The Early 20th century English Literature 12 страница
Vocabulary
acquire [a'kwaia] v приобретать aspiration Laespa'reijan] п стремление autobiographical [,o:tau,baiau'greeiikal]
а автобиографический cannery ['кгепэп] л консервный завод compromise ['ктлпргэтатг] v пойти на
компромисс
310
| pinch [pintf] л сжатие; v мучить pinch of poverty тиски нужды pirate t'paiant] л пират porter ['po:taJ л носильщик power plant f'pauaplcunt] л электростанция prime [praim] n расцвет schooner ['sku:na] л шхуна slum [sLun] л обыкн . pi трущобы sociologicol Csausja'lrxfcikal] а социологический tramp [trasmp] v совершать путешествие пешком unequal [An'i:kwal] а неравноценный waterfront f/vratafrAnt] л порт yacht fjot] л яхта |
hardship fha:djip] л обыкн pi трудности
incurable [m'kjuarabl] а неизлечимый
injure ['mdja] v ранить
jail [dseil] n тюрьма
judge [d$Ad3] v составлять мнение, оценивать
jute [dju:t] n джут
mine [mam] v добывать
morphine ['mo:fi:n] n морфий
occasion [a'kerjan] л случай
odd [t>d] а случайный
outlook ['autluk] n точка зрения; кругозор
overdose fauvadaus] л слишком большая доза
oyster ['oista] л устрица
Martin Eden
Martin Eden is an autobiographical novel in which London tells of his struggle to overcome his lack of knowledge and to turn himself from a plain sailor into an educated person. But this is a social novel as well. It shows the fate of a young man who comes from the working class and becomes a famous writer in bourgeois society.
The main characters of the novel are Martin Eden, Ruth Morse and her family. Martin saves in a hand-to-hand fight with a group of hooligans a young man named Arthur Morse. Arthur introduces Martin to his family, and he falls in love with his sister Ruth. Martin thinks the Morses to be the realm of spiritual beauty and intellectual life, and he considers Ruth to personify all these qualities.
It becomes Martin's desire to be her intellectual equal and to join the society she belongs to. He decides to educate himself to be worthy of Ruth. Martin Eden studies grammar, reads a lot of books. His swift development surprises and interests Ruth. She realizes that she is in love with Martin, but her parents have other plans for her. When Martin runs out of money he sets out as a
|
|
|
311
... ■■ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
| Martin feels awfully tired. He refuses to write another word. Martin thinks there is no cure for him except to escape from this world and sail on a liner to the South Seas. Before his departure he feels that it is useless. The only thing he wants is rest, and finally he understands that only death will give him peace, and he commits suicide, he drawns himself. Having developed the best traditions of the American critical realism of Mark Twain, O. Henry and others, Jack London became one of the most significant classics of world literature. His talented, realistic works were highly appreciated by many progressive-minded people all over the world, and they inspired his contemporaries and many writers who came after him. |
| Speak about Jack London's childhood. When was his first story written? Why did Jack London go to the Klondike? How did his stay in the Klondike influence on his writings? Name Jack London's northern stories. |
common sailor in a ship bound for the South Seas. While on board, a great idea comes to his head — to become a writer. That is a career that will help him to win Ruth.
On his return to Oakland, Martin devotes every minute of his time to writing and studying. He works from early morning till dark and sends the manuscripts to various magazines. His first stories are returned by the publishers, but he keeps on sending them.
In the meanwhile Martin and Ruth are engaged to be married. It is a great blow to Ruth's parents because Eden is a rough sailor. Wishing to have encouragement in his work, Martin shows some of his stories to Ruth. But she has little faith in his power as a writer. Ruth persuades him to give up writing and accept a job at her father's office.
But Martin continues sending his stories to various magazines.
His visits to the Morses convince him that he has been under the
wrong impression about the high society. He begins to under
stand that Ruth also shares its narrowness. Under the pressure of
her parents Ruth breaks off the engagement. She agrees that
they are not made for each other. It is a terrible blow to Martin,
and he stops writing. But he continues to send his old rejected
stories to the printing houses. And soon they are accepted, one
after another. •»
|
|
|
Through unbearable hardships Martin manages to realize his dream. He becomes a famous writer. His stories and novels are now in great demand. Eden becomes rich and popular, but he is not happy. When he gets into "high society" he understands how shallow and hypocritical these people are. He can't understand that those who despised him before his books become popular, now invite him to dinner.
The Morses, hearing of Martin's brilliant career, are not against his union with Ruth. She even visits Martin to reconcile with him. "She is aware of her humiliation but she does not care. However all her efforts are in vain. The charm of love is gone. There is nothing in common between the youth, who was madly in love with Ruth, and the famous writer, tired, exhausted and indifferent. He cannot bring himself to feel sympathy for Ruth and is as unresponsive as a stone."
