the-libido-for-the-ugly讲解解读课件.ppt

1、 Lesson Seven -H.L.MenckenAims 1.To acquaint students with subjective description writing.2.To help students to understand the authors real intention behind the description.Author-Henry Louis Mencken(1880-1956)American educator,author,critic Henry Louis Menckenn His lifenborn and spent most of his l

2、ife in the city of Baltimore,Maryland.nGerman immigrant parents ncompleted high school;graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute at 16 na reporter,drama critic and editor Henry Louis Menckenncentral figure in American intellectual life during the 1920s.nhighly respected for literary criticism n

3、powerful influence on American literature.His worksnThe American Language 1918nPrejudices 1919-1927nHappy daysnNewspaper Days 1940-1943 autobiographynHeathen Daysn25 Books and thousands of articles Henry Louis Menckennleading scholar in the field of languagenmonumental book The American Language:out

4、standing work of philology(语言学语言学,文献文献学学)nBombastic(夸大的)style and acid language Not just the ugliness of Westmoreland,but the whole American race-a race that loves ugliness for its own sake,the lust to make the world intolerable;a race which hates beauty as it hates truth.The strongest words possibl

5、e-dreadfully hideous,abominable,agonizing ugliness,revolting monstrousness,leprous hill,and so on.nMany figures of speech to create dreadful images,to reinforce his verbal attack:hyperbole,sarcasm,ridicule,irony,metaphors,similes.nA piece of subjective,impressionistic or emotional description Descri

6、ptionDescription is painting a picture in words of a person,place,object and scene.DescriptionIt conveys the sensations,emotions and impressions.The writer describes what he sees,hears,smells,feels or tastes,and it often includes his emotional reactions.DescriptionnThe description of a personnThe de

7、scription of a placenThe description of an objectnThe description of a scene The description of a person 1.a persons appearance 2.what the person does,says,how he behaves to others to reveal his character The description of a place1.for the purpose of describing it(on a visit to famous scenic places

8、)2.for the purpose of revealing a persons personality and character (A clean tidy room:to show the occupant is an orderly person)3.for the purpose of creating a feeling or mood (The howling of a chilly wind)(The falling of autumn leaves):the feeling of depression The description of an object1.Create

9、 a clear visual image:size,color,shape,taste,texture,smell.2.Tell how it is used.nWhat part it plays in a persons life.nEmphasize on only one aspect of the object(most important characteristics).The description of a sceneTry to create a dominant impression.Description The dominant impression:Uglines

10、sstands out vividly and prominently.DescriptionTwo kinds of description:1.objective/impersonal Realistic:The writer paints a verbal picture of the realistic world,like a camera;factual words 2.subjective/personal Impressionistic/emotional:The writer wants to share with the readers a kind of dominant

11、 impression.The dominant impression may be a sense impression or an emotion;emotional words DescriptionMencken:very subjective and personal in this lesson.His description:strongly impressionistic and highly emotional.The Libido for the UglyGeneral word?No.It is a specific word used in psychoanalysis

12、.It is a technical term in psychology.LibidoMeaning?1.psychic energy 2.strong desire,great passion,great lustTo give his subject a scientific coloring,to create the impression that his description and analysis have some scientific foundation.Why does Mencken choose the term?LibidoDetailed study of t

13、he text(Para.1)Pittsburgh:a city in Southwest Pennsylvania one of the most important industrial cities of America a center of rail and river transportation.the“Steel City”or“Smoky City”coal,natural gas,oil and limestone A large part of U.S.steel and iron is produced here.Map of Pennsylvania 1950sPar

14、a.1 express;roll;Westmoreland county express:fast,direct train,with few stops roll:travel in a wheeled vehicle Westmoreland county:a county in Southwest Pennsylvania,a mining and manufacturing region.great wealth&abominable human habitations in Westmoreland countyPara.1 appalling;desolation;lucrativ

15、e;hideous;bleak;forlorn appalling:horrifying,shocking desolation:the state of being destroyed lucrative:producing profit;profitable hideous:very ugly;horrible to see,hear,etc.bleak:cheerless,gloomy,desolate,depressing forlorn:in pitiful condition,miserablePara.1 aspiration;macabre;computation;habita

16、tion;abominable;disgrace;alleyaspiration:ambition,strong desiremacabre:grim and horrible;ghastlycomputation:calculationhabitation:housing;houseabominable:nasty and disgustingdisgrace:bring shame onalley:a narrow street Figures of speech(Para.1)MetaphorHere was the very heart of industrial America,-c

17、enter Hyperbole,the boast and pride of the richest,grandest nation ever seen on earth Here was wealth beyond computation,almost beyond imagination.here were human habitations so abominable that they would have disgraced a race of alley cats.Figures of speech(Para.1)Antithesis-,the boast and pride of

18、 the richest,grandest nation ever seen on earthand here was a scene so dreadfully hideous,so intolerably bleak and forlornMain idea of Para.1Contrasts between the great wealth and the abominable human habitations in this region.Para.2 filth;allude;agonizing;sheer;revolting;monstrousness;Greensburg f

