william faulkner威廉·福克纳讲解

WilliamFaulkner

LifeWilliamFaulkner(1897-1962)wasborninNewAlbany,Mississippi.HeattendedtheUniversityofMississippiinOxfordbeforeandafterhisserviceintheRoyalCanadianAirForceinWorldI.HisliterarycareerbeganinNewOrleanswherehemetSherwoodAnderson,whohelpedhimgethisfirstnovelSoldier’sPaypublishedin1926.TheworkwhichwonFaulkneraNobelPrizein1949isoftenadepictionoflifeinhisfictionalYoknapatawphaCounty,animaginativereconstructionoftheareaadjacenttoOxford.

APictureofYoknapatawphaCounty(alittlepostagestampofnativesoil)HisMainWritingsHismajornovels:TheSoundandtheFury(1929)AsILayDying(1930)Sanctuary(1931)LightinAugust(1932)Absalom,Absalom!(1936)TheHamlet(1940)Hisbooksofshortstories:TheseThirteen(1931)Godown,Moses(1942)TheCollectedStoriesofWilliamFanlkner(1950)WilliamFaulkner

AmericanWriter

1897-1962

TheNobelPrizeinLiterature1949"forhispowerfulandartisticallyuniquecontributiontothemodernAmericannovel"Aboutthetext

