1、整理課件 Lesson Nine The Ones Who Walk Away from OmelasDetailed Study of the Text 1. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas may be called a piece of allegorical(諷寓的)description.The writer describes emotionally and colorfully the city of Omelas and its citizens. In reality, however, she discourses on a rathe

2、r provocative (引起爭論的)theme the nature of happiness and on what it depends. She states her views very clearly in one sentence: “Happiness is based on a just discrimination of what is necessary, what is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive”. What the citizens of Omelas do not hav

3、e or do not wish to have整理課件 may be classed as things, which the writer thinks, are destructive of happiness. The most important thing on which the happiness of the people of Omelas is based is the misery and suffering of the child in the basement cellar. The writer calls this the terrible justice o

4、f reality and the people accept it. The whole material may be clearly divided into five parts.Paragraphs 1, 4, 5, and 6 describe the colorful celebrations of the Festival of Summer. describes the misery and suffering of the child . Paragraphs 9, 10 and 12 describe the attitude of most people and the

5、ir reactions to the childs suffering . Paragraph 14 describes the different attitude and reactions of a few. Finally, there are many short paragraphs ( 2,7,11 and 13) which serve to introduce new topics or ideas. These short paragraphs are more effective and forceful 整理課件 than ordinary topic sentenc

6、es. The writer further punctuates her points by using many rhetorical questions . For example, in paragraph 2 she uses the question, “How is one to tell about joy?” to prepare the reader for her provocative views on joy, happiness, pain, evil, etc. The second question states clearly she is going to

7、describe the citizens of Omelas. The last paragraph, however, stands out sharply from among all the others . It is the most interesting and thought provoking paragraph. The writer puts forward the problem but does not supply the answers, thus allowing the readers to give free rein to their imaginati

8、on. The writer uses a lot of specific words describing sound and color to paint a verbal picture of the city of Omelas and to describe the joyous celebrations thatwere being held. Here are a few examples: bright-towered, 整理課件 sparkled with flags, red roofs, painted walls, robes of mauve(紫紅色) and gre

9、y, Green Fields,streamers of silver gold and green, burned with white-gold fire, sunlit air, dark blue sky, a shimmering of gong and tambourine(小手鼓), a cheerful faint sweetness of the air, joyous clanging of bells, etc. Similarly she successfully paints a very vivid and poignant(辛辣的) picture of the

10、misery and suffering of the child. There is also a variety of sentence structure to be found: long periodic or loose sentences with a string of participial phrase modifiers, varied with short powerful sentences, short elliptical sentences, rhetorical questions, absolute constructions, etc. Besides t

11、hese, there are also many figures of speech to be found, such as, similes and metaphors.整理課件 2.With a clamorby the sea : The loud ringing of the bells, which sent the frightened swallows flying high, marks the beginning of the Festival of Summer in Omelas. clamor:exclaim insistently and noisily 喧鬧 A

12、 loud outcry大聲而又連續不斷的吵鬧或喧嘩 soar: rise, fly, or glide high and with little apparent effort a soaring imagination bright-towered by the sea: Omelas is a port city by the sea. It had white towers that shone bright in the sun.towered 有塔的, 象塔般直入云霄的 ivory tower象牙之塔; 脫離現實生活的小天地整理課件 T-of Babel:古代巴比倫沒有建成的通天塔

13、;空想的計劃, 3. The rigging flags: The lines and chains on the ships were decorated with flags which were shining in the sun. rigging: lines and chains used aboard a ship especially in working sail and supporting masts and spars 帆纜4. In the street processions moved: a good example of a long periodic sent

14、ence, preceded by a string of modifiers. The writer uses a vast variety of sentence structures. The streets were lined with houses with red roofs and painted walls. Between the houses there were old moss-grown gardens. There were also avenues lined with shady trees . The city had many big parks and

15、public buildings. 整理課件 5. Processions moved: This the main sentence. There were many processions moving through the streets and avenues. 6. Somedecorous: The main sentence of a long loose sentence. Some of the processions were marked by propriety and good taste.7. decorous:Characterized by or exhibi