19、ilth:disgustingly offensive dirt,garbage allude:refer in a casual or indirect way agonizing:very painful sheer:absolute,complete,downright revolting:disgusting,offensive monstrousness:strange shape Greensburg:county city of Westmoreland county,southwest PennsylvaniaPara.2 lacerate;pretentious;wareho

20、use;downright;startling;blink;linger lacerate:hurt deeplypretentious:seem important warehouse:storehouse for goods downright:thoroughly;utterly startling:very surprising blink:shut and open your eyes quickly linger:remainPara.2 crazy;Jeanette;dormer window;leprous;veteran crazy:foolish,insensible Je

21、anette:a small city in Westmoreland county dormer-window:a window set upright in a sloping roof leprous:like leprosy麻风病,having ulcers (溃疡)and white scaly(鳞状的)scabs(疥疮)veteran:a person who has served in the armyPara.2 yard;misshapen;shabbyyard:a railway center where trains are made up,serviced,switch

22、ed from track to track misshapen:badly shaped,deformedshabby:poor-looking,mean,unfair e.g.shabby clothes,shabby treatment Figures of speech(Para.2)nHyperboleWhat I allude to is the unbroken and agonizing ugliness,the sheer revolting monstrousness,of every house in sight.nSimile-;one blinked before t

23、hem as one blinks before a man with his face shot away.-,set like a dormer-window on the side of a bare leprous hill -,a steel stadium like a huge rattrap somewhere further down the line.nRidicule-a steel stadium like a huge rattrap somewhere further down the line.Main idea of Para.2The coverage of

24、the ugliness in the county.Para.3 uncomely;grime;mill;gully;solid blockuncomely:unpleasant to look atgrime:dirt,esp.sooty dirtmill:plant;factorygully:a channel or hollow worn by running water狭沟狭沟solid block:a group of buildings with no breaks or empty space separating themPara.3 dignity;chalet;highp

25、itched;clinging;a brick set on end;dingydignity:self-respectchalet:a type of Swiss house,built of wood with balconies and overhanging eaves 瑞士式小木屋瑞士式小木屋highpitched:steep in slope side of roofsclinging:sticking or holding together a brick set on enddingy:dirty-colored;not bright or cleanPara.3 clapbo

26、ard;preposterous;pier;cemetery;swinishly;perpendicular;clapboard:a thin,narrow board with one edge thicker than the other,used as siding 护墙板,隔墙preposterous:ridiculouspier:a heavy column used to support weight支柱cemetery:graveyard;burial groundswinishly:like a pigperpendicular:upright;vertical,straigh

27、t up and down Para.3 precarious;one and all;streak;grime;dead precarious:uncertain;insecure;riskyone and all:every housestreak:mark with lines or long,thin marks.If something streaks a surface,it leaves long stripes or marks of a different color on the surface.grime:dirt dead:dried up Para.3 peep;ec

28、zematouspeep:appear eczematous:having an uncomfortable skin disease which makes your skin itch and become rough and sore.湿疹的Figures of speech(Para.3)Understatement-The country itself is not uncomely(quite comely).Sarcasmif there were architects of any professional sense or dignity in the region,they

29、 would have perfected a chalet (There were no architects worthy of the honor or the high standards demanded of by its profession.)Figures of speech(Para.3)InversionThis they have converted into a thing And the whole they have set upon thin,preposterous brick piers.Simile-,like gravestones in some gi

30、gantic and decaying cemetery.Figures of speech(Para.3)Metaphor-And one and all they are streaked in grime,with dead and eczematous patches of paint peeping through the streaks.(comparing the patches of paint to dried-up scales formed by a skin disease.)每幢房屋上都积有一道道的尘垢印痕，而那每幢房屋上都积有一道道的尘垢印痕，而那一道道垢痕的间隙中

31、，还隐隐约约露出一些一道道垢痕的间隙中，还隐隐约约露出一些像湿疹痂一样的油漆斑痕。像湿疹痂一样的油漆斑痕。Main idea of Para.3The ugliness of the house design.Para.4 patina npatina:a fine crust on copper,usually green or greenish-blue(铜器上的铜器上的)绿锈绿锈 patina of the millsPara.4 Was it necessary to adopt that shocking color?No more than it was necessary to

32、set all of the houses on end.nWas it necessary to adopt that shocking color?It was no more necessary to adopt that shocking color than to set all of the houses on end.(Neither adopting that shocking color nor setting all of the houses on end was necessary.)nHe is no more diligent than I am.(Neither

33、he nor I am diligent.)Para.4 age with some dignity;downright black;sightly;trimmings;soot;uremic yellownage with some dignity:look respectable with the passing of time ndownright black:completely/absolutely blacknsightly:pleasant to seentrimmings:bordersnsoot:black power produced when something is b

34、urntnuremic yellow:yellow+blood=reddish yellowPara.4 loathsome;mortal eyenloathsome:disgustingnmortal eye:human eyeFigures of speech(Para.4)nEllipsisBut what brick!(But what terrible brick it was!)nRidicule,irony&metaphor When it has taken on the patina of the mills it is the color of an egg long pa

