Lesson Nine A Dill Pickle Katherine Mansfield

Teaching Procedures About the Author About the Text Word Study Detailed Discussion of the Text In-class Discussion

About the Author Katherine Mansfield An outstanding short story writer. She was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1888. She studied at Queens College, London, where she met D.H. Lawrence and John Middleton Murry, a famous critic, whom she later married. After years of ill-health and struggle as a freelance writer and reviewer, she achieved success with Bliss and Other Stories (1920) and The Garden Party (1922). Just as she won world fame, however, her health grew worse. She died of tuberculosis in 1923.

About the Author Katherine Mansfield was greatly influenced by Anton Chekhov, sharing his warm humanity and attention to small details of human behavior in her short story "A Dill Pickle".

About the Text This is a story about a young man and a young woman who had been lovers once and now meet again after six years of separation, and as they reminisce, we begin to know what happened six years ago that finally led to the end of their relationship. In the story, the author artfully points up Vera, the heroine’s sensitivity and the man’s insensitivity to others— their feeling, attitudes and motivations, and the man’s self-involvement.

Word Study egoist: n. a person who is always thinking about themselves or what is best for themselves. egoism n. egoistic/egoistical adj. luxury n. sth that is expensive and enjoyable, but not essential, e.g. a luxury hotel/flat; live in luxury; live/lead a life of luxury luxurious adj.

Word Study exasperate: n. annoy, vex, irritate very much, e.g. She was exasperated at/by his stupidity. haunt: vi. to visit (said of ghosts) regularly; Here: to return repeatedly to the mind, e.g. a haunting melody

Word Study maniac n. (1) mad person;wild and foolish person (2) (derog or joc) person with extreme liking (for sth) e.g. She’s a football maniac. maniacal adj : violently mad; extremely enthusiastic e.g. maniacal behavior, a maniacal expression on his face air n. appearance, manner, carriage,bearing e.g. She set about her task with an air of quiet confidence.

Word Study grimace n. an ugly twisted expression on the face to cause laughter or to show pain,disgust,etc e.g. Bernie gave a grimace of disgust and left the room. grimace vi ~ (at sb/sth) e.g. She grimaced in/with distaste a the thought of it. pagoda n. religious building on Asia, usu a tall tower with several stories each of which has its own overhanging roof

Word Study infuriate: vt. make sb extremely angry e.g. I was infuriated by/with their constant criticism. It infuriated me to think of the money we’ve wasted. infuriating adj. very annoying e.g. It was infuriating to be so close and get unable to contact them. melancholy: adj. very sad,causing sadness e.g. A funeral is a melancholy occasion.

Word Study impulsive adj. (of people or their behavior) marked by sudden action that is undertaken without careful thought e.g. an impulsive man, comment, decision In a burst of impulsive generosity, I offered to pay. impulse n. (on impulse) impulsion n. impulsiveness n.

Word Study barbarian: n. a person who is primitive or uncivilized barbaric/barbarous adj. barbarism n. barbarity n. decorate: vt. to put things in a room or house to make it more beautiful, e.g. We decorated the Christmas tree with tinsel lights. decorator n. decorative adj. decoration n.

Word Study loathe: hate sth very much Expansion: the synonyms of a word which are in meaning, e.g. to dislike (to loathe); to like (to adore); small (tiny); big (huge, enormous, immense, colossal); sure (positive); possible (probable); to surprise (to stun; to shock); angry (furious); hungry (famished); tired (exhausted); pleased (overjoyed); interesting (fascinating); many (numerous); fine (excellent; superb); poor (destitute); old (ancient)

Word Study mysterious adj. 1. full of mystery; hard to understand or explain, e.g. a mysterious event/crime 2. Keeping or liking to keep things secret e.g. He was being very mysterious ,and wouldn't tell me what he was up to. mystery n. mysteriously adv. self-engrossed adj occupied with one’s own thoughts or interest; paying no attention to anything other than one’s own business

Word Study peel an orange: take off the peel of an orange to peel potatoes; to husk the rice; to shell the peas; to wed the garden; to skin a cat; to gut the fish; to dust the tables You were saying: an expression used to encourage someone you just interrupted to continue to speak this thick of his: more emphatic than “ his trick”, e.g. “ look at that son of yours,” the husband shouted at his wife, “ he stinks!”

Word Study for all: in spite of all, e.g. (1). For all our efforts, we still couldn't save his life. (2). For all his power, he is still the most despised person. out of all proportion to the occasion: (1).completely uncalled for; totally unnecessary under the circumstances (2).a reaction, result, emotion, etc that is out of proportion is too strong or great, compared to the situation in which it happen. e.g. The fear of violent crime has now out of proportion to the actual risk.

Word Study find one’s place in life: to find a successful career apart from: some distance away from compare: Apart from (Besides) these reasons, there is yet another factor. mournful lover: sad lovers whose greatest wish is to die together

Detailed Discussion of the Text 1. But now,as he spoke,that memory faded. His was the truer. (para 15) But now, as he spoke, that memory about the ridiculous scene gradually disappeared. After all, his memory was the truer one. They did have a good time on the whole that afternoon. 2. He had lost all that dreamy vagueness and indecision. Now he had the air of a man who has found his place in life. At that time, the man was much younger, full of dreams,very unpractical, very unclear about what he should do with his life. But now he looked like a man sho has found a successful career.

Detailed Discussion of the Text 3. As he spoke,…she felt the strange east that had slumbered so long…hungry stare upon those places. “ The strange beast” probably refers to her long-cherished wish to travel to all those distant and mysterious places. It had been hidden deep in her heart for quite a long time because it was impossible for her to realize it given her financial and health conditions. But now this old wish seemed to be suddenly awakened.

Detailed Discussion of the Text 4. Only I did desire, eventually, to turn into a magic carpet and carry you away to all those lands you longed to see. a) magic carpet: The allusion comes from the story in the Arabian Nights which describes how a magic carpet can carry people wherever hey wish to go. b) Once again we see the other side of the man. He can sometimes say beautiful things.

Detailed Discussion of the Text 5. As he spoke she lifted her head as though she drank something; the strange beast in her bosom began to purr… She had just heard something which was so comforting and refreshing that she felt good. Her long buried love for the man seemed to wake up again.

In-class Discussion Questions on Comprehension & Appreciation What was Vera and the man’s relationship six year’s ago? What happened to Vera and the man respectively during the past six years? Do you agree with the man that both he and Vera are such hopeless egoists that they haven’t a corner in their hearts for anybody else?

In-class Discussion Read for Details: 1. “She smiled, he frowned.” Why? (para. 2) 2. What could Vera have seen in the man that made him not without attraction? (para 30) 3. Why do you think Vera sold the piano? (para 42) 4. “You are not going?” (para 53) a) Why did Vera suddenly begin to unbutton her collar again and draw down her veil? b) What had the man said to hurt her feelings?

In-class Discussion Read for Details 5. “It simply was that we were such egoists, so self-engrossed, so wrapped up in ourselves that we had not a corner in our hearts for anybody else.” Is this a pretty accurate description of the man himself? Do you think Vera is just like the man?