高級英語第七課The+Libido+for+The+Ugly

TheLibidoforTheUglyH.L.MenckenChenHuanhongTeachingObjectives

TolearnaboutHenryL.MenckenTolearnaboutthewritingtechniqueofdescriptionToappreciatethewriter’sbombasticstyleToappreciatethelanguagefeaturesChenHuanhong

HenryLouisMencken

ChenHuanhongHenryLouisMencken(1880-1956)

HislifeHespentmostofhislifeinthecityofBaltimore,Maryland.HewasthesonofGermanimmigrantparents.Hecompletedhighschoolbutdidnotattenduniversity,onlygraduatedfromBaltimorePolytechnicInstituteat16.HebecameareporterontheBaltimoreMorningHerald.ChenHuanhongAfewyearslater,hejoinedthestaffofitsrivalnewspaper,theBaltimoreSunorEveningSun,firstasareporter,thenasitsdramacriticandeditor,apositionwhichhehelduntil1941.ChenHuanhongHehelpedtofoundandedittwoliterarymagazineswhichwerehighlyinfluentialamongintellectuals.TheSmartSet2)TheAmericanMercuryChenHuanhongHewasacentralfigureinAmericanintellectuallifeduringthe1920's.HelaunchedthemostcuttingattacksofanywriteragainstAmerica'smiddleclassculture.Heinventedtheword"booboisie",combiningthetwowords"bourgeoisie"and"booby"(anawkward,foolishperson).ChenHuanhongIncaustic,wittyessays,hederided(mocked)theinstitutionwhichsupportedthemiddleclass.Heenjoyedcontroversyandtriedtoarousehisantagonistswithhisdirectanddevastatingattacks.ChenHuanhongHisworksTheAmericanLanguage1918Prejudices(6vols)1919--1927HappydaysNewspaperDays1940--1943autobiographyHeathenDays25BooksandthousandsofarticlesChenHuanhongHewasaleadingscholarinthefieldoflanguage.Hismonumentalbook

"TheAmericanLanguage"isconsideredanoutstandingworkofphilology.ChenHuanhong"TheAmericanLanguage"

a)ItexaminedthedevelopmentoftheEnglishlanguageinAmerica,b)ItcontrastedEnglishandAmericanexpressionsandusage.c)ItexplainedtheoriginofmanyAmericanidioms,d)IttracedtheinfluenceofimmigrantlanguagesonAmericanEnglish.HemadealargecontributiontothestudyoflanguageandparticularlyencouragedscholarlystudyoftheAmericanbranchofEnglish.ChenHuanhongMencken'sCreedsIbelievethatreligion,generallyspeaking,hasbeenacursetomankind-thatitsmodestandgreatlyoverestimatedservicesontheethicalsidehavebeenmorethanovercomebythedamageithasdonetoclearandhonestthinking.Ibelievethatallgovernmentisevil,inthatallgovernmentmustnecessarilymakewar

uponliberty...ChenHuanhong

Mencken'sCreedsIbelievethattheevidenceforimmortalityisnobetterthantheevidenceofwitches,anddeservesnomorerespect.Ibelieveinthecompletefreedomofthoughtandspeech...Ibelieveintherealityofprogress.

ChenHuanhong

Mencken'sCreeds

Ibelieveinthecapacityofmantoconquerhisworld,andtofindoutwhatitismadeof,andhowitisrun.

I-Butthewholething,afterall,maybeputverysimply.Ibelievethatitisbettertotellthetruththantolie.Ibelievethatitisbettertobefreethantobeaslave.AndIbelievethatitisbettertoknowthanbeignorant.

ChenHuanhong1)Hehatednarrow-mindedreligion.Hebelievedstronglyinintellectualfreedomandfoughtallattemptstocensorliteratureanddrama.Hefeltthatthegreatestthreatofcensorshipcamefromthecountry'sreligion"fundamentalists",whoseopinionswereallbasedontheirinterpretationoftheBible.ChenHuanhong2)Hehatedcommercialism.3)Hedidnotsupportdemocracybecauseheconsideredthemassestooignorant

andgreedytoexerciseitwisely.ChenHuanhongHisStyle

Heiswell-knownforhis

bombasticstyleandacidtongue.ChenHuanhongHisStyle

Hewrotewithstrongfeeling,eagerenjoymentandexaggeration.Hisextravagantuseofthelanguagewassoamusingandstartlingthatevenhismostviolentlycriticalessaysbecameacceptabletohisreaders.ChenHuanhong