35、st all hope or caring.(ridicule and irony:laughing scornfully at the color of these houses)(metaphor:(comparing the color of the bricks to the color of rotten eggs.)Figures of speech(Para.4)nHyperbole-,and so they have the most loathsome towns and villages ever seen by mortal eye.(exaggerating the u

36、gliness of the towns and villages)Main idea of Para.4 The ugliness of the color of bricksPara.5 laborious;decomposing;New England;Utah,Arizona,Texaslaborious:industrious;hard-workingdecomposing:decaying;decliningNew England(Maine,New Hampshire,Vermont,Massachusetts,Connecticut,Rhode Island):industry

37、 is decliningUtah,Arizona,Texas:towns like desertPara.5 back street;Newark;Brooklyn;Chicago;Camden;Newport News nback street:streets in slum areasnNewark-city in New JerseynBrooklyn-borough of New York CitynChicago-city in IllinoisnCamden-city in New JerseynNewport News-seaport in Virginia Para.5 Pu

38、llmana railroad car with private compartments or seats that can be made up into a placefor sleeping.Named after the US inventor,George M.Pullman(1831-97)Para.5 whirl;Godforsaken;Iowa,Kansas;malarious;tidewater hamletwhirl:go or move quicklyGodforsaken:located in a remote area;desolate Iowa;Kansas:st

39、ates in the middle malarious:of a disease(malaria)caused by mosquitoes 疟疾的疟疾的 tidewater hamlet-very small village near the sea affected by tidesPara.5 huddle;incomparable;titanic;aberrant;uncompromising;inimicalhuddle:crowd together incomparable:beyond comparison;matchless unequalled titanic:of grea

40、t size，strength，or power aberrant:turning away from what is right or true 偏离常规的偏离常规的 uncompromising:not compromising or yielding；firm；determined 不妥协的不妥协的 inimical:unfriendly;hostile Para.5 ingenuity;Hell;grotesquery;in retrospect;diabolical;concoctingenuity:cleverness,originality,skillHell:the power

41、s of evil grotesquery:being strange and unnatural so as to cause fear in retrospect:looking back diabolical:of the devil concoct:make sth.by mixing or combining Figures of speech(Para.5)Sarcasm and irony-I award this championship only after laborious research and incessant prayer.(championship:used

42、ironically,not the best but the worst.)Sarcasm-They are incomparable in color,and they are incomparable in design.(People cannot find such terrible color and design in any other region.)Figures of speech(Para.5)hyperbole and irony-It is as if some titanic and aberrant genius,uncompromisingly inimica

43、l to man,had devoted all the ingenuity of Hell to the making of them.(irony-genius:an evil genius,having great ability to do evil.)Main idea of Para.5The writer evaluates the ugliness of this region as the top one in the world.Para.6 insensate;brute;abomination;save;putrid;habitation;pull;yield;bord

44、er uponinsensate:not feeling,or not capable of feeling brute:of or like an animalabomination:anything hateful and disgusting save:except;butputrid:rotten and foul-smelling 腐烂的腐烂的habitation:home;house;dwellingpull:drawing forceyield:surrender;give inborder upon:like;almost beFigures of speech(Para.6)

45、Rhetoric question-Are they so frightful because the valley is full of foreignersdull,insensate brutes,with no love of beauty in them?Figures of speech(Para.6)sarcasm-But in the American village and small town the pull is always toward ugliness,and in that Westmoreland valley it has been yielded to w

46、ith an eagerness bordering upon passion.Figures of speech(Para.6)sarcasm and irony-It is incredible that mere ignorance should have achieved such masterpieces of horror.(masterpieces:No one could build worse houses.)Main idea of Para.6The writer tries to trace the source of the ugliness.Para.7 put d

47、ownto;defaceput downto:attributeto;say that sth.is caused by 归因于归因于 I put his bad temper down to his recent illness.His bad temper was put down to his unhappy childhood.deface:spoil the appearance ofPara.7 inadvertence;obscene;ghastly;unfathomable;obscure;unintelligible;enigmaticalinadvertence:ignor

48、ing your responsibilities obscene:indecent;offensive to ones feelingsghastly:horribleunfathomable:which cant be understood obscure:vague;not clearly understoodunintelligible:unclearly understoodenigmatical:puzzling;perplexingPara.7 dogmatic;theology;Edgar A Guestdogmatic:characterized by arrogant as

49、sertion of unproved principles 教条的theology:a particular system of religious beliefs and teachings Edgar A Guest:Edgar Albert Guest(1881-1959),English-born newspaper poet,very popular,widely read throughout North America(40 years),known as the Peoples Poet.Figures of speech(Para.7)antithesis-There se

50、ems to be a positive libido for the ugly,as on other and less Christian levels there is a libido for the beautiful.Main idea of Para.7Reason for the ugliness:libido for the uglyPara.8 confessedly;vastly;edifice;bannerconfessedly:admittedlyvastly:muchedifice:a building,esp a large one banner:long str