“ARoseforEmily”isoneofFaulkner’smostwidelyreadintheAmericanclassroom.Chinesestudentsmayfinditdifficulttounderstandandappreciate.SomeofthemmaythinkitisabizarrestoryaboutanoldeccentricladyinanAmericanSoutherntown.ItistruethatthesettingofthestoryistheAmericanSouth.Yet,thethemeofthestoryisuniversal,transcendingtheboundariesoftimeandspace.Likemanyotherworksofgreatliterature,thisshortstorytellsaboutlove,death,honor,pride,change,andloss.ThestoryissetinthesoutherntownofJeffersoninYoknapatawphaCountrywhichisalsothesettingforadozenofhisnovels.EmilyGrierson,theprotagonist,hasbeentwistedinpersonalitybyforcesbeyondhercontrol.Dominatedbyheraristocraticfather,shehasbeenpreventedfrommarryingandafterhisdeathsheisleftaloneandpenniless.ShekillsherloverHomerBarroninordertokeephimwithher.Shedoesnotacceptchangeofthetimeandalienatesherselffromthecommunity.Sheisinsaneandheractionsgrotesque,butsheisavictim,atragicwomanwhoinvitessympathy.Oneofthethemesofthisstoryistherelationoftheindividualandhisactionstothepast,presentandfuture.Apartfromtheexplorationofpsychologicalreality,thedisplacedchronologyinnarrationisalsocharacteristicofFaulkner’sstyle.TheMeaningoftheTitleThemeaningofthetitleisambiguous,capableofvariousinterpretations.Aroseisacliché,symbolizingloveandapledgeoffaithfulness.FromthestorywecanseeMissEmilywasdeniedlove.So,inthissense,thetitlehasanironicmeaning.Aroseforsomebodycanalsomeanakindofmemorial,anoffering,inmemoryofsomebody.Then,whoofferedaroseforEmily?WritingstyleFlashbackandforeshadowingaretwooftenusedliterarydevicesthatutilizetimeinordertoproduceadesiredeffect.Flashbacksareusedtopresentactionthatoccursbeforethebeginningofastory;foreshadowingcreatesexpectationforactionthathasnotyethappened.Faulknerusesbothdevicesin‘‘ARoseforEmily.’’DetailedStudyoftheTextPartIThestreetusedtohouseonlythebestfamilies.Thengreatchangestookplace:garagesandcottonginswereestablishedonthestreetandtheirexistencewipedoutthearistocratictracesinthatneighborhood.Whilethewholestreetwasbecomingmodernandcommercial,onlyMissEmily’shouseremainedthesame.Althoughherhousewasdecaying,itstillassumedanairofastubbornandfrivolousgirl.Thecottonwagonsandgasolinepumpswereuglyenough,butthishouse,whichwasold,indecay,pretentious,andcompletelyoutofplace,wasmoreunpleasanttolookat.Thisdetailshowsthatthehouseanditsownersharethesamecharacter.MissEmilyhadlivedlongandhadbecomeatraditionbecausesherepresentedthearistocracyoftheOldSouththathadlostoutintheCivilWar.Shewasacarebecauseshewasold,unmarried,andwithoutfamily,andthepeopleinthetownfelttheymusttakecareofher.Theyfeltthattakingcareofherwastheirdutyandobligation.Thisobligationpassedfromgenerationtogenerationaslongasshelived.3.MissEmilywouldnothaveacceptedcharity.“Notthat”isusedtosaywhatfollowsisnottrue.CharitywouldbehumiliatingtoMissEmily.Whenherfatherdied,MissEmilywasquitepoor,butbeingaproudwomanfromanaugustfamily,shewouldnotacceptcharity.ColonelSartoris,bornintoanotheraristocraticfamilyinJefferson,hadelaborateideasabouthowwhiteupperclasswomenshouldbetreated.WiththedeclineoftheSouthafterthewar,theserichwhitefamiliesalsodeclined.Heknewthatthewivesanddaughtersofthedecliningplantationownersenjoyedveryhighbutalsooutdatedstatus.Theyshouldbelookedupto,respectedandtakencareof.HeknewexactlywhatMissEmilyneededandhowshefeltnow,andthusinventedataletojustifytheedictsothathecouldgivehersomefinancialaidwithoutappearingcharitable.4.fat,obese,plump,overweight,large,heavy,chubby,stout,tubbyIfyouwanttobepolite,don’tsaythatpeoplearefat.Overweightorjustlarge,inAmericanEnglishheavy,wouldbemorepolite.Plumpismostoftenusedofwomenandchildrenandmeansslightlyorpleasantlyfat.Chubbyismostoftenusedofbabiesandchildrenandalsomeanspleasantlyfatandhealthylooking.Stoutmeansslightlyfatandtubbymeansshortandfat.Ifsomeoneisextremelyfatandunhealthy,he/sheisobese.Obeseisalsothewordusedbydoctors.PartII1.Theladiesdidn’tbelievethataman,anyman,couldkeepakitchenproperly.Whentheterriblesmelldeveloped,theythoughtitwasbecausethemanservantdidn’tkeepthekitchenclean.2.TheGriersonsregardedthemselvesasveryimportantandtheoutsideworldasvulgarfullofpeopleinferiortothem.Theybelongedtotowentirelydifferentworlds.Afterherfatherdied,MissEmilyshutherselfupinthehouse,retreatingtoherworldofthepast.However,thecomplaintsaboutthesmellservedasalinkbetweenthetwodifferentworldsandcompelledhertodealwiththeotherworld.3.Thenextdaythemayorreceivedtwomorecomplaints.Oneofthemwasfromamanwhocameandpleadedtothemayorinashyandtimidway.4.MissEmilysatinthewindowwiththelightbehindher.WhatpeopleCouldseewashersilhouette,adarkfigureseenagainstalightBackground.InthisimageShedidn’tlooklikealivingpersonbutanidol,oraGoddess.Suchaimagesuitedherrigidandstubbornpersonality,herarrogantcharacter.4.PeopleinthetownfeltthattheGriersonfamilyregardedthemselvesmoreimportantthantheyreallydeservedtobe.ThefactthatMissEmily’sgreat-aunt.OldladyWyatt,hadgonecrazyhadtodowiththisblind,excessiveself-importance.5.

Wehadlongthoughtofthemasatableau,MissEmilyaslenderfigureinwhiteinthebackground,herfatheraspraddledsilhouetteintheforeground,hisbacktoherandclutchingahorsewhip,thetwoofthemframedbytheback-flungfrontdoor.

