1、高级英语（第三版）第二册第七课 The ones who walk away gtom OmelasTeaching Objectives 1)To familiarize students with allegorical writings.2)To familiarize students with science fiction.3)To discuss the topic“what is happiness and on what real happiness depends”Ursula Le Guin (1929-)-born in Berkeley,California.-Bac
2、helor of Arts degree at Radcliff College-M.A.from Columbia university,in 1952.-awarded a Fulbright fellowship to study in France.Now lives in Portland,Oregon.science fiction writer:16 novels,4 collections of poetry,10 childrens books,several screenplays and more.A Wizard of Earthsea(1968),The Tombs
3、of Atuan(1971),The Farthest Shore(1972),The Dispossessed(1974),The Beginning Place(1980)She uses science fiction to explore contemporary issues,saying“Science fiction allows me to help people get out of their cultural skins and into the skins of other beingsin science fiction you are often expected
4、to get into the skin of another person from another culture.”.William James (1842-1910)William James (1842-1910)B.in New York City,first child of Henry James and Mary Walsh.James.An original thinker in and between the disciplines of physiology,psychology and philosophy.Works by William James:The Wor
5、ks of William James 1975William James:Writings 1878-1899 William James:Writings 1902-1910 The Principles of Psychology,Cambridge 1890The Meaning of Truth 1909Some Problems of Philosophy 1911Quotations by William JamesQuotations by William James A great many people think they are thinking when they a
6、re merely re-arranging their prejudices.As a rule we disbelieve all the facts and theories for which we have no use.Be not afraid of life.Believe that life is worth living,and your belief will help create the fact.Human beings,by changing the inner attitudes of their minds,can change the outer aspec
7、ts of their lives.The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.Background of the WritingAllegory(讽喻讽喻)Allegory,in literature,a symbolic story that serves as a disguised
8、representation for meanings other than those indicated on the surface.The characters in an allergy often have no individual personality,but are embodiments of moral qualities and other abstractions.The allegory is closely related to the parable,fable,and metaphor,differing from them largely in intri
9、cacy and length.A variety of literary forms have been used for allegories.The medieval morality play Everyman,personifying such abstractions as Fellowship and Good Deeds,recounts the death journey of Everyman.John Bunyans Pilgrims Progress,a prose narrative,is an allegory of mans spiritual salvation
10、.Spensers poem The Faerie Queen,besides being a chivalric romance,is a commentary on morals and manners in 16th-century England as well as a national epic.Although allegory is still used by some authors,its popularity as a literary form has declined in favor of a more personal form of symbolic expre
11、ssion.Background of the Subtitle and“Omelas”The subtitle of the text is Variations on a theme by William James.For this,Le guin once explained it in one of her story collection The Winds Twelve Quarters”:The central idea of this psychomyth(心理小说心理小说),the scapegoat turns up in Dostoyevskys Brothers Ka
12、ramazov,and several people have asked me,rather suspiciously,why I gave the credit to William James.The fact is,I havent been able to re-read Dostoyevsky,much as I loved him,since I was twenty-five,and Id simply forgotten he used the idea.But when I met it in Jamess The Moral Philosopher and the Mor
13、al Life,it was with a shock of recognition.Of course I didnt read James and sit down and say.Now Ill write a story about that“lost soul”.It seldom works that simply.I sat down and started a story,just because I felt like it,with nothing but the word Omelas in mind.It came from a road sigh:Salem(Oreg
14、on)backwards.Salem equals schelomo equals salaam equals Peace.Melas.O melas.Omelas.“Where do you get your ideas from,Ms Le Guin?”from forgetting Dostoyevsky and reading road signs backwards,naturally.Where else?The theme of the textThe theme:the nature of happiness and on what it depends.Text Struct
15、urePart I:(paras 1-6)describes the happiness of Omelas and its people Part II:(paras 7-12)reveals that Omelas happiness is wholly based on a childs sufferingand that the Omelas people accept this terrible realityPart III:(paras 13-14)tells that some people walk away after knowing the truth but their
16、destination is unknown.Detailed Study of the textWarming-up Questions on the text 1.Describe the physical features of Omelas.2.What was the city of Omelas celebrating?How were the people celebrating it?3.What are the people of Omelas like?4.What things do the citizens of Omelas do not have?5.What th
17、ings are considered unnecessary but undestructive by the writer?6.Comment on the writers views on Happiness.7.What is the writers view on drugs?8.In what kind of a room is the child imprisoned?9.What is the imprisoned child like?1.Describe the physical features of Omelas.Omelas is a port city by the