16、ting decorum彬彬有禮的;端莊穩重的 decorum: n.禮貌; 端莊, 風雅 decorous behavior. decorousness8. Old peoplethey walked: These processions were decorous because they were made up of old people, grave master workmen and women carrying babies. There were no children or young people among them.整理課件 9. In other streets a

17、 dance: In other streets the processions were different. The music was much faster and one could see the glimmering light reflected from gongs and tambourines, The young people danced to the music as they moved forward. The whole procession was a dance. shimmering: shining with a soft tremulous(顫動的)

18、 light; glimmering )微微發亮10. Childrenout: the children ran about playfully. dodge: avoid (a blow, for example) by moving or shifting quickly aside閃躲 dodge about東躲西閃 11. Their highsinging : a simile . The shouting of the children could be heard clearly above the music and singing like the calls of the

19、 swallows flying by overheard. 整理課件 flight: rising, settling or flying by in a flock12. All the processions wound city: The streets twisted and turned so the processions also twisted and turned as it moved forward. wound : past participle of the verb wind to make (ones way) in a winding or twisting

20、course. 13. Nakedarms: This shows the boys and girls were very natural and unsophisticated. They did not feel there was anything wrong in being naked and barefeet. lithe: readily bent; supple:易彎的；柔軟的14. exercised race: The riders were putting the horses through some exercises because the horses were

21、 eager to start and stubbornly resisting the control of the riders. restive: stubbornly resisting control難駕馭的 整理課件 gear: harness for a horse馬具 bit:馬嚼子15. Their manes green: the manes(鬃毛) of the horses were also decorated with small silver, gold and green flags. braid:decorate usu.編辮子 streamer:飾帶16.

22、They flared another: The writer uses personification here by treating the horses as human beings. The horses dilated their nostrils, pranced about and seemed to be boasting to in another. All this shows the horses excitement before the race. nostril:either of the external openings of the nose鼻孔 pran

23、ce: spring forward on the hind legs騰躍整理課件 17. The horses being own : a nominative absolute construction and a continuation of personification .The horse was the only animal that considered the ceremonies of human beings as also their ceremonies.18. The snow of the sky: a very beautiful metaphor desc

24、ribing the sunlit snow peaks. The white snow peaks glowing with golden sunlight seemed to be on fire .The dark blue of the sky makes the golden peaks stand out more clearly.snap: make a brisk, sharp cracking sound劈啪作響 adj. made or done suddenly, with little or no preparation: 突然的; 沒有準備的flutter:wave

25、or flap rapidly in an irregular manner快速拍動整理課件 19. One could hear the bells: another beautiful metaphor but describing the beautiful music. The music through the streets far and near was as pleasant as the sweet perfume of flowers. The music was sometimes faint and distant but sometimes gathered in

26、strength and finally climaxed in the joyous clanging of bells. 20. Joyous! Omelas ? : The very short paragraph is a special feature of this piece of writing . The writer uses two short questions to introduce two important subjects . In the next long paragraph she describes the people of Omelas and e

27、xpresses her views on joy and happiness, which is the main theme of the writer. 21. We do notany more: The people of Omelas do not mention words like happy and joy because being happy is their way of life and is no longer a problem.整理課件 22. All smiles archaic: Smiling to show ones happiness is old f

28、ashioned for there is no need of it now.23. Given assumptions :After reading the above description the reader is likely to assume certain things.24. Given slaves: After reading the above description the reader may assume that Omelas is a feudal kingdom where one can see the king riding a beautiful h

29、orse surrounded by noble knights or followed by a golden litter carried by strong well-built slaves . litter: a covered and curtained couch provided with shafts and used for carrying a single passenger轎25. I do not know singularly few: I do not know what the rules and law of their society are but I

30、guess they were exceptionally few. 整理課件 singularly: exceptionally, unusually26. These were not bland utopians: The citizens of Omelas were not simple people, not kind and gentle shepherds ,not savages of high birth, nor mild idealists dreaming of a perfect society.27. The trouble is rather: The writ

31、er begins to criticize the views of pedants and sophisticates. Ordinary people have got in to the bad habit of considering happiness to be something stupid. This view was encouraged by people who consider themselves learned and worldly-wise.28. Only paininteresting : These pedants and sophisticates,