ThissentencedepictsacentralimagethattellsseveralthingsabouttherelationshipbetweenfatheranddaughterinGriersonfamily.First,thepositionsofthefatheranddaughteraremeaningful.ThefatherwasstandingintheforegroundwhileMissEmilywasstandinginthebackground.Thisshowsthefather’sdominantpositionandthedaughter’ssubordinaterole.Thefather’sspraddlingaddstohisimageasasternpatriarchalfigure.Second,thefatherturnedhisbacktoher,showingthatherefusedtolistentoher,denyingherwishes.ThenMr.Griersonwasclutchingahorsewhip,whichwasclearlyasymbolofpower,authority,andstrictcontrol.MissEmily’sslenderfiguresuggestsvulnerability,andherwhitedresssymbolizespurity,themostvaluedqualityoftheSouthernwhitewomen.Thefactthatthetwoofthemwereframedbytheback-flungfrontdoormaybeinterpretedindifferentways.Oneinterpretationisthatthefatherwasblockingthedoor,suggestingMissEmilywasunabletowalkoutofthehouseandchoosinghersuitorfreely.Anotherinterpretationisthatthedoorwasopenforsuitorsbutthesuitorsweredrivenawaybythefatherholdingahorsewhip.6.Whenshegottobethirtyandwasstillsingle,peopleinthetownwerenothappyaboutsuchaoutcome,butitdidconfirmtheirpredictions—MissEmilywasstillsinglebecausetheGriersonsheldthemselvestoohighforwhattheyreallywere,andalltheyoungmenwhohadcometocourtMissEmilyhadbeendrivenawaybythefather.Theyknewthateventhoughtherewasinsanityinthefamily,MissEmilywouldn’thaveturneddownallofherchancesiftheyhadreallyexisted.因此当她年近三十，尚未婚配时，我们实在高兴不起来，只是觉得先前的看法得到了证实。即使她家有着疯癫病史，如果真有机会摆在她面前，她也不至于全然放过。7.Withoutherfather’sover-protectionandwithoutmuchmoney,shehadbecomeacommonpersonliketheothertownspeople.Ordinarypeopleoftenbecomeexcitedorworriedwhentheygetapennymoreorapennyless.Beingpoor,nowMissEmilywouldlearntoappreciatethevalueofmoneylikeotherpeopleinthetown.