HisStyle

Heemployedahugevocabularyandlikedtoinsertunusualorunexpectedwords,forsurpriseorcomiceffect,intootherwise

normal

sentences.Althoughhisstyleisoccasionallydifficulttoread,Menckenisstillconsideredoneofthebestandliveliestessayistsofthiscentury.ChenHuanhongBombasticstyleandacidlanguageexaggerationhyperbolepompous

Language---biting\sharpChenHuanhongPennsylvaniaPittsburghChenHuanhong

ChenHuanhongPennsylvaniaStateProfile

StateUniqueNameTheKeystoneStateCapitalCityHarrisburgLocation40.27605N,076.88450WBirdRuffedGrouseBorderStatesDelaware-Maryland-NewJersey-NewYork-Ohio-WestVirginiaEconomyAgricultureFlowerTheMountainLaurelLargestCityPhiladelphiaLandArea44,892sq.mi.Population1,20,19,661StatehoodDecember12,1787TreeHemlockChenHuanhongPittsburgh:acityinSouthwestPennsylvania.ItisoneofthemostimportantindustrialcitiesofAmerica,andacenterofrailandrivertransportation.Termedthe“SteelCity”or“SmokyCity”,itisthecenterofrichbituminous-coal(生煤)region,producingalsonaturalgas,oilandlimestone;alargepartofU.S.steelandironisproducedhere.PittsburghChenHuanhongWestmorelandcounty:

acountyinSouthwestPennsylvania.ItscountyseatisGreensburg.Itisaminingandmanufacturingregion.ChenHuanhongGreensburg:acountycityofWestmorelandcounty,SouthwestcentralPennsylvania.25mileseastsouthwestofPittsburg.ChenHuanhongMainIdeasSubjective,impressionisticoremotionaldescriptionWestmorelandwasappallinglydesolateandagonizinglyuglyAllthehousesweremisshapenandshabby.ThelandscapeitselfwasbeautifulItwasduetotheaesthetictasteofthelocalpeoplewhomadethehouseslookuglyChenHuanhongMainIdeasInWestmoreland,Peoplehadapulltowardsugliness,whichevenbordereduponpassionUglinesswasnotduetopovertybuttosomethinginnateintheAmericancharacter-aloveofuglinessforitsownsakeor,thelibidofortheugly.ChenHuanhongMainideaofeachparagraphPara1---Thewritercontraststhegreatwealthofthisregionwiththeabominablehumanhabitationsseeneverywhere.Para2---Thewriterdescribesthecoverageoftheuglinessinthecounty.Para3---ThewriterdescribestheuglinessofthehousedesignPara4---ThewriterdescribestheuglinessofthecolorofthebricksChenHuanhongPara5---Thewriterevaluatestheuglinessofthisregionasthetoponeintheworld.Para6---ThewritertriestotracethesourceoftheuglinessfromtheforeignersPara7---Thewriterspeculatesonasolutionforthepuzzle:libidofortheuglyPara8---ThewritershowsevidencetoprovehimselfrightPara9---Thewriterfinallygivesananswer.(Theremustbesomepathologicalcauses.)ChenHuanhongStructurePartI(para

1)Thewritercontraststhegreatwealthofthisregionwiththeabominablehumanhabitationsseeneverywhere.PartII(para2-5)

Itemotionallydepictshowappallinglydesolateandagonizinglyuglythelocalhouses,buildingselsewhereintheStatesandtheirdesignsare.PartIII(para6-9)Analysisofthesourceoftheugliness—thelibidofortheuglinessChenHuanhongDetailedstudyofthetextLibido---Doyouthinkitisageneralword?No.Itisaspecificwordusedinpsycho-analysisItisatechnicalterminpsychology.(Freudian)conceptoriginatedbySigmundFreudtosignifytheinstinctualphysiologicalorpsychicenergyassociatedwithsexualurgesand,inhislaterwritings,withallconstructivehumanactivity.ChenHuanhongSigmundFreud(May6,1856–September23,1939)

wasanAustrian

neurologistandpsychiatristwhofoundedthepsychoanalyticschoolofpsychology.Freudisbestknownforhistheoriesoftheunconsciousmindandthedefensemechanismofrepression.

