《高级英语》第三版第二册第十四课 faustian economics

Lesson

14FaustianEconomicsWendellBerryTeachingObjectivesToknowthebackgroundknowledgeoftheauthor,Marlowe’sDoctorFaustus,Exodus,JohnMiltonandParadiseLostTounderstandAmericanwayoflifeandtheconnotationofFaustianeconomicsToappreciatethetypeofwriting:argumentationTeachingContentsⅠ.BackgroundKnowledgeⅡ.TypeofthetextⅢ.OrganizationofthetextⅣ.DetailedStudyofthetextⅤ.LanguageFeaturesⅠ.BackgroundKnowledge

1)theauthor:WendellBerry2)ChristopherMarlowandDoctorFaustus3)Faustian4)Exodus5)JohnMiltonandParadiseLostTheauthor:WendellBerry

(1934--)Occupation:AmericanFarmer,Writer,CriticWritings:“WhatArePeople?”“StandingonEarth”,“Sex,Economy,FreedomandCommunity”,“HomeEconomics:FourteenEssays”,etc.Prize:TheNationalHumanitiesMedalT.S.Eliotprizes.RockefellerFellowshipsTheauthor:WendellBerry

BerryisthefirstoffourchildrenofalawyerandtobaccofarmerinKentucky.BerryearnedaB.A.andM.A.inEnglishattheUniversityofKentuckyIn1958,heattendedStanfordUniversity'screativewritingprogramInApril1960,Berry'sfirstnovelwaspublished.1962to1964,hetaughtEnglishatNewYorkUniversity'sUniversityCollegeintheBronx.In1965,Berrymovedtoafarmhehadpurchased,Lane'sLanding,andbegangrowingcornandsmallgrains.Berryhasfarmed,resided,andwrittenatLane'sLandingdowntothepresentday.Theauthor:WendellBerryBerryhaswrittenatleasttwenty-fivebooksofpoems,sixteenvolumesofessays,andelevennovelsandshortstorycollections.Hiswritingisgroundedinthenotionthatone'sworkoughttoberootedinandresponsivetoone'splace.Berry,alifelongBaptist,hascriticizedChristianorganizationsforfailingtochallengeculturalcomplacencyaboutenvironmentaldegradationandhasshownawillingnesstocriticizewhatheperceivesasthearroganceofsomeChristians.ChristopherMarlowChristopherMarlow

(1564

–1593)wasanEnglishdramatist,poetandtranslatoroftheElizabethanera.MarlowewastheforemostElizabethantragedianofhisday.HegreatlyinfluencedWilliamShakespeare.Marlowe'splaysareknownfortheuseofblankverse,andtheiroverreachingprotagonists.Works:TamburlaineTheJewofMaltaDoctorFaustusDoctorFaustusFaustus

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Theprotagonist.Faustusisabrilliantsixteenth-centuryscholarfromWittenberg,Germany,whoseambitionforknowledge,wealth,andworldlymightmakeshimwillingtopaytheultimateprice—hissoul—toLuciferinexchangeforsupernaturalpowers.Mephastophilis

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AdevilwhomFaustussummonswithhisinitialmagicalexperiments.Mephastophilis’smotivationsareambiguous:ontheonehand,hisoft-expressedgoalistocatchFaustus’ssoulandcarryitofftohell;ontheotherhand,heactivelyattemptstodissuadeFaustusfrommakingadealwithLuciferbywarninghimaboutthehell.Lucifer

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Theprinceofdevils,therulerofhell,andMephastophilis’smaster.Theme:Sin,redemption,anddamnation;theconflictbetweenmedievalandRenaissancevalues;absolutepowerandcorruption;thedividednessofhumannatureExodusThenameExodusmeans“departure”,andreferstothemostimportanteventinIsrael’shistory,whichisdescribedintheBookofExodusintheBooksofthOldTestamentoftheHolyBible.JohnMiltonandParadiseLostJohnMilton1608

–1674)wasanEnglishpoet,ascholarlymanofletters,andacivilservantfortheCommonwealthofEnglandunderOliverCromwell.Milton'spoetryandprosereflectdeeppersonalconvictions,apassionforfreedomandself-determination,andtheurgentissuesandpoliticalturbulenceofhisday.Hewroteatatimeofreligiousfluxandpoliticalupheaval,andisbestknownforhisepicpoem

