1、Lesson 7 Spring Sowing,Liam OFlaherty,I About the author,Liam OFlaherty (1896-1984 ) is considered one of the most important modern Anglo-Irish authors together with James Joyce. He is also a short story writer and a major figure in the Irish Renaissance. He was born on an island named Aran in Irela
2、nd, which must have had a very big influence on his character as well as on his writing. He once said, “ I was born on a storm-swept rock and hate the soft growth of sunbaked lands where there is no frost in mens bones.”,Both his novels and his short stories define Anglo-Irish literature in that his
3、 themes stem from his experiences growing up in a poverty-stricken society on the island of Aran; his naturalistic, mystical, romantic and realistic styles were also defined by his experiences hi his native Ireland.,His works,Thy Neighbors Wife The Black Soul The Informer The Assassin Shame the Devi
4、l Famine,II About Ireland,Flag,Coat of arms: Klirseach,II. Ireland,Geography Small-beaked and wing-clipped, Ireland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean which appears about to alight on the coast of Britain 80km to the west across the Irish Sea. Its cities are small, so its never far to isolated sweep
5、s of mountains or bog lands (沼泽地）.,To be continued on the next page,Much of Irelands elevated ground is close to the coast, and almost the entire Atlantic seaboard is a bulwark （堡垒，支撑）of cliffs, hills and mountains, with few safe anchorages（停泊处）. Most of the centre of the island is composed of flat
6、farmland or raised bogs.,To be continued on the next page.,II. Ireland,Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust（稳定的，坚定的） 7% in 19952004. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services.,The end of Ireland.,II. Ireland,III
7、 About the potato,What were the newly-married couple sowing in the story?,III. The Potato Comes to Ireland,Many countries in Europe paid very little attention to the arrival of the potato from the New World. This is because most countries already grew enough food to feed their population, and so the
8、re was no reason to grow a new vegetable in large numbers. However, the situation was different in Ireland.,To be continued on the next page.,During the 1500s Ireland was torn apart by constant warfare between the countrys English rulers and Irish inhabitants, and between local nobles who were alway
9、s fighting one another. As a result of these continual conflicts, Irelands peasant farmers had a hard time growing enough food to feed themselves, let alone anyone else. It was into this starving, war-torn Ireland that the potato was introduced around the year 1600.,To be continued on the next page.
10、,III. The Potato Comes to Ireland,No one is sure exactly who introduced the potato to Ireland. Some believe it was the famous English explorer, sea captain and poet, Walter Raleigh. Others speculate that the potato washed up on the beaches of Ireland as part of the shipwreck of the Spanish Armada, w
11、hich had sunk off the Irish coast in a violent storm.,To be continued on the next page.,III. The Potato Comes to Ireland,However it arrived, one thing can be said for certainthe potato caught on very quickly in Ireland. The potatos popularity was based on the potato producing more food per acre than
12、 any other crops Irish farmers had grown before. In peaceful times the potato spread throughout Ireland as a healthy and reliable source of food. In times of war it was popular as well. When soldiers destroyed farmers crops and livestockas soldiers often did, the potato would survive because it was
13、hidden, and buried below ground. When the soldiers left, people could still dig up potatoes and eat them.,To be continued on the next page.,III. The Potato Comes to Ireland,Ireland was the first country in Europe where the potato became a major food source. By the 1800s, the potato was so important
14、in Ireland that some of the poorer parts of the country relied entirely on the potato for food. Because the potato was so abundant and could feed so many people, it allowed the population of Ireland to grow very quickly.,To be continued on the next page.,III. The Potato Comes to Ireland,By 1840, the
15、 countrys population had swelledfrom less than three million in the early 1500s to a staggering eight million peoplelargely thanks to the potato. Some men and women tried to warn everyone that it was dangerous for so many people in one place to be dependent on just one crop. Unfortunately, no one li
16、stened to their warnings.,The end of The Potato Comes to Ireland.,III. The Potato Comes to Ireland,IV About the story,Pre-class work,Do you know how spring sowing is done in our country?,Open up, plow, ridge, manure, seaweed/straw, sow/spread the seeds. raise the sod, watering,Hand sowing: Flat sowi
17、ng 平耕Ridge sowing 垄耕Wide bed sowing,Setting Character Structure Theme Writing techniques,Setting and character,“Spring Sowing“ is taken from the authors first collection of short stories which bears the same title published in 1924. The story describes the first day of the first spring planting of a