心理防御機制理論

Heisalsorenownedforhisredefinitionof性本能理論sexualdesireastheprimarymotivationalenergy

ofhumanlifewhichisdirectedtowardawidevarietyofobjects,andthepresumedvalueofdreamsassourcesofinsightintounconsciousdesires.釋夢理論ChenHuanhong

Libido---Meaningpsychicenergygenerallyspecificallyabasicformofpsychicenergy,

comprising

thepositivelovinginstinctsmanifestedvariouslyatdifferentstagesofpersonalitydevelopment.2.thesexualurgestrongdesire,greatpassion,greatlustChenHuanhongWhydoesthewriterchoosethisterm?--inordertogivehissubjectscientificcoloring.ChenHuanhong

Hewantstodemonstratethatwhathedescribeshaspsychologicalandscientificfoundation.Usually,peoplelovethingsbeautiful,butagroupofpeopleintheUSlovethingsuglyforitsownsake(becausetheyareugly)Why?Theremustbesomescientificandpsychologicalreasons.ChenHuanhongDetailedAnalysisoftheTextChenHuanhongPara1---Thewritercontraststhegreatwealthofthisregionwiththeabominablehumanhabitationsseeneverywhere.Whatisyourgeneralimpressionoftheplace?Howdoesthewritersucceedingivingyouthatimpression?Whatisthecontrastmentionedinpara1?ChenHuanhongappalling:horrifying,shocking,adj.令人震驚的駭人聽聞的…crimesappallvt.使膽寒,使驚駭shock,horrifySomethingthatisappallingissobadorunpleasantthatitmakesyoufeeldisgustordismaySomeofthesepeopleliveinappallingconditions.ChenHuanhongdesolate:

aplacedeserted：…region無人煙的，荒蕪的miserableandlonely:a…personbleak:

cheerless,gloomy,desolate,depressinglucrative:

producingwealthorprofit;profitable;有利可圖的ChenHuanhonghideous:horribletosee,hear,etc;veryuglyorrevolting;dreadful,frightful非常丑陋的,駭人聽聞的,可怕的

a…crime,noise,creatureheinous:

(lit)verywicked,verybad,abominable,Treasonhasalwaysbeenregardedasaheinouscrime.ChenHuanhongforlorn:

lonelyandunhappy;(places)wretched無人照顧的，破爛的，棄置的;a…child，the…h(huán)ouses

a…h(huán)ope:

planthatisalmostcertainnottosucceed幾乎不可能實現(xiàn)/成功的事ChenHuanhongHerewastheveryheart...joke:

Figuresofspeech:

(1)metaphor:

comparingthis

mostimportantcenterofindustrialAmerica

totheheartofahumanbody;

(2)hyperbole:

exaggeratingtherichnessandgrandest

ofthisregionandofAmericaasawhole–“theboastandprideoftherichestandgrandestnationeverseenonearth”;

(3)contrast:the

richestandgrandest

regioncontrastedwiththe

hideous,bleakandforlorn

scene.

ChenHuanhongAbominate,detest,loatheAbominate:vt.feelhatred(strongdetestationandoftenmoralcondemnatione.g.Virtuallyeverysociety…incest.detest:(dislike,butwithoutactivehostility不帶敵意或惡意)I…moralcowards.

loathe:

(utterdisgustandintolerance極其討厭和難以忍受)…self-appointedmoralguardians監(jiān)護人ChenHuanhongabominable:

causingdisgust,討厭的，令人可惡的

Hisbehavioris…tome.

hatefulodiousdetestable

ChenHuanhongHerewaswealth…alleycats:

Figuresofspeech:(1)hyperbole:exaggeratingthewealththatwasbeyondcomputationandimagination;andhabitationssoabominablethatevenhomelesscatswouldhavefeltashamedtoliveinthem;(2)contrastofwealthandabominablehabitations.ChenHuanhongPara2---Thewriterdescribesthecoverageoftheuglinessinthecounty.

TopicsentenceWhatIalludetoistheunbrokenandagonizingugliness,thesheerrevoltingmonstrousness,ofeveryhouseinsight.ChenHuanhongHowmanybuildingsdidthewriterdescribeindetails?churches,stores,warehousesetc.=likeaman’sfaceshotawaythehouses：1）alittlechurch=likeadormer-windowonthesideofabareleproushill2）theheadquartersoftheveteransofForeignWars3）asteelstadium=likeahugerat-trapChenHuanhongWhatimpressioncanyouget?