ParadiseLost.ParadiseLostParadiseLostisanepicpoeminblankverseintwelvebooks.ThepoemconcernstheBiblicalstoryoftheFallofMan:thetemptationofAdamandEvebythefallenangel

SatanandtheirexpulsionfromtheGardenofEden.Milton'spurposeisto"justifythewaysofGodtomen".ParadiseLostiswidelyconsideredoneofthegreatestliteraryworksintheEnglishlanguageⅡ.Typeofthetext:ArgumentationTheessayisapieceofstrongargumetation.Argumentationisoneofthefourmajormodesofwriting,theotherthreebeingdescription,narrationandexposition.Thepurposeofargumentationistoconvince,tomakethereaderagreewithitspointofviewandsupportit,topersuadethereadertochangehismindorbehavior,andtoapproveapolicyoracourseofactionthatitproposes.Speechesonpolicies,editorialsofnewspapers,articlesonpoliticalortheoreticalquestions,andvariousproposalsareoftenargumentative.Ⅲ.Organizationofthetext

Introduction(para.1-2)

Adebatabletopic:FaustianEconomicswhatkindofeconomicsshouldwehave?Americaneconomicsisseenbymanyasamodeltoemulate.TheauthorchallengesitbycallingitFaustianeconomics.(para.3-32)Paragraph3-11：TheantithesisbetweenlimitlessnessandlimitsParagraph3:TheproblemwithusisnotonlyprodigalextravagancebutalsoanassumedlimitlessnessParagraph4-9:thefantasyoflimitlessness,itscauses,itsproblems,etc.Paragraph10-11:thediscussionofhumanlimitednessOnesideisafantasyoflimitlessness:(1)humanbeingdefinethemselvesaslimitlesscreatures(2)Oureconomyisthesupposedpossibilityoflimitlessgrowth,wants,wealth,naturalresources,energy,anddebt.impliedina“wishforlimitlesspossessions,limitlessknowledge,limitlessscience,limitlesstechnology,andlimitlessprogress.”itmustleadtolimitlessviolence,waste,waranddestruction.TheothersideisrealconditionhumansarelimitedcreatureslivinginalimitedworldItenablesustorespondtothelimitednessbytheself-restraintimpliedin“neighborliness,stewardship,thrift,temperance,generosity,care,kindness,friendship,loyalty,andlove.”Paragraph12—26:Thewriterexplainsthemeaningof“free”andreferstothestoriesofFaustusandParadiseLosttoexpoundourpredicamentoflimitlessnessandlimitedness.Healsoemploystwoexamplestoexplainpredatoryeconomyandcommunityeconomyanddifferentiatesthemeaningofthreewords“limit”,“limitedness”and“confine”.Paragraph27-32:Contrastsartswithscienceandtechnology&artistswithscientists

Conclusion:Para.33:

Wewillhavetoreexaminethepresenteconomicstructuresofourlives,andconformthemtothetolerancesandlimitsofourearthlyplaces.Wherethereisnomore,ouronechoiceistomakethemostandthebestofwhatwehave.Ⅳ.DetailedStudyofthetextQuestions:WhatisFaustianeconomics?Whatkindofeconomicsshouldwehave?Faustianeconomicsmeanseconomicsbasedonthesupposedpossibilityoflimitlessnessofgrowth,wants,wealth,naturalresources,energy,anddebt.Paras.1-2Thegeneralreactiontotheapparentendoftheeraofcheapfossilfuel,astootherreadilyforeseeablecurtailments,hasbeentodelayanysortofreckoning.Fossilfuel:afuelsuchascoaloroilthatisproducedbytheverygradualdecayingofanimalsorplantsovermillionsofyearsCurtailment:(formal)reducingorlimitingsomethingTheendoftheageofcheapfossilfuellikecoalisapparent.Thegeneralresponsetothisrealityhasbeentopostponeanysortofthinkingandconsideration.Thisistheusualattitudetowardstotheeasilyforeseeablelimitations.Inthisveryfirstsentenceoftheessay,thewritercomestothepointdirectlybymentioningthelimitsoffossilfuelandthegeneralslowresponsetotheissue.Limitisamajorthemeoftheessay.Thestrategiesofdeadlysofarhavebeenasortofwilledoblivion…ananswer.Willed:deliberateOblivion:thestateofbeingunconsciousorofnotnoticingwhatishappeningOnthisissue,thesepeopleemploythestrategiesofdelaybecausetheydeliberatelypaynoattentiontothesituation,ortheyseelargeprofitstothemanufacturersofsuch“biofuels”asethanolfromcornorswichgrass,ortheyholdontothebeliefthat“sciencewillfindananswer”,whichisunscientificandnothingnewtous.Immediatelyfollowingthestatementaboutthegeneraldelayedresponsethewriteranalyzesthecausesofthedelaystrategies.Thedominantresponse,inshort,isadoggedbelief…indestructible.Dogged:markedbystubborndeterminationIndestructible:toostrongtobedestroyedTosumup,thedominantresponseisastubbornbeliefthattheso-calledAmericanwayoflifeprovessomehowtoostrongtobedestroyed.Americanwayoflife:referstothelifestyleofpeoplelivingintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Itisanexampleofabehavioralmodality,developedfromthe17thcenturyuntiltoday.Itreferstoanationalistethosthatpurportstoadheretoprinciplesof“life,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness”IthassomeconnectiontotheconceptofAmericanexceptionalismandtheAmericanDream.Politically,ittooktheformofabeliefinthesuperiorityofafreedemocracy,foundedonaproductiveandeconomicsexpansionwithoutlimits.However,withnaturalreservesdiminishingrapidlyandcarbonemissionsincreasingtoaffecttheglobalclimate,moreandmorepeoplebegintoreexaminethelifestyleimpliedintheAmericanWayofLife.Somepeopleseeitmoreasanegativeexampleratherthanapositivemodel.Thisbeliefwasalwaysindefensible—therealnamesofglobalwarmingareWasteandGreed--…foolish.Indefensible:toobadtobeexcusedordefendedManifestly:(formal)plainandeasytoseeThereallycausesofglobalwarmingarenotnaturalphenomenonbuthumanfactorssuchaswasteandgreed,whichareembodiedinthisbelief.Bynowitiseasytoseehowfoolishthisbeliefis.Paras.3-11：

TheantithesisbetweenlimitlessnessandlimitsTheproblemwithusisnotonlyprodigalextravagancebutalsoanassumedlimitlessness.prodigal:recklesslywastefulTheproblemwithusisnotonlythatwearecarelesslywastefulbutweassumethatwearelimitless.Itssubjectswere“clean-coalgeneration,…friendly.”Clean-coalgeneration:powergenerationbycleancoaltechnologies.Cleancoaltechnologyisatermusedtodescribetechnologiesbeingdevelopedthataimtoreducetheenvironmentalimpactofcoalenergygeneration.Itimpliesthatitispossibletomakecoalafuelsourcethatisfreeofcarbondioxideemissionsandotherpollutantemissions.Cuttingedge:theleadingormostimportantpositionThesehopes,which“cancreatejobs….taxbreaks.”Taxcredit:asumdeductedfromthetotalamountataxpayerowestothestate.Taxbreak:aslangtermreferringtoanyitemwhichreducestax,includinganytaxexemption,taxdeductionortaxcredits.Itis,infact,atissueofclichésthat…journalists.Tissue:network,webCliché:anideaorphrasethathasbeenusedsomuchthatitisnoteffectiveordoesnothaveanymeaninganylongerTongue:(literary)languageItisactuallyanumberofoldandmeaninglessphrasesandithasbecomethecommonlanguageofpromotersofsuchenergytechnologies,politiciansandjournalists.Theminimizationofneighborliness,respect…spoiledchildren.Neighborliness:Behavinginafriendlyandhelpfulwaytowardsthepeoplewholivenexttoyouortowardsthecountriesthatarenexttoyou.Herethewordistheoppositetoviolenceandwar.Accountability:anobligationandwillingnesstoacceptresponsibilityortoaccountforone’sactions.Spoiledchildren:usedfiguratively,meaningpeoplewhoaretreatedtookindlyandasaresultbehavebadly.Wearenotlikelytobegranted…thisone.plunder:touseupallormostofthesuppliesofsomethinginacarelesswaypillage:tostealalotofthingsanddoalotofdamageThisconstraint,however,isnotthecondemnationitmayseem.Constraint:limitingone’sfreedomtodowhattheywantCondemnation:anexpressionofverystrongdisprovalofsomeoneorsomethingLimitingourfreedomtodowhatwewantmayseemtoexpressverystrongdisapprovalofhumans.However,thisisnottrue.Butashumans,wemayelecttorespondtothisnecessary…andlove.Stewardship:conducting,supervising,ormanagingsomethingespeciallythecarefulandresponsiblemanagementofsomethingentrustedtoone’scare.Paragraph12