32、 declare that only pain stimulates the intellect and only evil arouses the interests of people.整理課件 29. This is the treason of pain: An artist betrays his trust when he does not admit that evil is nothing fresh nor novel and pain is very dull and uninteresting 30. If you joinem: If you cannot beat e

33、vil then become evil yourself. This idea is put forward as an aphorism. lick: get the better of; defeat打敗 lickspittle31. If it hurts repeat it : If something hurts then repeat it and you will not feel the pain as strongly as you did at first . Another aphoristic statement.32. But to praiseeverything

34、 else: The writer declares if you praise despair ( cant lickem)then you condemn delight and if you accept violence ( repeat it ) then you, in reality, give up everything else.整理課件 33. They were happy: The people of Omelas were not like happy, simple and innocent children, though their children were

35、happy.34. They were maturenot wretched: They were fully developed and intelligent grown-up people full of intense feelings and then were not miserable people.Wine and judgment mature with age.酒老味醇, 人老識深。35. a city in a fairy tale a time : Fairy tales generally begin in this way: Once upon a time, lo

36、ng long ago in a country far away,.36. Perhaps it would be best occasion: Perhaps it would be best if the reader pictures Omelas to himself as his imagination tells him. Assuming his imagination will be equal to the task. 整理課件 37. for certainly you all: For certainly I cannot describe Omelas in such

37、 a way as to satisfy all of you .38. Happiness is based destructive: This is the writers basic view on happiness. To achieve happiness one must be able to distinguish properly what things are necessary, what things are neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive.39. In the middle wash

38、ing machines: In the middle group-things that are neither necessary nor destructive, things that bring comfort, luxury, abundance, etc.they could have such things as central heating, subway trains, washing machines, etc40. all kindscommon cold: All kinds of marvelous things not yet invented here , s

39、uch as, light that is整理課件 provided by a device that is not fixed in one place, power that does not require the use of any fuel and a cure for the common cold.41. Or they matter : It doesnt matter whether they have these things or not. They can be just as happy without them 42. As it: Picture Omelas

40、to be as you like it to be or as your fancy bids.43. I thought puritanical: At first I thought there would be no drugs but that is being too severe and rigid puritanical: too rigid and severe morally44. the faint The faint but compelling sweet scent of the drug drooz may full the streets of the city

41、.整理課件 45.which first limbs: The drug first makes your hands and feet deem light and your mind more keen and alert.46. Then after Universe: After some hours you fall into a lazy dream and have wonderful visions revealing the most mysterious and deepest secrets of the universe. arcana: plural of arcan

42、um, secret or mysterious knowledge known only to the initiate奧秘；神秘事物47. As well as belief: It also increases the pleasure of sex enormously.48. For more beer: For those people who consider drugs to be too strong there will be beer.49. The joy built.: The joy that is based on successfully killing a l

43、ot of people is not the right kind of joy.整理課件 50. A boundless that of life: What fills the hearts of the people of Omelas with joy and pride is a feeling of great and unlimited contentment. They also feel a courageous triumph not over some outer enemy but in sharing with all that is fine and fair i

44、n the souls of all men and in the grandeur of the worlds summer. The triumph they celebrate is the victory of life magnanimous:Courageously noble in mind and heart. 心地高貴的 magnanimous leader communion: The act or an instance of sharing, as of thoughts or feelings. 交流分享in communion with與.有聯絡， 有共同利害關系整

45、理課件 splendor: Great light or luster; brilliance. swell: fill with emotion. swell like a turkey cock 趾高氣揚51. The faces entangled:The faces of the likeable children are sticky from eating sweet things and there are also crumbs of rich pastry in the grey beard of a kind and gentle old man . Notice the

46、use of amiable and benign as transferred epithet. amiable: good-natured and likable affable good-natured obliging agreeable pleasantThese adjectives mean willing or showing a willingness to please. Amiable implies friendliness整理課件 Affable尤其適用于形容一個容易接近，交談時反映靈敏和不易生氣的人; Good-natured指性情寬厚，容易相處；也指性情溫順; O