18、 sea with bright towers and houses with red roofs and painted walls.There are tree-lined avenues,moss-grown gardens,great parks and public buildings.Towards the north side of the city there is a great water-meadow called the Green Fields.Far off to the north and west are mountains with snowy peaks h
19、alf encircling Omelas.2.What was the city of Omelas celebrating?How were the people celebrating it?They were joyously celebrating the Festival of Summer with music,dance and processions.Men,women and children were all dressed in festive clothes to celebrate the occasion,except for the riders who wer
20、e naked.The highlight of the celebrations was a horse race to be held on the great water-meadow called the Green Fields.3.What are the people of Omelas like?They are not simple though happy.They are not barbarians,shepherds or utopians.They are not less complex than ordinary people.They are not nati
21、ve and happy children.They are mature,intelligent,passionate adults.These people have a feeling of boundless and generous contentment and a sense of magnanimous triumph,a triumph over life.They have compassion for the suffering but they are also pragmatic and accept reality.4.What things do the citi
22、zens of Omelas do not have?They do without monarchy and slavery and also without stock exchange,the advertisement,the secret police,the bomb,the clergy and soldiers.They do not have cars nor helicopters.And one thing there is none of is guilt.5.What things are considered unnecessary but undestructiv
23、e by the writer?central heating,subway trains,washing machines,beer and even a not habit-forming drug like drooz,and all kinds of marvelous devices not yet invented,floating light sources,fuelless power,a cure for the common cold.6.Comment on the writers views on Happiness.Her views on happiness are
24、 ambiguous.She thinks that“happiness is based on a just discrimination of what is necessary,what is neither necessary nor destructive and what is destructive”.This is what she constructs Omelas,the city of happiness in this way:high-tech,but not monarchy,no slavery,no stock exchange,no secret police
25、,no bomb,no guilt.But she does not express clearly what is necessary for happiness.Maybe we can make a list for this:a joyous festival,music,singing,being close to nature,etc.because she loves to write about them so much.But the childs suffering one of the necessities?Touching this issue,she seems h
26、esitant.She makes it clear that it is guilt to sacrifice the many for the one,but she also plans some peoples departure from the city after knowing the truth.In short,she leaves the question to the reader:should the happiness be based on the misery of the few?7.What is the writers view on drugs?She
27、neither supports nor opposes them completely,because she considers it too puritanical to bam them completely.In this text,she imagines that in Omelas there should be a nonaddictive drug called drooz for those who like drugs.8.In what kind of a room is the child imprisoned?It is a room in a basement
28、under a public building or in the cellar of a private home.As it only has one looked door and no window,it is almost dark.In one of its corners stand two dirty mops and a rusty bucket.Its floor is damp dirt.The room is about three paces long and two wide in size.It seems a mere broom closet or disus
29、ed tool room.9.What is the imprisoned child like?The child could be a boy or a girl.It seems six years old but actually ten.It is imbecile.It sits hunched in the corner farthest from the bucket and mops which it finds horrible.While sitting there,it picks its nose and occasionally fumbles purposeles
30、sly with its toes or genitals.The child has no idea of time and seldom speaks,only making a kind of whining.It is naked and very thin.There are no calves to its legs and its belly protrudes.As it always sits in its own excrement,there are festered sores on its buttocks and thighs everywhere.Words an
31、d Expressions Part I (paras 1-6)clamor:n.singular,uncountable1）a very loud noise made by a large group of people or animals喧喧哗，吵闹哗，吵闹-He shouted over the rising clamour of voices.-The clamor of the traffic gave me a headache.2）the expression of feelings of anger and shock by a large number of people
32、-used especially in news reports（新闻用语）（新闻用语）吵闹着要求；大声疾呼吵闹着要求；大声疾呼-They made a clamor for reform.-In spite of the public clamor for lower taxes the government decided not to call an election.3）clamor for/against sth.-a clamor for revenge 复仇的喊声复仇的喊声v.1)-The children were clamoring for candy.-The baby c
33、lamored to be fed.-The starving crowd are clamoring for food.2)-The foolish people were clamoring for war.-The newspapers clamored against the governments policies.-The audience clamored for the show to begin.clamorous:adjectiveDecorous:adj.formal having the correct appearance or behavior for a part