312
Vocabulary
aware [s'wes] а знающий
to be aware сознавать, отдавать себе отчет charm [tja:m] n очарование convince [kan'vms] v убеждать despise [dis'paiz] v презирать encouragement [т'клпс&тэпГ] п поддержка engagement [m'geictjmsnt] n помолвка exhausted [ig'zo:stid] а измученный humiliation [hju^mili'eijgn] n унижение hypocritical Lhipa'kntikal] а лицемерный inspire [m'spara] v вдохновлять lack [laek] n нехватка narrowness [пэегэипв] п ограниченность overcome ['эшэклт] v(overcame; overcome) преодолеть
Questions and Tasks
personify [p3:'sDnifai] v олицетворять
progressive-minded [pre'gresiVmamdid] а прогрессивно настроенный
realm [relm] n сфера
reconcile freksnsail] v помириться
|
|
|
rough [rAf] а грубый
run out [глп aut] v кончаться
shallow ['/эе1эи] а ограниченный; пустой
share Цеэ] v разделять
spiritual ['spmtjusl] о духовный
unbearable [лп'ЬеэгэЫ] а невыносимый
unresponsive ['Anns'ponsiv] а не реагирующий
vain [vein] о напрасный in vain напрасно
worthy ['\V3:6i] а достойный
313
|
|
6. What novel was written after his visit to London?
7. When was the prime of London's creative work?
8. What works were written in this period of time?
9. Characterise Jack London's literary activities.
10. When did he die?
11. What was the reason of his death?
12. Analyse the novel Martin Eden.
13. What are the main characters of the book?
14. Give a summary of the contents of Martin Eden.
15. Describe the character of Martin Eden.
16. Comment on Jack London's place in American and world literature.
American Literature
Between 1917 and World
War II
The radical economic and social changes in American life during the twenties and thirties marked a fruitful time for critical realists. The writers reflected the new realities of American life. New themes, plots and heroes appeared in the novels and stories of the realistic writers.
Together with the books, the only purpose of which was to entertain the reader and try to avoid social problems, books appeared the purpose of which was to show the necessity of changing the social order (for example Theodore Dreiser).
The fiction of the critical realists is distinguished by a great interest in social conflicts, attacks on accepted values and criticism of the American way of life.
Among the most outstanding American realists who revealed in his works the truth of American life, showed the tragic fate of young Americans after World War I, reflected the struggle with fascism, exposed industrial conditions and spoke out warmly
315
reflect [rn'flekt] v отражать reveal [n 'vi:l] v показывать; открывать |
in defence of labour and depicted the spiritual emptiness of American Society were Theodore Dreiser, Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Willliam Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway.
|
|
|
Vocabulary
emptiness ['emptmis] n пустота expose [iks'pauz] v показывать fruitful ['fruitful] о плодотворный
Questions and Tasks
1. How can you characterize American life during the twenties and thirties of the 20th century?
2. What books appeared in this period?
3. Comment on the fiction of the critical realists.
4. Name the most outstanding American realists of that time.
5. What did they show in their works?
Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945)
|
|
Theodore Dreiser ['Giado: 'draiza], novelist, was born in the little town of Terre Haute, Indiana into the family of a bankrupt small businessman. His childhood was a hard one, and he knew poverty and want. His father was a strict Catholic, narrow-minded and despotic. He made the future writer hate religion to the end of his days.
| Theodore Dreiser |
At the age of 16 Theodore had to leave school and support himself by doing odd jobs. He worked as a waiter, a dish-washer, a rent-collector, a laundry-worker.
In 1888 Theodore entered the university. But after a year he had to leave the university because of money difficulties.
In 1892 Dreiser turned to journalism working as a newspaper reporter and editor in Chicago, St Louis, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Then he moved to New-York, where he got work as a magazine editor.
The first significant work by Dreiser was his novel Sister Carrie (1900). The book describes the life of a poor country girl who goes to Chicago in search of work. Hardly had the book appeared when it was pronounced immoral and was withdrawn from print. However, in 1907, it became impossible to conceal it from the public, and it then appeared in an American edition. Only in ten years in 1911 was Dreiser's second novel Jenny Ger-hardt published. It is a life-story of a girl. The book roused further storm of criticism from readers and publishers who declared it immoral.
The Financier [fai'nsensia] (1912) and The Titan [ 'tartan] (1914) together with The Stoic (published posthumously in 1947) form The Trilogy of Desire. Its purpose was to show the ways of American big business at the end of the 19th century. The chief character of all the three novels, Cowperwood, is a typical representative of that big business.
The Genius (1915) is the tragic story of a young painter who breaks down under the cruel injustice of bourgeois America.
An American Tragedy (1925) is Dreiser's best known novel. It is the story of a young American who is corrupted by the morals of American capitalist society and he becomes a criminal and murderer. The novel shows the American way of life with its contrast of poverty and wealth.
In 1927 Theodore Dreiser visited the Soviet Union. In 1928 he published the book Dreiser Looks at Russia. It was one of the first books that told the American people about the Soviet Union.
Dreiser supported the working-class movement in America and wrote some publicist works — Tragic America (1931) and America Is Worth Saving (1941). During the last years of his life he worked at the novels published posthumously— The Bulwark (1941) and The Stoic (1947).