Andthissuggeststhatour“identity”islocated…connections.Impulse:asuddenstrongdesiretodosomethingwithoutthinkingaboutwhetheritissensibleSelfhood:thequalityorstateofbeinganindividualseparatefromothers.Humanshavetoexerciseself-restraintratherthandesireforunconditional“freedom”forthemselveswithoutconsideringotherpeople’sinterests.Paras.13-15

Toassuagehisthirstforknowledgeandpower…hismaster.Assuage:(literary)tomakeanunpleasantfeelinglesspainfulorsevereIncompensationfor:servingasapaymentforSubdevil:alowerrankingdevilTomakehisstrongdesireforknowledgelesssevere,hestrikesacontractwithLucifer,theDevil,bywhichhisgrantedtheservicesof24yearsofthesubdevilMephistophilis.Tut,Faustus,marriageisbutaceremonialtoy.Tut:(interjection)usedtoexpressdisapprovalordisbeliefIdisapproveofmarriageforitisonlyatoybelongingtoceremony.Don’ttakeitseriously.Continuingthistheme,for….Deadlysins…Pageant:anorganizedpublicshow,oftenperformedoutdoors,wherepeopledressindecoratedorunusualclothesThesevendeadlysins:thesevensins,orvices,arewrath,covetousness,envy,gluttony,lust,prideandsloth.Paragraph16

Ifwegobackintoourtradition,wearegoingto…oughttobe.Ata/theminimum:theleastpossibleShatter:tocompletelydestroyorruinsomethingsuchassomeone’sbeliefsorlifeIfwedigintoourculturaltradition,wearegoingtofindaconcernwithreligion,which,atleast,completelydestroysthebeliefthattheindividuallifeexistsinaselfishwayandthedestructionofthisbeliefforcespeopletoconsiderandexamineseriouslywhathumansareandwhathumansoughttobe.Paras.17-18

Thisconcernpersistsatleastas…DeclarationofIndependence.Aslateassomething:usedtoexpresssurprisethatsomethingconsideredold-fashionedwasstillhappeningsorecently.ThisconcernwithreligionpersistsasrecentlyastheUnitedStatesDeclarationofIndependence.

Someofuswould-behumanshavethought…expense.Would-be:desiring,intendingtobe;havingthepotentialtobeAttheexpenseof(sth.Orsb.)achievedbydoingsth.Thatcouldharmtheotherpersonorthing.e.g.:Economicgrowthshouldnotbeachievedattheexpenseoftheecologicalenvironment.Paras.19-20

Myquestionerswereaskingineffect…result.Thetwoyoungveterinarianswereactuallyaskingifaneconomyinwhichsomepeoplewithunlimitedpowercontrolthemarket,andrenderotherspowerless,canproduceahelpfulandgoodresult.Paras.21-22

Thesescientistsandtechnicians…served.

justify:toproveorshoworclaimtobejust,right,orreasonablevanguard:theleadingpositionromanticize:totalkorthinkaboutthingsinawaythatmakesthemseemmoreromanticorattractivethantheyreallyareThesescientistsandtechnicianshaveservedthiseconomyofcommunitydestruction,claimingtheyarerightbystatingthattheyareintheleadingpositionofprogress,enlarginghumanknowledgeandpower,andinthiswaytheymakethemselvesanthepredatoryenterprisestheyhaveservedmoreattractivethantheyreallyare.paragraph23

Itwasnotagoodideaforthefarmers…the1970s.Leverage:toprovideorsupplementwithleverage,toborrowmoneyexpectingtomakemoremoneythanthecostoftheinterestAcreage:areainAresInthe1970s,theUSfarmerusedtheirsecureacreageasacredittoenhancetheirspeculativecapacityandboughtmoreacreage.Butthisturnedouttobeabadidea.Paras.24-25

Iftheideaofappropriatelimitation…confinement.Limit:impliessettingapintorlineorisnotpermittedtogo.Limitedness:appliedtohumanbehavioris“ashumans,wemustdocertainthingsandwemustnotdocertainthings.Wemusthavelimitsorwewillceasetoexistashumans;perhapswewillceasetoexist,period.”Confine:suggestssevererestraintandaresultingcramping,fetteringorhampering.paragraph26

Torecoverfromourdiseaseoflimitlessness….universe.Metaphor,comparingourfantasyoflimitlessnesstoadisease.Ifwewanttogetridofourfantasyoflimitlessness,wewillhavetogive