47、bliging專門指愿意或渴望幫助別人或滿足別人愿望的人, obliging waiter殷勤的服務員; Agreeable表示與某人的感情、性情或愛好和諧一致; Pleasant明確地用來指令人愉快的舉止、行為或外表 benign: Of a kind and gentle disposition.Showing gentleness and mildness性情善良與溫和的 rich: 含有大量奶油、蛋、糖的（食物） pastry:面粉糕餅, 餡餅皮 entangle: twist together 整理課件 52. never seesthe tune: The child playin

48、g the flute doesnt notice the people who stop to listen to his playing for his eyes are fully concentrated in the sweet and lightly enchanting tune he is playing. rapt:deeply absorbed; engrossed全心投入的 be rapt in ones work專心地工作著 rapt to the seventh heaven歡天喜地 thin: （聲音）小的，弱的 as thin as a lath 骨瘦如柴 53.

49、 As if signal : When the child stop0ped playing the flute there ensued a short silence3 and it seemed to be a signal for the horse race to start.整理課件 54. All at once piercing: Suddenly from a pavilion near the starting line of the horse race, a commanding, sad and shrill note of a trumpet sounds . i

50、mperious: Arrogantly domineering or overbearing. 專橫的或傲慢的; 命令式的 melancholy: Affected with or marked by depression of the spirits; sad. 憂郁的55. Some of themin answer: Some of the horses seem to neigh in answer to the call of the trumpet neigh: utter the characteristic sound of a horse56. “Quietmy hope”

51、: The riders calm their horses and call them tenderly my beautiful horse, my hope for winning the race整理課件 soothe: calm or placate; ease or relieve 57. The crowds in the wind: a simile. The crowds moving about along the racecourse were swaying back and forth like grass and flowers in the racecourse

52、were swaying back and forth like grass and flowers in the wind.58. Do you believe?thing : another short paragraph to introduce the next important subject: the suffering and misery of a child upon which is based the joy and happiness of the citizens of Omelas 59. A little lightthe cellar : A little l

53、ight that appears in the dusty room does not come directly from a window for thr room has no windows but from a cobwebbed window across the cellar . This light seeps into the room through the cracks in the boards of the room .整理課件 seep: pass slowly through small openings or pores; ooze. seep in 滲入60

54、. a couple of mops heads : The heads of the mops have become stiff thick lumps and evil smelling ( because they have not been rinsed clean after constant use). 61. The floor is touch : The floor of the cellar of the cellar was compacted earth and felt damp when you touched it. dirt : earth or garden

55、 soil; compacted earth 62. a mere broomroom: It was nothing more or other than a small room for keeping brooms or a tool room no longer in use.整理課件 63. Perhaps it was born neglect: Perhaps the child was mentally retarded because it was born so or perhaps it has become very foolish and stupid because

56、 of fear, poor nourishment and neglect. feeble: Lacking strength; weak. weak feeble frail fragile infirm decrepit debilitated imbecile: Stupid; silly. A stupid or silly person; a dolt. 64. It picksgenitals : The subnormal child uses its fingers to remove things from its nose and sometimes without an

57、y specific intention plays with its toes or sex organs as it does not know what to do.整理課件 65. The child has interval : The child doesnt understand what time means and has no idea of how much time has passed from one incident to another.66. It is so thinprotrudes: The childs legs are very thin with

58、no calves but its stomach is swollen. This is due to undernourishment and disease, perhaps dropsy. 67. Its buttockscontinually: The buttocks and thighs of the child are covered with sores that are covered with sores that are filled with pus because of the unsanitary conditions as it sits continually

59、 on its own excrement. excrement: waste discharged from the body; feces68. They feel superior to : The people who come to see the child feel disgust, a feeling which they had thought they were unaffected by.整理課件 69. Those terms : All the prosperity and beauty and delight of Omelas depend on one cond

60、itionthey must do nothing to lighten the terrible misery of the child. 70. that would indeed: To throw away the happiness of thousands for the chance of the happiness of one would be a criminal thing to do. This would bring guilt into Omelas where there was none of it previously.71. Often the youngp