单身独处，贫苦无告，她变得通人性了。如今她也懂人之常情，也会多一便士就激动喜悦、少一便士就痛苦失望。

PartIIIItisobviousthatthereissomethingelsebeneaththechangeofappearances.Whatisit?Itisquiteambiguous.Theimagesinthispassagemaybeinterpretedasawomanstrippedofhersexuality.Inthisportrait,Emilyassumesthesemblanceofagirlinsteadofasexuallymaturewomanofthirty.Hercuthairisespeciallyimportant.Sinceancienttimes,awoman’shairhassymbolizedhersexuality.Emily’shair,alongwithhersexuality,hasbeencutshortthroughherfather’spride.Thecuthairalsointroducesreligiousimagery,foraninitiateintonunneryshearsherhairasasymbolofherchastity.Inaddition,theadjectives“tragicandserene”envisageaMadonna,aholyvirgin,asanaddendumtotheprimaryimageofangelswho,althoughoftendepictedaswomen,areasexual.Theimagescanalsoindicatethatwithherhaircutshort,Emilywasnowaliberatedwoman.Shewasdeterminedtochangeherroleasanupper-classgenteelwoman.Ashorthairusuallymakesawomanlookstrongerandmoreindependentincharacter.ThisqualityofherscanbeseeninhercourtingwithHomerBarron,aYankeeforeman,despitetraditionalsocialprejudice.Yankee:HomerBarronwasoneofthosefromthevictoriousNorthwho,aftertheCivilWar,cametoSouthinthehopeofmakingmoney.Theywereoftencalled“carpetbaggers”,andwereobjectsofscornorsuspicionformostSoutherners.3.Buttherewerestillothers,olderpeople,whosaidthatnomatterhowsadMissEmilywasoverherfather’sdeath,sheshouldnotforgetshehadcertainobligationsasamemberofthenobility,thougharealladywouldnotdescribeherself-restraintbytheexpressionnoblesseoblige.TheimpliedmeaningisthatitshouldbeunthinkableforEmilyaspartofthelocal“nobility”toconsidermarryingamansofarbeneathher.PartIV1.HewouldneverdisclosewhathappenedduringhistalkwithMissEmily.WecaninferthatMissEmilymusthavetreatedhimwithdistainwhenhecametoexpressthecommunity’sdisapprovalofherpubliccourtingactivitieswithHomerBarron.ThisiswhyherefusedtohaveanothertalkwithMissEmily.2.ThetownspeopleweregladbecausetheyhadbeenannoyedbythearrogantattitudeofMissEmilyandnowthetwocousinswereevenmorestubbornandself-importantthanMissEmily.TheybelievedthatthetwocousinswouldsucceedinpersuadingMissEmilyandHomerBarrontogetmarriedquicklysothatherpubliccourtingwithHomerBarronwouldcometoanend.3.ThepeopleinthetownguessedthattheirrelationshiphadturnedsourandsoHomerBarronhadleft.Andtheyexpectedtoseeaquarrelbetweenthem.Whennothingofthekindhappened,theywerealittledisappointed.Thentheybegantothinkthatheperhapshadgonetoprepareforthewedding.blowing-off:aloudquarrelthatsignalstheendofsomething4.Bythattime,thecousinshadcompletedtheirmissionandshouldleaveJefferson.NowthetownspeopleweretakingthesideofMissEmilyandmadesecretplanstohelpherdealwithhercousinsinaclearway.5.Herfatherhaddrivenawayhersuitorssomanytimes,thuspreventingherpromgettingwhatshewantedasawoman.thwart:topreventsomeonefromdoingwhattheyaretryingtodo6.Whatisthesymbolicmeaningofhervigorousiron-greyhair?Itsymbolizesherstrongandstubbornpersonality.Sherefusedtomakeanychangetoadaptherherselftothechangingsociety.Evenherhairceasedturningitscolor.

7.NowMissEmilynolongerwentout.Fromtimetotimethetownspeoplewouldseeherinoneofthedownstairswindows.Shehadevidentlyshutthetopfloorofthehouse.Sittinginthewindow,MissEmilylookedlikethecarvedtorsoofanidolforworshipplacedinaniche.Whethershewaslookingatusornotwecouldnottellanditwasnotimportantbecauseshehadceasedtobearealhumanbeing,buthadcompletelybecomeasortofmonument,symbolofatraditionandhereditaryobligation.

不时地，我们在楼底下的一个窗口能见到她的身影，她显然是把楼上封闭起来了。她的身影就像神龛中的雕刻的一尊偶像的躯体，我们说不上她是不是在看着我们。niche8.TheauthorusesfiveadjectivestodescribehowthetownspeoplefeltaboutMissEmily.Thesewordsreflectthetownspeople’sambivalentattitudetowardMissEmily.ShewasdearbecausesherepresentedtheSouthernheritagetoacertainextent.Shewasinescapablebecauseshewas“asortofhereditaryobligationuponthetown”.Shewasimperviousandnotaffectedbyanychangestakingplaceinthetown,andherimperviousnesswaswellreflectedbyherignoringthetaxnoticeandherrefusaltopaytaxes.Shewastranquil.Thoughshewastragic,sheremainedcalmandfreefromdisturbance.Hertranquilityaswellasherrigiditywasportrayedbyhermotionlesssilhouetteinthewindow.Shewascertainlyperverse,alwaysbehavinginanunreasonablewayandregularlydoingtheoppositeofwhatpeopleexpectedhertodo.

