英美短篇小說Unit16NeighbourRosicky課件

1、 _Willa CatherUnit 16 Neighbour Rosicky Brief IntroductionWilla Cather (Willa Cather, 1873-1947), American novelist, short story writer, poet. “The greatest woman writer since the founding of the United States ” “ A defender of spiritual beauty in the process of material civilization. ” She was born

2、 in Virginia, the age of nine with the family moved to Nebraska, and grew up in towns in the western prairies. In her childhood she moved to the Midwest Nebraska with his parents . After graduating from the University of Nebraska she served as secondary school teachers, reporters and editors. In 194

3、4, she was a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts, the highest gold medal eligible hospital. Her work is known as American Literature pearl. Chronicle1873 - December 7, born in Back Creek Valley, Virginia. 1883 - moves to Red Cloud, Nebraska with her parents. 1895 - graduates from The University o

4、f Nebraska, Lincoln. 1896 - takes an editorial job at the magazine Home Monthly in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and writes reviews for the Pittsburgh Leader. 1900 - lives in Washington for a few months and works as a correspondent for two Pittsburgh magazines, and in March she returns to Pittsburgh, whe

5、re she becomes a high school teacher at Central High School. 1902 - travels in Europe with Isabella McClung. 1903 - publishes a book of poetry, April Twilights, and meets Edith Lewis. 1905 - publishes a collection of short stories The Troll Garden. 1906 - moves to New York City, where she takes a po

6、sition as managing editor of the McClures magazine. 1908 - meets and befriends New Hampshire regional writer Sarah Orne Jewett, who becomes a great inspiration for her later works. She also begins to share an apartment with Edith Lewis, and they live together until her death.WorksApril Twilights (19

7、03)The Troll Garden (1905)Alexanders Bridge (1912)O Pioneers! (1913)The Song of the Lark (1915)My Antonia (1918)One of Ours (1922)A Lost Lady (1923)Archbishop (1927)The Professors House (1925)Shadows on the Rock (1931)Sapphira and the Slave Girl (1940)These novels announced her themes of strong wome

8、n, the fight against provincial life, and the dying of the pioneer tradition. Writing features of Willa Cather s works full of vitality and philosophy and the figures are vivid. novels without furniture“ Willa Cather s review and reappear Neighbour Rosicky Neighbour Rosicky is a short story by Willa

9、 Cather. It appeared in the Womans Home Companion in 1930, under the title Neighbor Rosicky. In 1932, it was published in the collection Obscure Destinies.Part 1“Neighbour Rosicky” is the story of a 65-year-old Czech farmer, Anton Rosicky, who now resides in Nebraska with his wife and six children.

10、The story begins with Anton at Dr. Ed Burleighs office, where he learns that he has a bad heart. The doctor informs him that he can no longer continue to work the fields, and should stick to less strenuous chores about the home and barn.The Rosicky familys kindness is reflected in Dr. Burleighs (who

11、m the family refers to as “Dr. Ed”) recollection of the hospitality shown in their home after delivering a neighbors baby. He feels sorry for them, as they never flourish in life despite their compassion for others.Part 2On his way home from the doctors, Rosicky stops at the general store to buy fab

12、ric and candy for his wife. Before returning home, he stops to admire the graveyard that borders his property. The snow reminds him that winter brings rest for nature and man.When he arrives home he explains to his wife that his heart “aint so good like it used to be.” Together they recall their lov

13、ing marriage, and the difference between themselves and the other farmers in the area. The Rosickys prefer to live happy and keep their children healthy, rather than having money and selling their cream off to a creamery.Part 3 Out of worry, Mary travels to see Dr. Burleigh to find out more about Ro

14、sickys heart. After her visit, she talks with her boys to make sure that he is not doing anything too strenuous. Finally, Rosicky stops fighting and gives in to the doctors orders. Rosicky spends his time that winter staying indoors doing carpentry and tailoring. He kept all of his tools in on a she

15、lf in “Fathers corner.” While sewing, he begins thinking about his past tailoring in New York City when he first came to America. Although his wages were adequate, he did not save any money because he loaned it out to friends, went to the opera, and spent it on girls. He was unhappy in the city, and

16、 realized that he needed to be in contact with the earth; so at the age of 35, he moved west to Nebraska to start a new life as a farmer.Part 4 Rosickys oldest son, Rudolph, and his “American” wife, Polly, rent a farm close by. Rosicky is worried about their marriage because Polly is a city girl, no

17、t used to having to be on a farm. He is concerned that because of Pollys unhappiness, Rudolph will take a job in the city where he can make more money, and she can be around the life she is accustomed to. Rosicky offers to loan them the family car to go into town on this and future Saturday evenings

18、. To make sure they go out that night, Rosicky also does the dishes and cleans up the kitchen for Polly.Part 5 On the day before Christmas, Rosicky is reminded of his time in London, where he was faced with the difficulties of finding food and shelter. He begins to worry about the crops and if they

19、will be able to handle the tough winter that is ahead of them. Mary attempts to lighten the mood by reminding him of a year in which the heat destroyed the crops around the Fourth of July, and how he showed no despair at that time. r New Years dinner. This is followed by numerous stories told back a

20、nd forth amongst the family, one of which recounts an episode when Rosicky was in London and stole a goose from his landlady. Afterwards, he felt such guilt that he searched the city to find a way to replace it, eventually meeting wealthy Czechs who gave him the money he needed. Polly is extremely m

21、oved by this story, and decides that she wants to invite Rudolphs family to their home foPart 6 At the end of the story, Rosicky imagines the future of his children and hopes that they do not suffer like he did throughout the beginning part of his life. Rosicky goes to Rudolphs farm to help him tend

22、 to the alfalfa field. The strenuous labor causes him to have a heart attack, and Polly comes to Rosickys aid and calls him “Father” for the first time. She realizes that his gratefulness and compassion comes across as a love that no one has ever shown her before. Rudolph and Polly later take Rosick

23、y back to his home, where he dies the next morning. At the end of the story, Dr. Burleigh stops at the graveyard where Rosicky is buried to pay his respects. He reflects on Rosickys fulfilling life and how it “seemed to him complete and beautiful.”Rosicky as ImmigrantBoyhood in rural Bohemia (age 12)Teenage years in Londons Cheapside, poor tailors apprentice (age 12-20)single, young adult life in New York, tailor, learned English (age 20-35)later life as Nebraska farmer, a family man and landowner (age 35-65)ConflictsImmigrant life VS Moder