1 Message of the Land Pira Sudham

2 Message of the Land Pira Sudham About the Author: background / works /comments / map About the Text figures of speech / word study / understanding In-class Discussion After-class Activities

3 About the Author Pira Sudham spent his childhood in the rice fields on the Korat Plateau, helping his parents and tending a herd of buffaloes until he went to Bangkok( 曼谷 / 泰国 首都 ) at the age of fourteen to be a servant to monks in a Buddhist temple where he was also admitted to a school. To support himself through high school and the first year at the Faculty of Arts( 文学院 ), Chulalongkorn University, he sold souvenirs to tourists until he won a New Zealand( 新西兰 [ 大洋洲 ]) government scholarship to study English literature at Auckland( 奥克兰 / 新西兰港市 ) University and later at Victoria University, Wellington( 惠灵顿 / 新西兰）.

4 About the Author His writings began to appear in literary publications in New Zealand, Hong Kong and the United States before his first book, Tales of Thailand was published in 1983, followed by People of Esarn in 1987.Tales of Thailand People of Esarn He has lived for over ten years in Australia and the United Kingdom, where he wrote Monsoon Country (1988), and its sequel, The Force of Karma (2002).Monsoon CountryThe Force of Karma Pira Sudham is the Thai author writing in English who was nominated for the 1990 Nobel Prize for Literature. His novel and short stories provide insights into Thai life, particularly that of rural northeast Thailand.

5 Tales of Thailand Out of the relocation of millions of people in the path of dam constructions and eucalyptus ( 桉树 ) plantations, the suppression of wages and the price of agricultural produce, the forceful drive to gain more land to grow eucalyptus trees, the corruption, prostitution, child trade, slave labour, the horror of the Thailand- Burma( 缅甸 [ 亚洲 ]) Death Railway during the World War II, the economic crisis in July 1997, the war to win the people in impoverished Esarn in the seventies and the daily grind in the Mother of Gridlock – Bangkok( 曼谷 )come tales of hope and tales of woe, tales of acceptance and tales of the struggle for survival that become Tales of Thailand. About the Author

6 People of Esarn Pira Sudham conveys the inner voices of his subjects regardless of how illiterate, timid and insignificant they seem in their daily lives. Their simplicity and sensitivity come through his direct and clear prose, yet moving and touching. He writes with understanding and compassion for his people. Foreign writers writing about the Thai people look at Thailand from the outside, but Pira Sudham writes about his people and country as seen from the inside. This is one of the things that makes them so fascinating.

7 About the Author Monsoon Country It depicts the problems of social transition in present day Thailand and gives insights into Thai life in the rural northeast. It is set in Thailand, England and Germany to convey the cultural tension between the East and the West, the clashes between the new powers and the old values, covering the span of 25 years of the social-economic and political changes occurring in Thailand.

8 About the Author The Force of Karma This sequel to Monsoon Country covers the tumultuous （骚乱的） years of the economic crisis, the political upheavals and the massacre of May 1992, right up to the beginning of the year 2002.

9 About the Author Others’ Comments: ---“Pira Sudham has given a voice to the poor of Thailand.” ---“Pira Sudham is undoubtedly one of the foremost Thai writers of today, a formidable vivisector to reveal the hidden aspects of Thai society.”

10 About the Author Pira Sudham's Own Words: "If I had not left my village then, I would have been subject, like most villagers, to the mercy of nature: floods, drought, disease, ignorance and scarcity. With endurance, I would have accepted them as my own fate, as something I cannot go against in this life.“ "In my mind I carry memories of childhood, of life in villages, much as a pregnant woman carrying a child. Every day these images grow, and I know that one day I shall have to give birth to them through the medium of writing. Besides, I don't want people in our villages, so far removed from other peoples because of distance and poverty, to be born, suffer and to die in vain."

