Unit 12 University Days I. Background Information 1. About the author James Thurber (1894-1961), American writer, is known as a humorist, writer, and illustrator who dealt with the frustrations of modern world. His works include: "Is Sex Necessary?" (1929), "The Owl in the Attic and Other Perplexities" (1931), "My Life and Hard Times" (1933), "The Middle-Aged Man on the Flying Trapeze" (1935), "Let Your Mind Alone!" (1937), and "Fables for Our Time" (1940). Thurber's best-known characters are Walter Mitty, his snarling wife, and silently observing animals. His stories have influenced later writers, such as Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller. Thurber is generally acknowledged as the greatest American humorist since Mark Twain (1835-1910). Selected works: IS SEX NECESSARY?, 1929 (with E.B. White) THE OWL IN THE ATTIC AND OTHER PERPLEXITIES, 1931 THE SEAL IN THE BEDROOM, 1932 MY LIFE AND HARD TIMES, 1933 THE MIDDLE AGED MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE, 1935 LET YOUR MIND ALONE!, 1937 THE LAST FLOWER, 1939 THE MALE ANIMAL, 1939 (with Elliot Nugent) FABLES FOR OUR TIME, 1940 THE MALE ANIMAL, 1941 (with Elliott Nugent) MY WORLD - AND WELCOME TO IT, 1942 - includes the story 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' -film 1947, dir. Norman Z. McLeod, story by James Thurber, starring Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Boris Karloff MEN, WOMEN, AND DOGS, 1943 MANY MOONS, 1943 THE WHITE DEER, 1945 THE THURBER CARNIVAL, 1945 THE BEAST IN ME AND OTHER ANIMALS, 1948 THE 13 CLOCKS, 1950 THE THURBER ALBUM, 1952 THURBER COUNTRY, 1953 THURBER DOGS, 1955 A THURBER GARLAND, 1955 FURTHER FABLES FOR OUR TIME, 1956 THE WONDERFUL O, 1957 ALARMS AND DIVERSIONS, 1957 LIFE WITH ROSS / THE YEARS WITH ROSS, 1959 LANTERNS AND LANCES, 1961 CREDOS AND CURIOS, 1962 VINTAGE THURBER, 1963 (2 vols.) THURBER AND COMPANY, 1966 SELECTED LETTERS, 1981 JAMES THURBER: WRITINGS AND DRAWINGS, 1996 (ed. by Garrison Keillor) THE THURBER LETTERS: THE WIT, WISDOM AND SURPRISING LIFE OF JAMES THURBER, 2003 (ed. by Harrison Kinney and Rosemary A. Thurber) 2. Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia makes use of imitation of sounds for effect. These sounds may be those made by a person, animal or thing, or associated with some action or movement. For example, moo, meow, bow-wow, his, roar and baa are respectively imitative of the cries or calls of cows, cats, dogs, snakes, lions and sheep. In the same way, the trains toot; doors bang; windows rattle; fire crackles; machine clang; and racing cars go vroom-vroom. It is a device much used in poetry and prose to add vividness or vitality to description or narration. (See Page 208 in Student’s book) 3. Introductory questions 1). What did the writer usually see through a microscope? 2) Why did the instructor always end up in a fury? 3) Why did the writer take botany again? 4) Why did the botany professor ‘quiver all over”? 5) Why did the writer dislike botany and economics? 6) Why did the economics professor ask Bolenciecwcz a question concerning transport? 7). How did Bolenciecwcz finally give the correct answer? 4. Some comments on the text The author wrote this to share with the reader some experiences that he had a student at Ohio State University through narration intertwined with description. He wishes to make the reader see, feel and hear as vividly as possible what he saw, felt and heard in his university days and to share with the reader the events that had happened to him. He used the following techniques to achieve this: He limits his story to two episodes so that the focus of the story is clear. Thurber’s transitions enable the reader to understand how focus shifts from the story in which the dramatic focus is upon the writer himself to the story in which the focus is on Bolenciecwcz. At the start of the story, he makes a straightforward and emphatic announcement of the situation so as to bring the reader directly into the heart of the problem. The writer makes use of different scenes to convey new information, thus clarifying the theme. The writer employs both onomatopoeia and dialogue to bring yet more life into his narration. The writer uses a touch of satire and comic exaggeration to depict the behaviour of the botany professor in order to ridicule him. II. Language points 1. enrage: to put into a rage; infuriate; make … very angry be enraged at [by] sb.'s conduct be enraged with sb. His misbehavior enraged her mother. 2. fury: violent anger; rage fly into a fury for the slightest reason He flew into fury when I said I couldn't help him. the fury of the storm At last, the fury of the storm lessened. 3. maladjustment: faulty or inadequate adjustment educational maladjustment More examples are: maladapted maladept maladminister maladroit malapportion malcontent maldevelopment maldigestion maldistribution malformation 5. nebulous: cloudy, misty, or hazy; lacking definite form or limits; vague nebulous assurances of future cooperation a nebulous idea a nebulous liquid 6. defer: to put off; postpone. to postpone the induction of (one eligible for the military draft). defer payment defer red income I shall defer replying till I hear from home. Four words denoting the same meaning: deferred paying the bills; postponing our trip; shelved the issue; stay an execution; suspending train service. 7. grim: stern, severe Undoubtedly the grimmest part of him was his iron claw the grim reality [expression] 冷酷的现实[表情] a grim determination 不屈的决心 a grim smile [laugh] 狞笑 a grim struggle生死搏斗 8. and he genuinely wished to hold onto his temper---- and he truly wanted to keep his temper and not become angry hold onto---- stay in control of; not to lose May was frightened at the sight of the hungry lion in search of his prey, but she managed to hold onto herself and didn’t scream. Otherwise, the lion would have pounced upon her immediately. Though he was not in good health, he held onto his job and refused to retire. 9. losing control of his temper----- becoming angry; not being able to control his temper Control can combine with different prepositions for different contexts. He was in control of the car. "Unless it gets out of control, a certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and challenge." All schools are under the control of the Ministry of Education. This handle controls the flow of electricity. What you propose to do is beyond my control. 10. appeal to: to be attractive or interesting; She appeals to me. Does the idea of working for a venture company appeal to you? Bright colors appeal to small children. n. something attractive to you court of appeal上诉法院 artistic appeal eye-catching appeal The game has lost its appeal. adj. appealing: attractive 11．We are not concerned with beauty…-------We are not interested in beauty be concerned with ------ be involved or interested; be about The Brown sisters don’t seem to be concerned with women’s liberation. His new book is concerned with romanticism in English literature. be concerned about / for: be anxious /worried / upset about. She was greatly concerned about her son who had not written home for months. Dora’s colleagues were all concerned for her ill health. Quiz 12 Name ______________ Score ______________ I. Explain the following words, phrases and sentences in your own words. 1. fury 2. nebulous 3. maladjustment: 4. defer 5. grimly 6. genuinely 7. opacity 8. flecks 9. pursue 10. hold onto 11. glance 12. appealing 13. had taken a great deal out of him 14. cut off 15. round off 16. …had taken a great deal out of him. 17. a deferred pass 18.We are not concerned with beauty. 19. You are supposed to see a vivid, restless clockwork of sharply defined plant cells. “What’s that?” he demanded, with a hint of a squeal in his voice. II. Make a sentence with each of the following given words or phrases, with no less than 12 words in one sentence. be concerned about /for adjust be supposed to break off