高级英语课件The One who Walks Away fromOmelas

1、The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,Ursula Le Guin,Unit 9,Teaching Plan,Teaching Objectives,To enable the students to learn about an allegorical story To familiarize students with science fiction To discuss the topic “what is happiness and on what real happiness depends”,Teaching Focus,Utopia, an ide

2、al society 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?,It is a science fiction, an allegory, a Utopia or a mixture. Anyhow the focus is the story itself: what can we get from it? All figures of s

3、peech applied. A cast of characters. The description of the child. How does the author convey his ideal of her ideal society?,Teaching Methods,Teacher-oriented teaching method Student-oriented teaching method The elicited method,Teaching Procedure,. Introductory Remarks . Background Information . Le

4、arning Focus . Key words and Expressions . Explanation of the Text,. Division of the Text . The Writing Style . Rhetorical Devices . Exercises,Introductory Remarks,. Introductory Remarks,a piece of allegorical writing provocative theme the nature of happiness and on what it depends describing the ev

5、ents a. the Festival of Summer b. march in procession c. a horse race,people of Omelas not simple but happy the basis of their happiness a just discrimination of what is necessary What is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive.,no monarchy, slavery, or any commercial, political o

6、r military institution, and no guilt a child locked in a tiny room and mistreated a terrible justice of reality All the happiness of Omelas is based on its suffering.,the nature and basis of happiness Should happiness of the many be based upon the suffering of the few? an open, thought-provoking end

7、ing Some people leave Omelas after seeing the child.,Detailed Study of the Text,. Background Information,Ursula Le Guin American Science fiction writer born in Berkeley, California studied at Radcliff College and Columbia University prolific writer both for adults and children,Her works “Hain” novel

8、s Rocannons world (1966) The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) Her “ Earthsea” trilogy A wizard of Earthsea (1968) The Tombs of Atuan (1971) The Farthest Shore (1972),William James American Philosopher and Psychologist born in New York City teaching anatomy, physiology and philosophy helped found the Ame

9、rican Society for Physical research,His books The Principles of Psychology (1890) The Will to Believe (1897) The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902),Three principal aspects of his philosophy voluntarism pragmatism “radical empiricism”,Allegory a symbolic story that serves as a disguised represe

10、ntation for meanings other than those indicated on the surface The characters often have no individual personality, but are embodiments of moral qualities and other abstractions.,Allegory closely related to the parable, fable, and metaphor, differing from them largely in intricacy and length,. Learn

11、ing Focus,Style a piece of allegorical description describing the city of Omelas and its citizens dwelling on a provocative theme: the nature of happiness and on what happiness depends.,refuting the view that pain is intellectual and evil concluding that the happiness of the many is based on the suf

12、fering of a few introducing the misery and suffering of a child putting forward the problem allowing the readers to give free rein to their imagination.,Words and Phrases sparkle with a shimmering of dodge in and out rise to the occasion in the silence of,farther and nearer break into dulcet shepher

13、ds festered sores to the touch imbecile through fear in communion with,in rank sit hunched fumble with peer in at scream for seep in poignancy abominable misery,brood over clamor mauve tambourine lithe snivel vapid,. Key words and Expressions,rigging (n.): tackle，esp. the chains, ropes, etc., used f

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

15、dge (v.): move or twist quickly aside; shift suddenly, as to avoid a blow lithe (adj.): bending easily; flexible; supple; limber; lissome gear (n.): a harness,halter (n.): a rope, cord, strap, etc., usually with a headstall, for tying or leading an animal; a bitless headstall, with or without a lead

16、 rope mane (n.): the long hair growing from the top or sides of the neck of certain animals, as the horse, lion, etc.,braid (v.): interweave three or more strands of (hair, straw, etc.) nostril (n.): either of the external openings of the nose,prance (v.): (said of a horse) rise up on the hind legs

17、in a lively way, esp. while moving along archaic (adj.): antiquated; old-fashioned; ancient,stallion (n.): an uncastrated male horse, esp. one used as a stud barbarian (n.): member of a people or group with a civilization regarded as primitive, savage, etc.,dulcet (adj.): sweet-sounding; pleasant; c

18、alming utopian (n.): a person who believes m a utopia, esp. of a social or political nature; visionary,treason (n.): betrayal of trust or faith; betrayal of ones country banal (adj.): dull or stale as because of overuse; trite; hackneyed; commonplace,exuberance (n.): the state or quality of being ex