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12 About the Text Structure Part 1: The wife’s speech (para. 1- ) (para. - ) Part 2: The farmer’s speech (para. - 11) The wife tells us briefly about each member of her family and how all her children left. This part focuses on the changes that she finds she can’t adjust to. The farmer tells us what he thinks are the roots of all evils. He also tells us what joys he finds in life and in farming

13 About the Text Figures of Speech A simile is a brief comparison, usually introduced by the preposition “like” or the conjunction “as”, and etc. Simile ： A simile consists of two parts: tenor and vehicle. The tenor is the primary subject; the vehicle is the thing to which the main subject is compared to. （明喻）

14 About the Text Figures of Speech Records (fell)likeripe apples (on a windy day). The data processing (is going on) as (slow) asa snail subject / tenor simile marker reference/ vehicle Examples:

15 About the Text Figures of Speech A metaphor is also a comparison.The difference is that a simile compares things explicitly--- that is, it states literally that X is like Y. A metaphor compares things implicitly. Read literally, it does not state that things are alike; it says that they are the same thing, that they are identical. Metaphor : （隐喻，暗喻）

16 About the Text Figures of Speech subject / tenorreference/ vehicle Cape Cod (is the bared and bended) arm of (Massachusetts) He (is)a wolf (in sheep’s clothing). Examples:

17 About the Text Figures of Speech Q: Can you find some examples of the usage of simile in the text? 1. Sometimes, they get bullied and insulted, and it is like knife piercing my heart. 2. It is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year, and like us getting old and exhausted. 3. When each of them has a pair of jeans, they are off like birds on the wing.

18 About the Text Sentence Paraphrase 1. My husband moved into our house as is the way with us in Esarn. (When we got married) my husband came to live in our house. It was the tradition here in Esarn that the bridegroom should come to live with the bride’s family. 2. Often they sent some money to us and tell us that they are doing well. I know this is not always true. … although they always tell us that everything is fine with them. I know they also have difficulties and problems. They just do not tell us because they don’t want us to worry.

19 About the Text Sentence Paraphrase 3. Sometimes, they get bullied and insulted, and it is like a knife piercing my heart. When I hear about their hardships, I feel very sad. 4. It’s easier for my husband. He has ears which don’t hear, a mouth which doesn’t speak, and eyes that don’t see. News about my children’s problems doesn’t make my husband as sad. He doesn’t bother about what is happening around us and to our children. He never says anything about them.

20 About the Text Sentence Paraphrase 5. All of them remain my children in spite of their long absence. Although they are often away for a long time, I love and care about them as always because they are my children. 6. Our piece of land is small, and it is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year, and like us, getting old and exhausted. Our land is getting poorer with each passing year, like us who are getting old, weak and tired.

21 7.Only ten years ago, you could darter for things, but now it’s all cash. Just ten years ago, you could exchange one thing for another, but today we have to use money to get everything we need. 8. In my day, if I were to put on a pair of trousers like they do now, lightning would strike me. When I was young, I surely would be punished by God if I ever wore the kind of trousers they wear today. About the Text Sentence Paraphrase

22 About the Text Sentence Paraphrase 9. My eyes do see--- they see more than they should. My ears do hear---they hear more than is good for me. I’m not what my wife says I am. I do see and hear--- I see and hear too much evil, too many ugly and terrible things, things that I wish I did not have to see and hear. And this is not good for me. 10. Still the land could not tie them down or call them back. My children grew up and had happy days on this land. But this couldn’t prevent them from leaving or making them return. ----end

23 About the Text Word Study marry: vt./vi. They married young. John is going to marry Jane. marry sb off He married his daughter off to a rich man. married: a. be married to sb. He is married to a famous writer. married to sth.: dedicated to sth He is married to his work. marriage: n.

24 About the Text Word Study afford to: can / could/ be able to + afford to do sth sth They walked because they couldn’t afford (to take) taxi. I mustn’t annoy my boss because I can’t afford to lose my job. He told me that the firm could not afford to pay such large salaries. 他告诉我公司无法支付如此巨额的工资。

25 About the Text Word Study now and then: now and again; occasionally here and there: everywhere ups and downs: alternate good and bad luck 盛衰, 沉浮 ins and outs: the details and complexities (of sth) 详情、细节 ; 底细, 来龙去脉

26 in spite of: (used as a prep.) regardless of; despite 尽管下雨我还是出去了。 despite (prep.): without being affected by 尽管天气不好，我们的假期仍过得很愉快。 regardless of: (used as a prep.) (infml) paying no attention to 他怎么想就怎么说，不考虑别人的情绪。 About the Text Word Study I went out in spite of the rain. Despite the bad weather we enjoyed our holiday. He says what he thinks, regardless of other people's feelings.