18、 newly-wedded couple against the background of a traditional agricultural country.,In Ireland at that time, most people still depended on farming for a living, and the main crop was the potato. Modern science and technology had not yet caught up with the land. There was little machinery. Practically
19、 everything was still done by hand.,Pre-class work,Hows the farmers life in China?to work from dawn to dusk to depend on the nature for food to reap no grain facing the earth with backs towards the sky hardship /endless toil simple life honest nature kindhearted,Hows the couples life and beliefs in
20、the story?,A typical farmer believed in traditional virtues: hard work, simple living, discipline, and above all, a strong sense of responsibility, responsibility for the happiness of family. In spite of their almost primitive living and working conditions, however, they also had their joys and love
21、, and their longings for the future.,Theme,The simple life, honest nature and good wishes of the newly-married couple are presented through the descriptions of their spring planting in minute detail. It reveals the traditional virtues of a typical farmer: hard work, simple living, discipline, and ab
22、ove all, strong sense of responsibility for the happiness of his wife and family.,Part 1 (Paras. 18): Part 2 (Paras. 923):Part 3 (Paras. 2426):,The young couples preparations for the first day of their first spring sowing.,A detailed description of the spring sowing.,The young couples yearnings for
23、the future.,General Analysis,For the young couple, the first day of their first spring sowing was an extremely important day, because it not only would determine the crop they would harvest in autumn, but also would show what kind of wife and husband they would prove to each other and what kind of f
24、amily they were going to have.,The end of General Analysis.,I. Question: What kind of a harvest were the newly-weds going to have in the first day of their first spring sowing?,1. What values and moral principles are being idealized here? Is it still the same today? Do you agree that the traditional
25、 work ethic is out of date? Are such qualities as hard work, diligence, thrift, responsibility, discipline, simple and honest living, rugged individualism and self-reliance, etc. still valued? 2. What changes have taken place in social ethics since our grandfathers time? Is there anything that remai
26、ns unchanged?,To be continued on the next page.,Sentence Paraphrase 1,go to 2,. While Mary raked out the live coals that had lain hidden in the ashes (Para. 1),to clear fireplace by shaking and pulling a toll inside it,had been buried under the ashes,burning coals,Sentence Paraphrase 2,go to 3,. it
27、was hateful leaving a warm bed at such an early hour. (Para. 2),“It + link verb + adj./noun + present participle” is a common way of commenting on what you are doing or experiencing. Instead of present participles, you can use the infinitive.,More Examples,To be continued on the next page.,Its been
28、nice talking to you. Its difficult trying to persuade a person like Ricky.Its important to know your own limitations. It is necessary to upgrade anti-virus software regularly.,Sentence Paraphrase 2,back to 2, sleepy and yet on fire with excitement, for it was the first day of their first spring sowi
29、ng as man and wife. (Para. 3),burning with emotion; full of ardor,Although still not fully awake, the young couple was already greatly excited, because that day was the first day of their first spring planting after they got married.,Sentence Paraphrase 3,go to 4,But somehow the imminence of an even
30、t that had been long expected, loved, feared and prepared for made them dejected. (Para. 3),the fact that sth. (usu. unpleasant) is now about to take place,The couple had been looking forward to and preparing for this spring planting for a long time, but now that the day had finally arrived, strange
31、ly, they felt somehow a bit sad.,irritated; in low spirits; disheartened,Sentence Paraphrase 4,go to 5,Mary, with her shrewd womans mind, thought of as many things as there are in life as a woman think in the first joy and anxiety of her mating. (Para. 3),Mary, like all sharp and smart women, though
32、t of many things in life when she got married.,Sentence Paraphrase 5,go to 6,Martin fell over a basket in the half-darkness of the barn, he swore and said that a man would be better off dead than (Para. 3),In the barn, it was still very dark as it was very early in the morning. So Martin tripped ove
33、r a basket. He cursed and said that it would be better off to die than to have to get up at such an early hour and begin the days toilprobably for the rest of his life.,Sentence Paraphrase 6,go to 7,And somehow, as they embraced, all their irritation and sleepiness left them. And they stood there em