shabby;ugly;hideousChenHuanhong

Descriptionfrom

generaltoparticular

FromEastLibertytoGreensburg,adistanceoftwenty-fivemiles,therewasnotoneinsightfromthetrainthatdidnotinsultandlaceratetheeye.→churches,stores,warehouses;theheadquartersoftheVeteransofForeignWars;asteelstadiumChenHuanhongFilth,dirt,soot,grimefilth:

disgustinglyoffensivedirt,extremeobscenity表示臟得令人惡心的東西，引申：猥褻的東西，極度的淫穢

Heusedtolivein…..Childrencannotreadbooksfullof..dirt:notclean,notpure任何不清潔之物，泥土，灰塵，污垢，垃圾，引申：色情描寫，下流的東西Thereis…onyourface.Themanlikestoreadastorywithabitof…init.ChenHuanhongsoot:

煤煙，煤灰，油煙，物質(zhì)的不完全燃燒形成的一種黑色物質(zhì)Theinsideofachimneysoongetscoveredwith….grime:

污垢沉積在表面上或嵌入表面中的煤煙或污壯物Thisisawindowcoatedwith….Hisfaceandhandswerecoveredwith…fromthecoaldust.Filth,dirt,soot,grimeChenHuanhongfilthy:

…rags…picturesnasty:causingdisgust=filthy臟得令人作嘔，常有臭味Theshipwasinavery…condition.soiled:

文雅

側(cè)重于長時間使用而被弄臟的含義…apron…clothesChenHuanhongAllude

vi.暗指,影射,間接提到implyalludeto提到,暗指...說的referto,mentionShenever…dtothismatter.glanceat(fig)

dealwithsthinasuperficialway/referbrieflytosthabook,anarticle,etcthatonly…sataproblem,question

ChenHuanhongAllude,collude,delude,eludeallusion:indirectreference典故Herpoetryisfullofliterary…s.間接提及，…tosb/sthcollude:

勾結(jié)，串通

They…dinordertodeceiveme.delude:

欺騙，迷惑He..dmewithpromiseswhichhedidnotintendtokeep.elude:

躲避，逃避，使困惑，不為。。所記得/注意They..dthedanger.躲避了危險Theanswer…sme.Theidea…sme.ChenHuanhongwhatIallude…insight:Figureofspeech:hyperbole,anexaggerationthatishardtobelieve.Noteveryhousecouldhavebeenthatugly.unbrokenandagonizingugliness:

continuousanduninterruptedugliness連綿不絕、令人難受的丑陋景象sheerrevoltingmonstrousness:

absolutelydisgustinghideousnessChenHuanhongrevolt—vi.Rebelagainst反抗,反叛

Thepeoplerevoltedagainsttheirruler.revolt.---v.t/vi.(cause)(feel)hatredorsicknessof…反感,厭惡

revoltagainst,revoltatv.Theverythoughtofworkinginthebasementrevoltedme.Theviolenceinthemovierevoltedmyparents.Revolting

adj.令人厭惡的nastyThereisarevoltingsmellintheseafoodmarket.ChenHuanhongoneblinked...shotaway:

figureofspeech:simile.Theuglinessofthesehouseswasasgruesomeasafacethathasbeenshotandmangled.ChenHuanhongAcrazy...leproushill:

figureofspeech:simileAfoolishlittlechurchjustwestofJeannettewasbuiltlikeadormer-windowonahillsidethatwasbareandlookedasrepulsiveastheskinofaleper麻風病人.ChenHuanhongasteelstadium...theline:figureofspeech:

simileandridiculeItwasalargeroundovalstructuremadeofsteelandlookedlikeabigrattrap.ThisheadquartersoftheVeteransofForeignWarswasabitfurtherdownthelinethanthechurchatJeanette.ChenHuanhongAComparisonofSarcasm(諷刺),ridicule(嘲弄),irony(反諷)Sarcasm-abitterorwoundingremark,主要用于傷人感情的那一類幽默,常運用嘲笑或諷刺性反語Ridicule-makefunof,deride,laughat.Makeridiculous

irony-sayonethingandmeantheoppositeChenHuanhongTherewasnot…shabby:Therepetitionofthesamestructuralpatternandtheuseofdoublenegativeshelptoemphasizethetwowords“misshapen(奇形怪狀的、畸形的)”and“shabby(破舊的)”.ChenHuanhongPara3---Thewriterdescribestheuglinessofthehousedesign

