our-town分析.ppt

1、Our town -Thornton Wilder2010级英语6班ContentsThornton Wilder CharactersSynopsis(剧情简介)symbolsThemeQuestions Thornton Niven Wilder：B Born on April 17,1897,in Madisonorn on April 17,1897,in Madison,he isthe son of an,he isthe son of an American diplomat,spent part of his childhood in Yantai,American diplo

2、mat,spent part of his childhood in Yantai,China,at the Protestant Mission School there.China,at the Protestant Mission School there.Back to America because of the unstable situation in Back to America because of the unstable situation in China.Went to Berkley School and took his BachelorChina.Went t

3、o Berkley School and took his Bachelors s Degree of Arts at Yale University in 1920.Degree of Arts at Yale University in 1920.Taught literature at the University of Chicago from 1930 aught literature at the University of Chicago from 1930 to 1937.Among other plays he wrote were to 1937.Among other p

4、lays he wrote were The Skin of The Skin of Our TeethOur Teeth,and,and The MatchmakerThe Matchmaker 1954.1954.Wilder also wrote several novels,the most famous of Wilder also wrote several novels,the most famous of which is which is The Bridge of San Luis ReyThe Bridge of San Luis Rey.Wilder won a.Wil

5、der won a Pulitzer Prize for that book and another for Pulitzer Prize for that book and another for Our Our TownTown.Wilder died on Dec.7,1975,in Hamden,Conn.Wilder died on Dec.7,1975,in Hamden,Conn.Our town The cast(人物表）:Stage Manager-Thehostoftheplayandthedramaticequivalentofanomniscientnarrator.故

6、事的叙述者George Gibbs 乔治-Dr.andMrs.Gibbssson.Adecent,upstandingyoungman.正派、有主见的年青人Emily Webb艾米丽-Mr.andMrs.WebbsdaughterandWallysoldersister.Dr.Gibbs-Georgesfatherandthetowndoctor.Mrs.Gibbs-GeorgesmotherandDr.Gibbsswife.Mr.Webb-EmilysfatherandthepublisherandeditoroftheGroversCornersSentinel.Mrs.Webb-Emil

7、ysmotherandMr.Webbswife.Mrs.Soames-AgossipywomanwhosingsinthechoiralongwithMrs.WebbandMrs.Gibbs.小镇上一个爱搬弄是非的妇女Simon Stimson-Thechoirmaster,whosealcoholismandundisclosed“troubles”havebeenthesubjectofgossipinGroversCornersforquitesometime.经常酗酒，一度引起小镇人的不满RelationshipGeorge GibbsMrs.Webb Emily WebbDr.Gib

8、bs Mr.Webb fatherLOVEMrs.GibbsmotherfatherMrs.SoamesFriend Stage ManagerStage Managermotheromniscient narratorSimon Stimson choirmasterAnalysis of Major CharactersStage Manager：Every act begins and ends with the Stage Managers announcementsHe frequently interrupts the plays action,providing the audi

9、ence with relevant informationSo,he is someone who works behind the scene.Emily Webb:kind and frank，get new understanding about life after her death 善良、坦率善良、坦率,死后得到了对生活的新的认识死后得到了对生活的新的认识Emily:George,youve got awful conceited and stuck-up(自命不凡自命不凡),.,Im sorry,but I cant be sorry I said it.-FrankEmily

10、:So all that was going on and we never noticed.Do human being ever realize life while they live it?New understanding(humanbeingsfailtorecognizethetransienceoflifeandtoappreciateitwhileitlasts.)George Gibbs:decent and upstanding GeorgeisahighschoolbaseballstarwhoplanstoattendtheStateAgriculturalSchoo

11、lafterhighschool.HiscourtshipofEmilyWebbandeventualmarriagetoheriscentraltotheplayslimitednarrativeaction.WilderusesGeorgeandEmilysrelationshiptoponderthequestionsofloveandmarriageingeneral.Plot overview(剧情简介剧情简介)Act I:Daily LifeIntheopeningscene,thestageislargelyempty,exceptforsometablesandchairsth

12、atrepresentthehomesoftheGibbsandWebbfamilies.AftertheStageManagersintroduction,theactivitiesofatypicaldaybegin.Themilkmanandthepaperboymaketheirdeliveryrounds.Mrs.GibbsandMrs.Webbmakebreakfast,sendtheirchildrenofftoschool,andmeetintheirgardenstogossip.Thetwowomenalsodiscusstheirmodestambitions,andMr