19、uberant; great abundance; luxuriance puritanical (adj.): of the Puritans; extremely or excessively strict in matters of morals and religion,languor (n.): a lack of vigor or vitality; weakness: indifference; lethargy arcane (adj.): hidden or secret,magnanimous (adj.): noble in mind; high-souled; gene

20、rous in overlooking injury or insult; rising above pettiness or meanness provisioner (n.): the person who supplies with provisions, esp. with a stock of food,amiable (adj.): having a pleasant and friendly disposition; good-natured sticky (adj. colloq.): overly sentimental: maudlin: adhesive,benign (

21、adj.): good-natured; kindly pastry (n.): flour dough or paste made with shortening and used for the crust of pies, tarts, etc.; foods made with this,rapt (adj.): completely absorbed or engrossed (in meditation, study, etc.) imperious (adj.): overbearing; arrogant; urgent; imperative,neigh (v.) : utt

22、er the loud, characteristic cry of a horse: whinny seep (v.): leak, drip, or flow out slowly through small openings or pores; ooze,cobweb (v.): cover with or as with the web spun by a spider defective (adj.): having a defect or defects; imperfect; faulty,imbecile (n.): showing feeble intellect; fool

23、ish or stupid malnutrition (n.): faulty or inadequate nutrition; poor nourishment resulting from insufficient food, improper diet, etc.,fumble (v.): make (ones way) clumsily or by groping; handle (a thing) clumsily or unskillfully genitals (n.): the reproductive organs,hunch (v.) : sit or stand with

24、 the back arched rattle (v.) : make a series of sharp，short sounds m quick succession,whine (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 whine buttocks (n.): the rump,fester (v.): form pus

25、; ulcerate; decay excrement (n.): waste, matter from the bowels; feces,impotence (n.): the quality or condition of being impotent, weak paradox (n.): a statement that is self-contradictory in fact and, hence, false; a person, situation, act, etc. that seems to have contradictory or inconsistent qual

26、ities,uncouth (adj.): uncultured; crude; boorish; awkward vapid (adj.): tasteless; flavorless; flat; dull; boring,poignant (adj.): emotionally touching or moving poignancy n. snivel (v.): cry and sniffle; have mucus running from the nose,. Explanation of the Text,1) far off: far a away Far away to t

27、he 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 well 4) brood

28、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 Text,Part I paras.1-6: It focuses on the description of the happiness of the Omelas people. Part II paras.7-8: It focuses on the description of the misery and

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

30、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 assumptions abo

31、ut 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 about “the

32、 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.” The contras

33、t 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 to the fre

34、e imagination of her readers. What should one make of the paradox between the utopian city Omelas and the suffering of the child.,. Rhetorical Devices,Personification Irony Metaphor Simile,Aphorism a statement which defines a perspective by illustrating or describing the horizon of that perspective.

35、 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,. Exercises,Oral Presentation Make a five-minute presentation in clas

36、s based on your close reading of the text.,Discriminate synonyms 1. happy, glad, cheerful, joyful, joyous 2. pleasure, delight, joy, enjoyment 3. ancient, antique, archaic 4. anger, indignation, rage fury, wrath,1. happy / glad / cheerful / joyful / joyous happy: generally suggests a feeling of grea

37、t pleasure, contentment, etc. glad: implies more strongly an exultant feeling of joy, both glad and happy are commonly used in merely polite formulas expressing gratification,cheerful: implies a steady display of bright spirits, optimism, etc. joyful / joyous: both imply great elation and rejoicing,

38、 the former generally because of a particular event, and the latter as a matter of usual temperament,2. pleasure / delight / joy / enjoyment pleasure: the general term for an agreeable feeling of satisfaction, ranging from a quiet sense of gratification to a positive sense of happiness delight: impl

39、ies a high degree of obvious pleasure, openly and enthusiastically expressed,joy: describes a keenly felt, exuberant, often demonstrative happiness enjoyment: suggests a somewhat some quiet feeling of satisfaction with that which pleases,3. ancient / antique / archaic ancient: specifically implies reference to times long past antique: used to describe that which has become old-fashioned or outdated archaic: in this connection, applied to that which is marked by the characteristics of an earlier period,4. anger / indignation / rage / f