Howdidtheauthornarratethelandscapeandlocationintheregion?Whatkindofhousescoverthehillsides?Allthehouseswereugly.Thehouseslooklikebrickssetonend.Theyweremadeofclapboards,withnarrow,low-pitchedroofs.Andthewholehouseissetuponthinbrickpiers.ChenHuanhongHowdidtheauthordescribethetwosidesofthehouses?Why?Allthehousesarestreakedwithgrimeandmanyofthemarenotevenperpendicularbuttheyleanthiswayandthat.Sincethesehousesarebuiltonthehillsideandsetonbrickpiers,onesideishighandtheotherislow.Thelowsidesmakethemlooklikepigsburyingthemselvesinthemud.ChenHuanhongcomely:

goodlooking,pleasingtotheeye(dated)詞義較弱，指人長得端正，看起來順眼，清秀dingy:

dirty-colored;notbrightorclean,grimyChenHuanhongThecountryitself...mills:Figureofspeech:litotesmeaningquitecomelyorpleasantandfairtolookatparaphrase:Thecountryitselfispleasanttolookat,despitethesootydirtspreadbytheinnumerablemillsinthisregion.ChenHuanhongObviously...thehillsides:Figureofspeech:

sarcasmItsarcasticallyemphasizesthefactthattherewerenoarchitectsworthyofitsnameinthisregion.Therewerenoarchitectsworthyofthehonororthehighstandardsdemandedofbyitsprofession.IftherehadbeensucharchitectstheywouldnaturallyhavebuiltSwiss-typehouseswhichwouldlielowandclingingtothehillsides.ChenHuanhongBythehundreds...cemetery:Figureofspeech:

simile,comparingthesehousestogravestonesinarottingcemeteryChenHuanhongontheirlowsides...mud:Figureofspeech:

metaphorcomparingthehousestopigswallowinginthemud.Sincethesehousesarebuiltonthehillsidesandsetonbrickpiers,onesideishighandtheotherislow.Thelowsidesmakethemlooklikepigsburyingthemselvesinthemud.ChenHuanhongoneandall

大家,所有的人,每個人,全部–allthehouses,everyhouseoneandonly

adj.唯一的oneandthesamen.同一個,完全一回事ChenHuanhong

Andoneandall...thestreets:

Figureofspeech:

metaphorcomparingthepatchesofpainttodried-upscalesformedbyaskindisease.Paraphrase:Allthehousesherearesmeared(涂上)withsootydirt,andsomepaintwhichisnotcoveredupbythesootlookslikedried-upscalesformedontheskinbyeczema.ChenHuanhongPara4---Thewriterdescribestheuglinessofthecolorofthebricks.

WhatdoesMenckensayaboutthecolorofthesehouses?

ChenHuanhongWhenithastaken...orraring:Figureofspeech:

ridicule,metaphorandironylaughingscornfullyatthecolorofthesehouses;(“綠繡”：美麗–煙灰污垢：不美觀)comparingthecolorofthebrickstocolorofrotteneggs.Whenthebrickiscoveredwiththeblacksootofthemillsittakesonthecolorofarottenegg.ChenHuanhongtheyhavethemost…mortaleye:Figureofspeech:

hyperboleexaggeratingtheuglinessofthetownsandvillagesinWestmorelandcountyChenHuanhongforsake:

（fml）giveup;renounce(ahabit,idea,etc.)拋棄，放棄一般用來表示拋棄對某人或某地的依戀，常含有對所眷戀或依賴的人或物的一種失望情緒Hiswifepersuadedhimto…h(huán)isdrinkinghabits.Hisoldfriendforsookhimwhenhebecamepoor.ChenHuanhonggod-forsaken:

placeswretched,desolate偏僻的，荒涼的god-fearing

：sincerelyreligious虔誠的，敬畏上帝的godsend:

unexpectedpieceofgoodluck(意外的)好運ngodspeed:

(archaic)usedwhenwishingsbsuccessonajourneyIwishyou…一路順風ChenHuanhongAberrant

---unusual，notfollowingthenormalway不循常軌的，不走正路的

…behavior越軌行為inimical:

…tosb/sth

(fml)unfriendly,hostileharmful不友好，對。。不利countriesthatare…tous對我們不友好的國家actionsthatare…tofriendlyrelationsbetweencountries.ChenHuanhongPara5---Thewriterevaluatestheregionastheugliestoneintheworld.HowdoesthewriterexpresstheWestmorelandistheugliestarea?ChenHuanhongIaward

thischampionship...prayer:Figureofspeech:sarcasmandirony

paraphrase:IhavegivenWestmorelandthehighestawardforuglinessaftervisitingandcomparingmanyplacesnotonlyintileUnitedStatesbutalsoinothercountriesandafterconstantlyprayingtoGodforguidance.ChenHuanhongTheyareincomparable...indesign:Figureofspeech:

IronyThecoloranddesignweresobadthatyoucouldn’tfindanywhichwasworse.ChenHuanhongItisasif...ofthem:Figureofspeech:

hyperboleandironyItisasifsomegeniusofgreatpower,whodidn’tliketodotherightthingsandwhowasaninflexibleenemyofman,employedalltheclevernessandskillofhelltobuildtheseuglyhouses.ChenHuanhongTheyshowgrotesqueriesof…diabolical:grotesque

---strangeandunnaturalsoastocausefearorbelaughable奇異的，奇形怪狀的veryuglyinappearance==hideousParaphrase:Theyshowsuchfantasticandbizarreugliness.Whenonelooksbackatthesehouseswhoseuglinessisfantasticandbizarreonefeelstheymustbetheworkofthedevilhimself.ChenHuanhongPara6Wasthevalleyfullofforeigners?DoesMenckenbelievethatthesepeoplebuiltsuchuglyhousesbecausetheywerejustignorant?ChenHuanhongInsensateinsensibleinsensate1.withoutthepowertofeel無感知能力的

…rocks頑石2.unfeelingesp.inafoolishway蠢笨無情的

…cruelty

無理性的殘忍insensible:

sb.is…

昏迷不醒的，失去知覺的

…topain,cold:notabletofeelChenHuanhongSensiblesensitivesensationalsensible:

可感覺的capableoffeelingIamvery…ofyourkindness.sensitive:

敏感的quicktounderstandTheeyeis…tolight.sensational:

轟動的，聳人聽聞的

a…crimeChenHuanhongsensation:1.generalawarenessorimpression(下意識的感覺)2.theabilitytofeelthroughtouch（知覺，觸覺）

3.stateofgreatsurprise轟動

Ihadthe…thatsb.iswatchingme.Thenewscausedagreat…ChenHuanhongPull:

physicalforce引力forcethatinfluencesaperson’sbehavior（對…行為）的影響(力)，吸引力

Thetidesdependonthe

…

ofthemoon.the

…

ofprosperouscityChenHuanhongItisincredible...ofhorror:Figureofspeech:

sarcasmandirony.Itishardtobelievethatpeoplebuiltsuchhorriblehousesjustbecausetheydidnotknowwhatbeautifulhouseswerelike.ChenHuanhongPara7

WhatishisexplanationfortheuglinessinAmerica?ChenHuanhongPara7Oncertainlevels...forthebeautiful:Figureofspeech:

antithesisbalancing“l(fā)ibidofortheugly”against“l(fā)ibidoforthebeautiful”.ChenHuanhongDeface:spoiltheappearanceofsth損壞。。的外觀

…thelibrarybooksEfface:wipesthout,causetofade抹掉，沖淡

Timewill…theunpleasantmemoriesofthepast.PrefacesurfaceChenHuanhongPara8ThewritershowsevidencetoprovehimselfrightChenHuanhongwitheyesopen:fullyunderstandingwhatoneisdoingorwhatisinvolved明知故犯地，心中有數(shù)，充分了解自己所做的事Withone’seyesshut/closed:withoutmucheffort,veryeasily沒費多大力氣，輕而易舉的ChenHuanhongButtheychosethatclapboardedhorror…depravity:

Mellow:adj./v.1.tobecomeripe,matureandsweet

…fruit,…wine,…color

2.morewiseandsympatheticthroughagea…attitudetowardslifeHereitmeans:“toletdeteriorate,toletitgofrombadtoworse”.ChenHuanhongButtheychosethatclapboardedhorror…depravity:figureofspeech:

irony

paraphrase:

Fullyunderstandingwhattheyweredoing,theychosethishorriblehousemadeofclapboardandthenletitdeterioratetothispresentshocking,sinfulcondition.ChenHuanhongbesideit...offendthem:Figureofspeech:

sarcasmTheylikethingsuglyanddonotknowwhatisbeautiful.IfoneweretoputabeautifulbuildingliketheParthenonthere,theywouldbeoffended.ChenHuanhongtheymadeitperfect…ofit:Figureofspeech:ridiculeTheyputapenthouseontopofit,paintedinabright,conspicuousyellowcolorandthoughtitlookedperfectbuttheyonlymanagedtomakeitabsolutelyintolerable.ChenHuanhongTheeffectisthatofafatwoman…eye:Figureofspeech:metaphor

comparingtheuglyrat-trapstadiumwithanimpossibleyellowpenthousetoafatwomanwithablackeye.ChenHuanhongTheeffectisthatofafatwoman…eye:Presbyterian:

長老會牧師AgrinningPres