27 About the Text Word Study mind one’s own… : mind one’s own business: not interfere in other people’s affair mind one’s own p’s and q’s: be careful and polite about what one says or does

28 bleed: v. (bled; bled) loose or emit blood bleed to death bleed for sth: suffer wounds or die (for a cause,one’s country) 我心里为这些挨饿的孩子感到悲痛。 bleed sb for sth: (infml) extort (money) from sb 勒索； 老板力图从雇工们身上榨取出每一分钱。 About the Text Word Study My heart bleeds for the starving children. The boss tried to bleed his employees for every penny.

29 About the Text Word Study barter: v./ n. exchange (goods, property, etc) for other goods, etc without using money barter sth for sth: 农民们用大米换机器。 我们决不拿原则做交易。 barter with sb for sth: The prisoners tried to barter with the guards for their freedom. Farmers bartered rice for machinery. We will never barter away principles.

30 About the Text Word Study replace: v. ---put back in its place 杂志阅后放回原处。 ---take the place of 有什么东西能取代母亲的爱和关怀吗 ? ---provide a substitute for sb / sth replace a broken window with a new one Replace the magazines after reading. Can anything replace a mother's love and care?

31 About the Text Word Study spring: v. jump from the ground in a single movement spring out of bed 从床上跳起来 spring to action 突然行动起来 spring from sth: have sth as a source or origin Hatred often springs from fear. spring up: appear, develop, grow, etc. quickly or suddenly 微风已开始吹拂。 我的家乡建了许多工厂。 A breeze has sprung up. Many new factories have sprung up in my home town.

32 About the Text Word Study fashion: n. in / after the fashion of sb: (fml) like sb She paints in the fashion of Picasso. act after sb.'s fashion 照某人的样子去做 come into / be in fashion: become or be popular go / be out of fashion: become outdated fashionable: a. barber: n. hairdresser: n. beautician: n.

33 About the Text Word Study occur: v. happen 事故发生在五点钟。 occur to sb: come into (a person’s mind) 我想到一个主意。 It never occurred to her that he might be cheating her. occurrence: n. event; incident, happening incident: n. unimportant or minor things happened event: n. a happening of importance The accident occurred at five o'clock. An idea has occurred to me.

34 About the Text Word Study a bag of bones: a very thin person or animal. 骨瘦如柴的人 The cat was just a bag of bones. bag and baggage: with all one’s belongings, often suddenly or secretly ; adv 带着全部财产 Her tenant left, bag and baggage, without paying the rent. be in the bag: (of an result, outcome) be as desired [ 俗 ] 确实无疑, 稳操胜券 Her re-election is in the bag. bag of moonshine 无稽之谈

35 About the Text Word Study rag: n. torn,, odd cloth I use a rag to clean my bike. rags: (pl.) old, worn or torn clothes 这件衬衫已穿得破烂不堪。 The shirt was worn to rags.

36 tie sb down to sth: restrict sb to certain conditions Children do tie you down, don’t they? tie sb up: --- (use passive) occupy sb so that he has no time for other things I’m tied up in a meeting until 3 p.m.. 交通因意外事故而受阻。 tie n. 这场比赛打成平局。 About the Text Word Study The traffic was tied up by the accident. The game ended in a tie.

37 About the Text Word Study pass sth on to sb: hand or give sth to sb else, Pass the book on to me when you’ve finished with it. 请把这句话传给你的老板。 pass sth down: (esp passive) pass sth from one generation to the next 这些珠宝在我们家代代相传已有好几百年的历史了。 Please pass the word to your boss. These jewels have been passed down in our family from generation to generation for hundreds of years.

38 In-class Discussion Questions: What is the style of writing adopted in the text? Colloquial. What is the message in the old couple’s mind? What do you think of the message? Love of land, love of physical labor, and above all, love of family.