《美国文学选读》(第3版)薇拉

第11单元薇拉?凯瑟

11.1复习笔记

I.Introduction to author（作者简介）

1.Life（生平）

Willa Cather(1873—1947)was an American woman author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains,in works such as O Pioneers!,Myántonia and The Song of the Lark.In1923she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours(1922),a novel set during World War I.Cather grew up in Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska.She lived and worked in Pittsburgh for ten years,and then at the age of33she moved to New York,where she lived for the rest of her life.

薇拉·凯瑟(1873—1947)是一位美国女作家，她对边疆生活的描写获得广泛认可，主要体现在《啊，拓荒者》、《我的安东尼亚》和《云雀之歌》等作品中。1923年，她凭借《我们中的一个》获得普利策奖，该作品取材于一战。凯瑟在内布拉斯加州长大，毕业于内布拉斯加大学。她在匹兹堡生活工作了十年，随后在她33岁时移居到纽约，直至终老。

2.Major Works（主要作品）

O Pioneers!(1913)《啊，拓荒者》

The Song of the Lark(1915)《云雀之歌》

Myántonia(1918)《我的安东尼亚》

One of Ours(1922)《我们中的一个》

A Lost Lady(1923)《一个沉沦的女人》

The Professor’s House(1925)《教授的住宅》

Death Comes for the Archbishop(1927)《死神迎接大主教》

Ⅱ.Selected works（选读作品）

◆Miss Jewett《朱厄特小姐》

It is a prose about the writer’s memories of her literary guide,Sarah Orne Jewett.Cather had deep feelings towards her.Jewett is a woman writer who had her own specific features.When Cather recalls her,she must talk about Jewett’s literary achievement.So,this article will focus on both emotional personal feelings and sharp writings of literary criticism.

这是一篇凯瑟回忆文学领路人莎拉·奥恩·朱厄特的散文。凯瑟对她有很深的感情。朱厄特是一个有自己特色的女作家。凯瑟在回忆她时必定要谈到她的文学成就。因此，这篇文章既有充满抒情的个人感情又有文学批评的犀利笔锋。

11.2课后习题详解

1.What do you think are Sarah Orne Jewett’s poetic principles?

Key:In the process of writing,Miss Jewett has two main poetic principles:the first, it is full of perception and feeling but rather fluid and formless;the second,it is tightly built and significant in design.She knows her hometown very well and

writes with those pithy bits of local speech.She writes for a limited audience, both in America and abroad.

2.What does Willa Cather admire in Jewett both as a writer and as a person? Key:Willa Cather admires Miss Jewett both as a writer and as a person very much. Cather thinks that Jewett,as a person,has many charming characteristics:she is a lady in the old high sense;she has an ease,graciousness,a light touch in conversation,and a delicate unobtrusive wit;her gift with the pen was one of many charming personal attributes;she does not live to write,but lives for a great many things.As a writer,Jewett has her own writing style.She focuses on the places where she lives and loves,and makes them subject-matters of her stories. She writes with delightful humor that comes from her delicate and tactful handling of her native language.And,the distinctive thing about Miss Jewett is that she has her own individual voice.

3.What do you think are Cather’s poetic principles?

Key:She agrees with Walter Pater’s similar opinion that a good work should have lasting influence on the reader’s mind.She thinks that a writer’s great gift is the gift of sympathy,which can make his work fine.More importantly,a writer should have his own writing style,which is a very personal quality of perception,a vivid and intensely personal experience of life.

4.What do you think is good literature?

Key:In my mind,the most important quality of good literature is that it must be meaningful and valuable.We can obtain something special and new from it.If it can not achieve this,at least,it should be interesting or attractive or entertaining. Good literature should exert influence on the reader’s mind.

11.3考研真题与典型题详解

I.Fill in the blank.

Write down the name of the author of the following work.(厦门大学2010研)

O Pioneers!the author:_____

【答案】Willa Cather

【解析】《啊，拓荒者》美国著名女作家薇拉·凯瑟的成名作。

Ⅱ.Multiple Choice

1.Which of the following pairs concerning the writer and the main setting in his/her

works is incorrect?(天津外国语学院2009研)

A.Kate Chopin——Louisana

B.Willa Cather——Georgia

C.O Henry——New York

D.Sherwood Anderson——Ohio

【答案】B

【解析】薇拉·凯瑟是美国著名女作家，以自幼所熟悉的西部边疆生活为题材，创作富有地方特色的作品，而Georgia是美国东南部的州。凯特·肖邦是美国女作家,出生于美国圣路易斯，小说背景为路易斯安那。欧·亨利的作品构思新颖，语言诙谐，结局常常出人意外，善于描写美国社会尤其是纽约百姓的生活。舍伍德·安德森出生在中西部俄亥俄州克莱德镇的一个贫寒家庭，作品背景为自己所熟悉的俄亥俄州。

2.Which of the following works is NOT written by Willa Cather?

A.The Song of the Lark

B.O Pioneers！

C.The House of Mirth

D.Shadows on the Rock

【答案】C

【解析】《欢乐之家》的作者是伊迪斯·华顿。