34、icular occasion,polite;decent端庄得体的端庄得体的-decorous behavior/speech-The man was very satisfied with the decorous manner of his servant.decorously adv.-A servant was hovering decorously behind them.tambourine:n.countable a circular musical instrument consisting of a frame covered with skin or plastic an
35、d small pieces of metal that hang around the edge.You shake it or hit it with your hand.铃鼓铃鼓（四周有金属圆片，摇动或用手拍打发声）（四周有金属圆片，摇动或用手拍打发声）-A churchs liveliness should not be judged by the singing,dancing or tambourine playing.-Directly in front of him were two wind-up monkeys,one with a tambourine and the o
36、ther with a drum.shimmer:vi.to shine with a soft light that looks as if it shakes slightly发微光，闪光发微光，闪光-The lights shimmered on the water.-The lake shimmered in the moonlight.-Silk shimmers in a bright light.n.singular,uncountable the shimmer of petrol on the road.闪烁的亮光闪烁的亮光-Pearls have a beautiful s
37、himmer.-the shimmer of glasses in the candlelightlithe:adj.readily bent;supple;limber柔软的，易歪曲的柔软的，易歪曲的-the strong lithe bodies of gymnasts体操运动员轻盈而优美的体态体操运动员轻盈而优美的体态lithely:adv.-I felt awkward among the lithe young sun-tanned girls on the beach.the dancers lithe bodyrestive:adj.1)restless or uneasy焦躁不
38、安的；不安宁的焦躁不安的；不安宁的-Another hour passed and the crowd grew/became restive.2)(esp.of horses)resisting control,esp.by refusing to move forwards or by moving sideways or backwards（尤指马）难以驾驭的，不肯前行（尤指马）难以驾驭的，不肯前行的，逡巡不前的的，逡巡不前的 restively adv.restiveness n.Cf.restless:adj.1)constantly moving静不下来，老在动静不下来，老在动-t
39、he restless motion of the sea-Jimmy is a restless wanderer.2)unable to be still or quiet,esp.because of boredom,impatience,anxiety,etc.烦乱不安，心绪不宁，安定不下来烦乱不安，心绪不宁，安定不下来-The children grew restless with the long wait.-After only a month in the job,he felt restless and decided to leave.3)without sleep or
40、rest-spend/pass/have a restless night encircle:vt.to surround someone or something completely围成一圈，包围围成一圈，包围-The island was encircled by a dusty road.-The soldiers encircled the enemy camp.-Many artificial satellites encircle the earth today.-Oppressed serfs throughout the surrounding countryside joi
41、ned together to encircle the castle.encirclement n.uncountablearchaic:adj.1)old and no longer used过时的过时的Syn.outdated2)old-fashioned and needing to be replaced不合时宜的不合时宜的-The existing law is archaic and should be changed.3)from or relating to ancient times古代的古代的-archaic civilizations-The English used
42、in Chaucers plays is an archaic form of the language.-The laws that decide who owns items discovered on an archeological exploration are ridiculously.sophisticated:adj.having a lot of experience of life,and good judgment about socially important things such as art,fashion etc.老于世故的，老练的老于世故的，老练的-She
43、has become very sophisticated since she went to live in London.-a child quite sophisticated for his age2)a sophisticated machine,system,method etc is very well designed and very advanced,and often works in a complicated way复杂的，高级复杂的，高级的，尖端的的，尖端的-sophisticated software-The play is too sophisticated f
44、or the country child.-This process is highly sophisticated.sophistication n.uncountable a New York nightclub that was the height of sophistication(=very fashionable and expensive)banal:monplace,uninteresting平常的，乏味的平常的，乏味的-I was expecting an interesting interview but he only asked a few banal questio
45、ns about the weather.-It was just another banal newspaper story.banality:n.uncountable and countable ordinary and not interesting,because of a lack of new or different ideas-a speech consisting mainly of banalities有很多陈词滥调的讲话有很多陈词滥调的讲话condemn:vt.1)to say very strongly that you do not approve of somet
46、hing or someone,especially because you think it is morally wrong谴责，责备，指摘谴责，责备，指摘-The papers were quick to condemn him for his mistake.报纸及时地指摘他的错误。报纸及时地指摘他的错误。condemn something/somebody as something-The law has been condemned as an attack on personal liberty.-She is often condemned as uncaring.condem
47、n somebody/something for(doing)something-She knew that society would condemn her for leaving her children.2)to give someone a severe punishment after deciding they are guilty of a crimecondemn somebody to something宣告某人要受的惩罚；判某人的刑宣告某人要受的惩罚；判某人的刑-He was found guilty and condemned to death/be shot.-His
48、 nervous looks condemned him.他神态紧张，显出有罪的样子。他神态紧张，显出有罪的样子。3)if a particular situation condemns someone to something,it forces them to live in an unpleasant way or to do something unpleasant使某人接受使某人接受不好的事物；使某人注定不好的事物；使某人注定condemn somebody to(do)something-His occupation condemned him to spend long peri
49、ods of time away from his family.4)to state officially that something is not safe enough to be used官方宣称官方宣称（某事物）有缺陷或不宜使用（某事物）有缺陷或不宜使用-an old house that had been condemnedcondemn something as something-The pool was closed after being condemned as a health hazard.-The meat was condemned as unfit for h
50、uman consumption.这种猪肉已宣布不适宜人们食用。这种猪肉已宣布不适宜人们食用。condemnation n.谴责，判罪，注定谴责，判罪，注定condemned cell 死囚牢房死囚牢房embrace:vt.1.intransitive and transitive hug拥抱，搂抱拥抱，搂抱-Jack warmly embraced his son.2.transitive formal to eagerly accept and cling to a new idea,opinion,religion etc.欣然接受或采取（某意见等）欣然接受或采取（某意见等）-We ho
