working in the masts, sails, yards, etc., of a vesseln decorous (adj.): characterized by or showing decorum, propriety, good taste, etc.n mauve (n.): any of several shades or delicate purplentambourine (n.): a shallow, single-headed hand drum having jingling metal disks i

15、n the rimndodge (v.): move or twist quickly aside; shift suddenly, as to avoid a blownlithe (adj.): bending easily; flexible; supple; limber; lissomen gear (n.): a harnessnhalter (n.): a rope, cord, strap, etc., usually with a headstall, for tying or leading an animal; a bitless headstall, with or w

16、ithout a lead ropenmane (n.): the long hair growing from the top or sides of the neck of certain animals, as the horse, lion, etc.nbraid (v.): interweave three or more strands of (hair, straw, etc.)nnostril (n.): either of the external openings of the nosenprance (v.): (said of a horse) rise up on t

17、he hind legs in a lively way, esp. while moving alongnarchaic (adj.): antiquated; old-fashioned; ancientnstallion (n.): an uncastrated male horse, esp. one used as a studnbarbarian (n.): member of a people or group with a civilization regarded as primitive, savage, etc.ndulcet (adj.): sweet-sounding

18、; pleasant; calmingnutopian (n.): a person who believes m a utopia, esp. of a social or political nature; visionaryntreason (n.): betrayal of trust or faith; betrayal of ones countrynbanal (adj.): dull or stale as because of overuse; trite; hackneyed; commonplacenexuberance (n.): the state or qualit

19、y of being exuberant; great abundance; luxuriancenpuritanical (adj.): of the Puritans; extremely or excessively strict in matters of morals and religionnlanguor (n.): a lack of vigor or vitality; weakness: indifference; lethargynarcane (adj.): hidden or secretnmagnanimous (adj.): noble in mind; high

20、-souled; generous in overlooking injury or insult; rising above pettiness or meannessnprovisioner (n.): the person who supplies with provisions, esp. with a stock of foodnamiable (adj.): having a pleasant and friendly disposition; good-naturednsticky (adj. colloq.): overly sentimental: maudlin: adhe

21、sivenbenign (adj.): good-natured; kindlynpastry (n.): flour dough or paste made with shortening and used for the crust of pies, tarts, etc.; foods made with thisnrapt (adj.): completely absorbed or engrossed (in meditation, study, etc.) nimperious (adj.): overbearing; arrogant; urgent; imperativenne

22、igh (v.) : utter the loud, characteristic cry of a horse: whinnynseep (v.): leak, drip, or flow out slowly through small openings or pores; oozencobweb (v.): cover with or as with the web spun by a spiderndefective (adj.): having a defect or defects; imperfect; faultynimbecile (n.): showing feeble i

23、ntellect; foolish or stupidnmalnutrition (n.): faulty or inadequate nutrition; poor nourishment resulting from insufficient food, improper diet, etc.nfumble (v.): make (ones way) clumsily or by groping; handle (a thing) clumsily or unskillfullyngenitals (n.): the reproductive organsnhunch (v.) : sit

24、 or stand with the back archednrattle (v.) : make a series of sharp，short sounds m quick successionnwhine (v.): utter a peevish, high-pitched, somewhat nasal sound, as in complaint, distress, fear, etc.; complain or beg in a childishly undignified way, as with a whinenbuttocks (n.): the rumpnfester

25、(v.): form pus; ulcerate; decaynexcrement (n.): waste, matter from the bowels; fecesnimpotence (n.): the quality or condition of being impotent, weaknparadox (n.): a statement that is self-contradictory in fact and, hence, false; a person, situation, act, etc. that seems to have contradictory or inc

26、onsistent qualitiesnuncouth (adj.): uncultured; crude; boorish; awkwardnvapid (adj.): tasteless; flavorless; flat; dull; boringnpoignant (adj.): emotionally touching or movingnpoignancy n. nsnivel (v.): cry and sniffle; have mucus running from the nose. Explanation of the Text1) far off: far a awayn

27、Far away to the edge of cliff stood an eagle.2) rise to the occasion: show that one is equal to what needs to be done -This system is designed in such a way that it can rise to the occasion.3) in communion with: have a special relationship with sth. in which one feels that he understands it very wel

28、l4) brood on / over (sth.): think about for a long time -He lay in the shade of the tree brooding over whether life was worth living. Division of the TextnPart I paras.1-6: nIt focuses on the description of the happiness of the Omelas people.nPart II paras.7-8: nIt focuses on the description of the

29、misery and suffering of the child.nPart III paras.9-12: nIt shows the attitude of most people and their reaction to the childs suffering.nPart IV paras.13-14: nIt offers the different attitude and reactions of a few.Summary. The Writing Style The text describes a fictional city of happiness created

30、by Ursula Le Guin. She uses allegory to describe a symbolic story to express the paradox of Omelas. She draws pictures both emotionally and colorfully to portray Omelas where people seem to live in a form of paradise. At the same time she pictures the terrible injustice of life, and of peoples assum

31、ptions about it, when she describes the misery and suffering of the child. Ursula Le Guin sets out to explore the dark and shadow in humanity and in society. In reality, the perfection which Omelas presents becomes much deeper than the superficial meaning when we look at this allegory. The question

32、about “the nature of happiness and on what it depends” becomes he critical theme for the whole story. Ursula Le Guin sates her views very clearly in one sentence: “Happiness is based on a just discrimination of what is necessary, what is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive.” T

33、he contrast between the citizens and the child offers certain implications. Omelas is, perhaps, not so perfect after all. The citizens accept that happiness needs a destructive side and becomes blind to the terrible injustice. The writer states her thoughts without limitation; she opens the paradox

34、to the free imagination of her readers. What should one make of the paradox between the utopian city Omelas and the suffering of the child. Rhetorical DevicesnPersonificationnIronynMetaphornSimile nAphorismna statement which defines a perspective by illustrating or describing the horizon of that per

35、spective. Instead of standing outside a viewpoint and describing the viewpoint, an aphorism adopts a viewpoint and identifies the things which are only visible from that viewpoint. Usually an aphorism is a very concise statement.Exercises. ExercisesnOral PresentationnMake a five-minute presentation

36、in class based on your close reading of the text.nDiscriminate synonymsn1. happy, glad, cheerful, joyful, joyousn2. pleasure, delight, joy, enjoymentn3. ancient, antique, archaicn4. anger, indignation, rage fury, wrath1. happy / glad / cheerful / joyful / joyousnhappy: generally suggests a feeling o

37、f great pleasure, contentment, etc.nglad: implies more strongly an exultant feeling of joy, both glad and happy are commonly used in merely polite formulas expressing gratificationncheerful: implies a steady display of bright spirits, optimism, etc.njoyful / joyous: both imply great elation and rejo

38、icing, the former generally because of a particular event, and the latter as a matter of usual temperament2. pleasure / delight / joy / enjoymentnpleasure: the general term for an agreeable feeling of satisfaction, ranging from a quiet sense of gratification to a positive sense of happinessndelight:

39、 implies a high degree of obvious pleasure, openly and enthusiastically expressednjoy: describes a keenly felt, exuberant, often demonstrative happinessnenjoyment: suggests a somewhat some quiet feeling of satisfaction with that which pleases3. ancient / antique / archaicnancient: specifically implies reference to times long pastnantique: used to describe that which has become old-fashioned or outdatednarchaic: in this connection, applied to that which is marked by the characteristics of an earlier period4. anger / indignation / rage /