13、s.GibbsrevealsthatshelongstovisitParis.Act II:Love and Marriage ThreeyearspassandGeorgeandEmilypreparetowed.Thedayisfilledwithstress.HowieNewsomeisdeliveringmilkinthepouringrainwhileSiCrowell,youngerbrotherofJoe,lamentshowGeorgesbaseballtalentswillbesquandered.Georgepaysanawkwardvisitwithhissoon-to-

14、bein-laws.Here,theStageManagerinterruptsthesceneandtakestheaudiencebackayear,totheendofEmilyandGeorgesjunioryear.EmilyconfrontsGeorgeabouthispride,andoveranicecreamsoda,theydiscussthefutureandtheirloveforeachother.Act III:Death and Eternity ActIIItakesplacenineyearslater,inacemeteryonahilltopoverloo

15、kingthetown.Emilyhasdiedinchildbirthandisabouttobeburied.Asthefuneraltakesplace,thedeadspeak,servingasdetachedwitnesses.Deathhasrenderedthemlargelyindifferenttoearthlyevents.Emilyjoinsthedead,butshemissesherpreviouslifeanddecidestogobackandrelivepartofit.TheothersoulsdisapproveandadviseEmilytostayin

16、thecemetery.WiththeaidoftheStageManager,Emilystepsintothepast,revisitingthemorningofhertwelfthbirthday.Emilynowhasanostalgicappreciationforeverydaylifethatherparentsandtheotherlivingcharactersdonotshare.Shebecomesagonizedbythebeautyandtransienceofeverydaylifeanddemandstobetakenbacktothecemetery.symb

17、olsTheTimeCapsule(时间仓)thetimecapsuleembodiesthehumandesiretokeeparecordofthepast.Accordingly,italsosymbolizestheideathatcertainpartsofthepastdeservetoberememberedoverandaboveothers.Howie Newsome and the Crowell Boys1.HowieandtheCrowellboysillustratethisconstancyofsmalltownlife.2.HowieandtheCrowellsr

18、epresentnotonlythestabilityoflifeinGroversCorners,butthestabilityofhumanlifeingeneral.3.Themilkmanandthepaperboysembodythepersistenceofhumanlifeandthecontinuityofthehumanexperiencefromyeartoyear,fromgenerationtogeneration4.ThefactthatSireplaceshisbrotherJoeshowsthatthetransienceofindividuallivesactu

19、allybecomesastabilizingforce.theme1.THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVELoveismentionedofteninOurTown,andastheplayprogressesyouaregivenexamplesofdifferenttypesoflove.InActIyouseefamilyloveandfriendship.Parentsandchildrenloveeachotherandneighborsloveeachother,justasideallytheyshould.InActII,youseeromanticlove,culm

20、inatinginmarriage,againasideallyitshould.InActIIIyouseethekindoflovethatisperhapshardesttounderstand,spiritual,selflesslove,lovethatexpectsnoreturn.2.THE CONTINUITY OF HUMAN LIFE1.TheplaybeginswiththebirthoftwinsinPolishtownandendswithEmilysdeathinchildbirth.2.Theauthorcontinuallyreferstothingsthath

21、appenoverandover,tothewayspeoplebehave,generationaftergeneration.3.THE NATURE OF TIMEInOurTown,Wilderthoughtofpast,present,andfutureallexistingatthesametime.Forexample,whenyouwalkintothetheater,themanwhoturnsouttobetheStageManagerisstandingthereinthepresent,buthetellsyouthatitis1901.Later,heinterrup

22、tstheweddingpreparationstosendthecharactersbacktotheircourtship.4.THE BEAUTY OF LIFEWildersenthusiasmforlife,themostobviousthemeinOurTown.Hesaidthattheplayisanattempttofindavalueaboveallpriceforthesmallesteventsinourdailylife.“Thisthemeseemsthemostimportantreasonfortheplayspopularity.Atthesametime,i

23、tisresponsibleformostofthecriticismthatattackstheplayasbeingoverlysentimental.5.THE UNIVERSAL VS.THE PARTICULARThewordshundredsandthousandsandmillionsusedintheplaysuggeststhatthecharactersshouldbeunderstoodaspartofagreaterreality,aspartofhumanexistence,notjustaspartofGroversCorners.6.The Transience

24、of Human LifeTheindividualhumanlivesinOurTownaretransient,influencedgreatlybytherapidpassageoftime.TheStageManageroftennotesthattimeseemstopassquicklyforthepeopleintheplay.Atonepoint,havingnotlookedathiswatchforawhile,theStageManagermisjudgesthetime,whichdemonstratesthatsometimeseventhetimekeeperhimselffallsvictimtothepassageoftime.