1. Discovery of a Father By Sherwood Anderson
Lesson Two
Discovery of a Father By Sherwood Anderson
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2. content Background Information Introduction to the Story Word Study
Vocabulary Study
Song about father
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3. Background Information
His Life:
“Sherwood Anderson was not only a great American writer, but he was also a businessman, husband and father.”
The Writer Sherwood Anderson was a great American writer. He is the author of 27 works including Winesburg, Ohio, and seven novels that include Poor White, Many Marriages and Dark Laughter .Anderson was also a poet and a playwright, a newspaper editor and a political journalist.
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4. Introduction to the Story
This is a story about a father told by his son who later became a well-known writer. The author gives a vivid character sketch of his father whom he used to despise but gradually learns to understand and appreciate when he grows up.
It is interesting because contrary to the common belief that children always worship their fathers, they sometimes feel the opposite when they are young.
The story began when the author described how he used to feel ashamed of his father. When he was a child, he had hoped that his father would be proud, silent and dignified.
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5. He had also hoped that his father would be rich and successful
He had also hoped that his father would be rich and successful. But to his great disappointment, his father was none of these, in fact he was just opposite.
He was poor because his business failed; his business failed because he was foolish in giving too much credit; he was often idle and spent most of his time showing off and acting like a clown to amuse people.
And above all, he was never quiet and serious, talking nonsense all the time, making up stories that everybody knew were untrue. What’s more, he did not seem to have any sense of responsibility and often would disappear for weeks when there was nothing to eat in the family.
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6. So as a little boy, the author thought that his father was a failure, a clown, a loafer, and a windbag. He despised his father so much that he even secretly wished he had
a different father.
The boy did not understand why his father was so popular and had so many friends including some of the most respectable local celebrities, and he could not understand why his mother never complained, but actually seemed to be proud of him.
Then one day everything suddenly dawned on him, the day he suddenly “discovered a father”. Why was the day so important for the boy?
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7. The father took the boy swimming in the dark
The father took the boy swimming in the dark. Father and son, completely naked, striking together in the dark. The boy suddenly saw his father as a dignified man, powerful, loving, and ready to face the harsh life.
Through the swimming his father seemed to be communicating with him, trying to give him courage and strength. Slowly the boy began to understand that his father was not foolish.
He was just too generous and too kind-hearted. He was not a clown. He was just a natural actor, and he loved life and loved people around him.
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8. He was popular because everybody knew that he was a nice man and he could “liven up” the dull life of the sleepy little town.
Above all, he was not a windbag. He was just a born storyteller, a born writer.
Now the son had come to realize that his father was a man with rich imagination and rare talent.
Towards the end of the text, the author realized that he himself had become a story writer because of his father’s influence, because he had his father’s genes of literary creation.
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9. Word Study
strike remember
credit
cover sympathize
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10. Strike(struck) 他用棍子打我。 He struck me with a stick. 我心中忽然产生一个念头。
An idea suddenly struck me.
工人们在罢工，因为他们要求增加工资。
The workers were striking because they wanted more money.
我没有听到钟响。
I didn't hear the clock strike.
火柴划不着。
The match wouldn't strike .
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11. Remember 请代我向你父母问候。 Please remember me to your parents. 我记得曾见过她一次。
I remember seeing her once.
(=I remember that I saw her once.)
你记着喂牲口了吗？
Did you remember to feed the animals?
祖父留下遗嘱，把一部分财产给我。
Grandfather remembered me in his will.
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12. Credit 她的信用好。 Her credit is good. 你相信那人讲的话吗？
Do you give credit to what the man said?
他的成功使全家增光。
His success brings credit to his family.
这家商店概不赊欠。
No credit is given at this shop.
请将1000美元存入我的帐户。
Please credit my account with $1000.
那发明该归功于他。
He is credited with the invention
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13. Cover 她用一块布把桌子罩起来。 She covered the table with a cloth. 小镇占地5平方英里。
The town covers 5 square miles.
我想在天黑之前走完100英里。
I want to cover 100 miles by dark.
这些费用都由国家负担。
These expenses are covered by the state.
警察瞄准了罪犯。
The police had the criminal covered.
琼，你今天能顶替约翰吗？
Will you cover for John today, Jean?
最优秀的记者被派去作战地报道。
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14. Sympathize 我曾经是个犯人，因此我对其他在监狱里的人深表 同情。
I have been a prisoner, so I have a lot of sympathy with other people in prison.
当我告诉她我着急的原因时，她很同情。
When I told her why I was worried, she was very sympathetic.
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15. Vocabulary Study
used to
use, apply, avail, employ, utilize
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16. Used to He used to smoke a lot, but he has long given up smoking.
He didn’t use to smoke cigarettes.
He usedn’t to smoke cigarettes.
Didn’t Maria use to be interested in the theatre?
Usedn’t Maria to be interested in the theatre?
Used you to go to the same school as Edward?
Did you use to go to the same school as Edward?
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17. Use, apply, avail, employ, utilize
He used up all his resources in experimenting with the new paint.
We should not only know the theory but also know how to apply it to practice.
I don’t think complaints will avail you much.
We avail ourselves of every opportunity to speak English.
He doesn’t know how to employ his energy and time.
She hopes to utilize her artistic talents in the job.
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18. Dance with my father Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me
And then... Spin me around til' I fell asleep Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure I was loved If I could get another chance Another walk, another dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end How I'd love love love... To dance with my father again
When I and my mother would disagree To get my way I would run from her to him He'd make me laugh just to comfort me
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19. I know I'm praying for much too much
Then finally make me do just what my momma said Later that night when I was asleep He left a dollar under my sheet Never dreamed that he would be gone from me
If I could steal one final glance One final step One final dance with him, I'd play a song that would never ever end Cause I'd love love love...
To dance with my father again Sometimes I'd listen outside her door And I'd hear how my momma cried for him I pray for her even more than me... I pray for her even more than me
I know I'm praying for much too much
But could you send back, The only man she loved. I know you don't do it usually But dear Lord she's dying To dance with my father again Every night I fall asleep And this is all I ever dream..
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20. Thank you for watching
制作人：陈诗涛 甄真
外语学院2006级1班