34、bracing until at last Martin pushed her from him with pretended roughness and said: “Come, come, girl, it will be sunset before we begin at this rate.” (Para. 4),However, all of the unhappiness and drowsiness melted away with their hug. They remained in each others arms until finally Martin pushed h
35、er away, with pretended roughness, to show that he was now the bread-winner of the family and had serious work to do and therefore must stop this sentimental nonsense, otherwise they would not be able to get anything done in the whole day.,progressing at this speed,Sentence Paraphrase 7,go to 8, as
36、they walked silently through the little hamlet, there was not a soul about. (Para. 5),Sentence Paraphrase 8,When they walked silently through the small village, they saw not a single person around them because they were earlier than everybody else.,Here it means a person.,go to 9,And they both looke
37、d back at the little cluster of cabins that was the center of their world, with throbbing hearts. For the joy of spring had now taken complete hold of them. (Para. 5),Sentence Paraphrase 9,Both of them looked back towards their small village, which was the most important place for them because they
38、and their forefathers before them were born and raised here. Their hearts were quivering with excitement at that moment, for the coming of spring had already filled their hearts with pleasure.,the center of their life,to gain complete control over sb.,go to 10,Sentence Paraphrase 10,go to 11,And the
39、re was a big red heap of fresh seaweed lying in a corner by the fence to be spread under the seeds as they were laid. (Para. 6),In a corner beside the fence, there was a big pile of fresh seaweed. Before the seeds were dropped on the ridge, the seaweed should be spread first.,lay seeds: to put the s
40、eeds into the soil,When she was a little distance down the ridge, Martin advanced with his spade to the head, eager to commence. (Para. 9),When she was a little away from him, Martin started to move ahead, putting his spade to the front. Now he was eager to start working.,Sentence Paraphrase 11,go t
41、o 12,Suppose anybody saw us like this in the field of our spring sowing, what would they take us for but a pair of useless, soft, empty-headed people that would be sure to die of hunger. (Para. 10),If people should see us like this (with your arm round my waist), what would they think of us? They we
42、re sure to take us for a pair of good-for-nothings, people who are unable to endure hardships and foolish and, therefore, were sure to die of hunger.,Sentence Paraphrase 12,to regard as,weak or delicate,stupid; silly and ignorant,go to 13,His eyes had a wild, eager light in them as if some primeval
43、impulse were burning within his brain and driving out every other desire but that of asserting his manhood and of subjugating the earth. (Para. 12),His eyes shone and his only desire now was to prove what a strong man he was and how he could conquer the land.,Sentence Paraphrase 13,except,to elimina
44、te,to state strongly or behave,primitive,to conquer the earth,go to 14, but she drew back at the same time and gazed distantly at the ground. (Para. 13),to withdrew; to retreat,to look at the ground as if she were far removed from the present situation; to be absorbed in thought,She stayed from Mart
45、in and deeply absorbed in her thought.,Sentence Paraphrase 14,go to 15, he turned up the first sod with a crunching sound. (Para. 13), he dug up the first piece of earth with grass and roots with his spade, making a crunching sound.,to dug up,crackling sound,Sentence Paraphrase 15,go to 16, to drive
46、 out the sudden terror that had seized her at that moment when she saw the fierce, hard look in her husbands eyes that were unconscious of her presence. (Para. 13), she began to work hard) in order to get rid of the terror that suddenly seized her when she saw that her husband had suddenly changed f
47、rom the loving husband she knew into a fierce-looking farmer who did not seem to be aware that his bride was with him.,Sentence Paraphrase 16,go to 17,She became suddenly afraid of that pitiless, cruel earth, the peasants slave master, that would keep her chained to hard work and poverty all her lif
48、e until she would sink again into its bosom. (Para. 13),she would be bound to,merciless,to die and be buried in the earth,She became afraid of the earth because it was going to force her to work like a slave and force her to struggle against poverty all her life until she died and was buried in it.,
49、Sentence Paraphrase 17,go to 18,(old use) to prepare land for raising crops as by plowing and fertilizing; to cultivate,from now on,Sentence Paraphrase 18,Her short-lived love was gone. Henceforth she was only her husbands helper to till the earth. (Para. 13),The love they had for each other did not last long. Their romance was now replaced by their necessity to face the hard work. From then on, she was merely her husbands helper and had to work side by side with him.,