In June 1945 Theodore Dreiser joined the Communist Party of the United States.
316
317
With the force of a true realist, Dreiser portrayed the world of American capitalism. Yet however severe that world appeared before him, he never lost faith in "the greatness and dignity of man".
Vocabulary
conceal [kan'si:l] v скрывать rouse [rauz] v поднимать
dignity ['digniti] n достоинство withdraw [wi6 'dro:] v (withdrew; with-
posthumously ['pnstjumgsli] aoV посмер- drawn) забирать; снимать
тно withdrawn [wi6'dro:n] p. p. от withdraw
publicist ['pAbhsist] n публицист
An American Tragedy
The novel speaks of the fate of a common American, Clyde Griffiths. His parents are Kansas City street evangelists. They are good people, but very narrow-minded. Clyde is not happy at home. Clyde suffers because of poverty in which he has lived from his early childhood.
Sincerely believing that wealth alone makes people happy, he determines to pave his way to fortune.
Clyde begins life as% bell-boy in a large hotel. The duties of a bell-boy are to answer when anyone living in the hotel rings a bell and run on different small errands. Clyde thinks he is very lucky to get this situation. He is often given a tip when he is sent on an errand, and he learns that sometimes money can be earned very easily. His employment in the hotel is the beginning of Clyde's corruption. One day an incident happens which greatly influences his character.
When 18 years old, Clyde, together with some other boys, goes out for a good time in a motor-car that one of the boys has "borrowed" from his employer for this purpose. On their way back they run over and kill a child, and Clide is obliged to leave Kansas City secretly. He roams about the country, works as a salesman, coachman, dish-washer, and, finally, as a messenger boy in a large hotel in Chicago. Here, by a lucky chance, he meets his uncle, Samuel Griffiths, a prosperous manufacturer in Lycurgus. Samuel
Griffiths has not seen his brother, Clyde's father, for 25 years; the wealth of one and the poverty of the other has separated them. Clyde is in need of work, and his uncle gives him a small job as an ordinary worker. One of the girls, Roberta Alden, attracts him, and after a time he falls in love with her. But Clyde's attention is soon transferred to another girl, the wealthy and socially prominent Sondra Finchley. Clyde begins to think that marrying Sondra he will solve all his problems. At this critical moment Roberta discovers she is about to become a mother but Clyde refuses to marry her and doubles his attention to Sondra. At that moment he reads a news account of a boating accident in which a girl is drowned while the companion's body is not found. Horrified at his own thoughts, he decides to free himself by ending Roberta's life. He plans a crime. He takes Roberta for a boat-ride on a distant lake. The boat is capsized and Roberta is drowned. Clyde does nothing to save the girl. The crime is discovered and Clyde is arrested. He is accused of her murder.
The whole of the second book deals with the court trial of Clyde's case. The judges pronounce Clyde guilty.
But after he is found guilty and is waiting for his execution, Clyde begins to understand the moral meaning of his act. Encouraged by his mother, he looks upon his death as a necessary punishment for his moral cowardice.
Dreiser showed that the tragic fate of the individual was an integral part of American society.
Vocabulary
| integral f'mtigral] а неотъемлемый manufacturer Lmaenju'faektfara] n предприниматель oblige [э'ЫакЩ v обязывать to be obliged быть вынужденным pave [peiv] v мостить to pave the way прокладывать путь tip [tip] n чаевые transfer [trans'f3:) v переносить |
capsize [kaep'saiz] v опрокидываться
(о лодке) cowardice ['kausdis] n трусость determine [di't3:mm] v решать double ['алЫ] v удваивать employer [im'pbia] n хозяин evangelist [i'vaena^ilist] n евангелист execution [.eksi'kjuijan] n (смертная) казнь horrify ['rronfai] v ужасать
318
319
Questions and Tasks
1. What family was Theodore Dreiser born?
2. What can you say about his childhood?
3. What did he do before he became a journalist?
4. What was Dreiser's first significant work?
5. What is the theme of his novel 5/s/er Carrie1?
6. Name some other works of Theodore Dreiser.
7. What novel is Dreiser's masterpiece?
8. Give a brief summary of the contents of American Tragedy.
9. What theme did Dreiser touch upon in the novel?
10. What book did he write after his visit of the Soviet Union?
11. What novels did Dreiser work at during the last years of his life?
12. Why is Dreiser considered one of the leading writers of the first ha the 20th century?
Francis Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940)
|
|
Francis Scott Fitzgerald ['fra:nsis 'skot .fits'cfcerdd] is one of the most outstanding American writers of the lost generation, a generation for whom "all the battles have been fought" and "all the gods were dead". They are empty people, they cannot fight against the corruption of the rich. They try to fill their spiritual emptiness with all kinds of entertainments.
Дата добавления: 2019-08-31; просмотров: 185; Мы поможем в написании вашей работы! |
Мы поможем в написании ваших работ!