她就这样度过了一代又一代——高贵，宁静，无法逃避，无法接近，怪僻乖张。

PartV1.Theveryoldmen,whowereevenolderthanMissEmily,cametothefuneral.SomeofthemwereveteransoftheCivilWar,andtheyhadputontheiroldConfederateuniformstopaytheirlastrespectthisSouthernladyfromanaristocraticfamily.Standingontheporchandthelawn,theytalkedofMissEmily,mistakenlythinkingofherassomeoneoftheirage,bornaround1840orsowhereasshe(bornaround1855)wasmuchyoungerthantheywere.Theyimaginedtheyhaddancedwithherandcourtedherperhaps.Astheoldpeopleoftendo,theyconfusedthedatesandyearsofpasthappenings.Totheoldpeople,allthepastshouldbelikearoadthatbecomessmallerasitreachesfurtherback.Buttothoseoldsoutherners,therecentpastoftenyearsorsowaslikeabottleneck,anarrowpassage,oratunnel.Beyondthatnarrowpassage,theremotepastbecameahugelevelmeadowwherethingswerepleasantlyandfondlymixeduptogether.Likethegreengrassonthemeadownevertouchedbythewinter,theirmemoriesoftheremotepastremainedblurred,sweet,romanticized,andunchanged.a.mathematicalprogression:sequenceorsuccessionofhappeningsintimemarkedbynumbersb.bottleneck:anyplace,asanarrowroad,wheretrafficissloweduporhalted;anypointatwhichmovementorprogressisslowedup.

停尸架上方悬挂着她父亲的炭笔画像，一脸深刻沉思的表情，女人们唧唧喳喳地谈论着死亡，而老头们呢——有些人还穿上了刷得很干净的南方同盟军制服——则在走廊上，草坪上纷纷谈论着爱米丽小姐的一生，仿佛她是他们的同龄人，而且还相信和她跳过舞，甚至向她求过爱，他们把按数学级数向前推进的时间给搅乱了。这是老年人常有的情形。在他们看来，过去的岁月不是一条越来越窄的路，而是一片从来没有冬天光顾的广袤的大草地，只是最近十年却像窄小的瓶颈，把他们同过去隔断了。

2.Justbeforehisdeath,themanwaslyinginapositionofanembrace.Butdeaththatalwayslastslongerthanloveandconquerseventhepainandsufferingoflovehadturnedhimintoamanwhosewifeprovedunfaithful.

那尸体躺在那里，很显然曾经呈拥抱的姿势。但是，比爱情更持久的长眠、甚至连爱情的熬煎都征服了的长眠，使他屈服了。他所遗留下来的肉体已在破烂的睡衣下腐烂，跟他躺着的木床粘在一起，难分难解了。在他身上和他身旁的枕上，均匀地覆盖着一层长年累月堆积下来的灰尘。

WhydidMissEmilykillHomerBarron?Barronhaddesertedher.Barronrefusedtomarryher.ShefearedthatBarronwouldnotremainfaithfultoheraftertheirmarriage.Shewasinsane.Hewantedtoblackmailher.HewantedtotakehertotheNorth.WhatkindofawomanisMissEmily?Howissheportrayedinthestory?

BornintoanaristocraticfamilyoftheSouth,MissEmilywasproud,self-importantandobstinatelikeotherGriersons.Asaladyfromsuchafamily,sheenjoyedahighbutobsoletesocialstatus.Ontheonehandshewasplacedonapedestalforpeopletoadmireasifshewereperfect.Shewascloselywatchedbythecommunityandwasalwaysexpectedtobringhonortothetownandsetagoodexamplefortheyoung.ShewasviewedasarepresentativeoftheSoutherntradition,“anidolintheniche”.Nominatedbyherfather,shewasdeprivedo