Good morning, my dear classmates and teacher. Today I will share a book with you.

But first, I will show you some pictures. And do you know the name of them?

《the lady of the camellias》 The name of these flower is camellias(茶花). And the book I had read is about this flower…. 《the lady of the camellias》

The author of 《the lady of the camellias》 is Dumas Alexander Fills (son), Little Dumas(小仲马).

Little Dumas was born July 27th, 1824,and died Nov 27th, 1875. A Frenchman living in Paris A playwright and novelist One of the founders of the “problem play”

His father, Alexander Dumas, is a great playwright and novelist, too. Under the influence of his father, Little Dumas had a dream that one day he would be a famous writer, just like his father.

《the lady of the camellias》is Little Dumas’ 1 . When Little Dumas was 20 years old, he remarked some problems in real society and found the inspiration around his life. Then he wrote some stories about ladies and marriages into his novels which reflected the dark society of French in 19th century. 2. 《the lady of the camellias》is Little Dumas’ first great novel which made him famous. In the novel, Little Dumas wrote a lady’s story, Which he had really went through in his life.

The protagonist in the novel is Marguerite Gautier. Marguerite Gautier, a beautiful girl whose favorite flower is camellia, was born in a poor family in the country .And she always wears camellias in her hair. However, she has to go to Paris for life when she was very young. Under the pressure of hard life, she sells her youth and body for money and enjoys the loose life everyday, coming down to be a courtesan (高级妓女), or kept woman. But with the knowledge , she was a noble woman at heart. 

The story changes one day when a man named Armand meets Marguerite. Armand falls in love with her at the first time they meet. Then he runs after her in spite of her work. And soon the two young people could not go out of the loving river….  

However, happiness doesn’t last for  long, at that time, people think highly of the status and caste . She  tries to escape from her questionable past. Unfortunately, it comes back to haunt  her  and she ends up returning to that life.

When M. Duval, Armand's father, comes to  her, pleading for her to leave Armand to save both Armand's reputation and that of his younger innocent sister. Marguerite sees a way  to become pure of  heart, if not in body.  She feels that it is her duty, because she loves Armand so much, to do this even though it means giving up her own happiness and hurting Armand temporarily. 

She reluctantly returns to her former life, knowing that some day Armand would forgive  her.  But Armand thinks that she doesn’t love him any more and begins looking down on her and retaliating against Marguerite, the innocent woman. Sadly,she dies in debt and basically alone ,  except for her one female friend, Julie Duprat, who helps her during her illness. She has her journal sent to Armand after her death, explaining why she has made the  choices she had.  When Armand knows the truth, he fells so regretful and painful in heart. He buries his loved girl and puts much camellias around her grave.

Some of my feeling Marguerite ,the lady of camellia ,is just like the camellia for she could  never escape from the destiny of  withering. But it wasn’t her fault; it’s because of the evil of Capitalism(资本主义) and the hideousness （丑恶）of that society.    

I remembered a saying---“Women are like the flowers”.  Those pretty women are like those  beautiful flowers; their delicate beauty  makes  people feel they are the miracle of life. However,maybe the God envies their beauty. 

It seems that beautiful  women always have  tragic endings.  As we are normal persons, even we can see thehideousness of  humanity that results in  their fate of withering, we can ask quietly in  our hearts: Where have those beautiful flowers gone? 

Thank you ~