LessonLoveIsAFallacy现代大学英语精读.pptx

Teaching aim I.Learn to appreciate English stories and the development of the stories II.Learn to taste and appreciate the humor embedded in this story and the writing techniques III.Get to know some features of American colloquial and slangy expressions Love Is a FallacyAbout the author Max Shulman(March 14,1919August 28,1988)is a 20th century American writer,best known for his television and short story character Dobie Gillis,as well as for his best-selling novels.His writing often focuses on young people,particularly in a collegiate setting.Love Is a FallacyHe is one of Americas best-known humorists.He is a writer of many talents-he has written novels,stories,Broadway plays,movie screenplay(电影剧本),and television scripts(电视剧本本).Type of writing This text is a piece of narrative writing.The narrator of the story,Dobie Gillis,a freshman in a law school,is the hero or protagonist.He struggles against two antagonists:Petey Burch,his roommate whose girl friend he plans to steal;and Polly Espy,the girl he intends to marry after suitable re-education.The climax of the story is reached in paras 147-150 when Polly refuses to go steady with him because she had already promised to go steady with Petey Burch.The resolution follows rapidly and ends on a very ironic note.Love Is a Fallacy The story:This text is taken from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis(1951).Dobie Gillis,the narrator,is a typical American teenager who frequently suffers from romantic angst(worry,anxiety).The character appeared on a popular television sitcom(situation comedy)during the 1950s.Love Is a FallacyThis is an interesting and humorous story.In this story the narrator tells his failure to win the heart of a young woman with the force of logic,which proves to him that“Love is a fallacy”.Love Is a FallacyThere are three persons in the story:Dobie Gillis,narrator,a freshman in a law school,the protagonist of the story;Petey Burch,his roommate whose girlfriend he plans to get;Polly Espy,the girl whom he intends to marry after suitable re-education.Love Is a FallacyThe narrator is quite sure of his final success because he is smarter and it is only logical that the girl will choose him.However,the result is a great surprise to him because the girl turns down his proposal and choose Petey Burch,all because of what Dobie Gillis regards as a“sth silly”,thus proving that“love is a fallacy”.ArgumentIn order to understand what a fallacy is,one must understand what an argument is.Very briefly,an argument consists of one or more premises and one conclusion.There are two main types of arguments:deductive(推论推论)and inductive(归纳归纳).A deductive argument is an argument that the premises provide complete support for the conclusion.An inductive argument is an argument that the premises provide some degree of support(but less than complete support)for the conclusion.Fallacy Fallacies are defects in an argument-other than false premises-which cause an argument to be invalid,unsound or weak.Fallacy means 1)an idea which many people believe to be true but which is in fact false because it is based on incorrect information or faulty reasoning.2)a weakness and lack of logic or good sense in an argument;Incorrectness of reasoningE.g.The belief that women are always weaker than men is just a fallacy.Love Is a FallacyIntroduction1.Warm-up activityWhat is your opinion about love?What does love mean according to you?Love Is a Fallacy2.theme:Love is a fallacy-love is inconsistent with logic.The author wants to lead readers to the conclusion that love is an error,a deception and an emotion that does not follow the principles of logic,i.e.love is blind.Love Is a Fallacy3.What does the name Espy mean?Espy:to catch sight of(esp.faults,shortcomings,etc.),glimpse.the author might have deliberately chosen this name,which may allude to her amazing physical attraction.4.In which place does the story reach its climax?The ending when she refuses to go steady with him.Love Is a Fallacy5.The role of raccoon coat:It is the reason that the girl denies the narrators love.It implies that love is not sth.that can be deduced.Love is not a scientific study.6.Language:a lot of short sentences;elliptical sentences;inversion;dashes;metaphor and simile are used;colloquial sentences,irregular sentences,shortened forms are used(to make the story vivid)The Title of the Text The title of the story“Love is a fallacy”has two meanings.1)When“fallacy”is taken in its ordinary sense,the title means“there is a deceptive or delusive quality about love”.2)When taken as a specific term in logic,the title means“love can not be deduced from a set of given premises”Macro-structure of the text Paras.1-3 preludePart 1:(Paras.4-5)The boasting of himself and downgrading his roommate.Part II:(Paras.6-59)The whole process of his deal with Petey.He succeeded in persuading Petey to exchange his girl for a raccoon coatPart III:(Paras 60-120)His dates with Polly/His re-education to PollyPart IV(Paras121-154)Love is not logical,but fallacyDetailed StudyPara1 the authors remark or attitude towards writing the story:spongy(not firm)and flaccid(lacking firmness/energy)and limp.1.S1 Charles Lamb is the kind of merry and enterprising person you rarely encounter.He wrote the essays,Old China and Dreams Children,which set free the informal essay.像查尔斯 兰姆这样快乐和富有创新精神的人物并不常见，他写了古瓷和梦中的孩子两篇文章，这两篇文章可以说解放了散文。Love Is a Fallacy2.Charles Lamb(17751834):English essayist.He,in collaboration with his sister Mary,Published Tales from Shakespeare in 1867.His dramatic essays,Specimens of English Dramatic Poets(1808),established his reputation as a critic and did much in reviving the popularity of Elizabethen drama.Old China and Dreams Children are from his collection the Essays of Elia(18231833).Love Is a Fallacy3.Why is Charles Lamb mentioned here?To make a comparison between his writing(spongy or limb or flaccid)and Lambs(informal)4.There follows an informal essay that ventures even beyond Lambs frontier:Here is an informal essay which is even freer than the ones Lamb wrote.Love Is a Fallacy5.Ls.The author is being humorous with his self-mocking tone.This essay of his,of course,is anything but“limp”,“flaccid”and“spongy”.Love Is a FallacyPara2 1.Vague though its category,it is without doubt an essay:Although it is difficult to say which category it belongs to,it is undoubtedly an essay.2.three elements in the essay:argument,evidence/instance,conclusion English author,is considered as one of the most important social critics of his day.Carlyles style,called“Carlylese”,is a compound of biblical phrases,colloquialisms,Teutonic(adj.日耳曼人的,日耳曼语的)twists,and his own coinages,arranged in unexpected sequences.Thomas Carlyle (17951881)Love Is a Fallacy5.John Ruskin(1819-1900)Love Is a Fallacy5.John Ruskin(1819-1900):British writer and art critic and social theorist who considered a great painting to be one that conveys great ideas to the viewer.He put forward the principles that art was based on national and individual integrity and morality and that art was a“universal language”.Later his art criticism became more broadly social and political.In his works he attacked bourgeois England and charged the modern art reflected the ugliness and waste of modern industry.He also advocated social reform.His works include Modern Painters(1843-1860).Love Is a Fallacy Para3 那么就读读下面这篇文章吧，它将向我们展示逻辑并不是一门枯燥乏味，迂腐不堪的学科，恰恰相反，逻辑是一个活生生的事物，充满美丽 激情和心灵的创伤。Love Is a FallacyPara4 description of the author The author is satirizing a smug,self-conceited freshman in a law school,who keeps boasting at every opportunity.He heaps upon himself all the beautiful words of praise he can think of-This exaggerated self-praise and the profuse use of similes and metaphors help make the satire humorous.Love Is a FallacyPara5 description of Peter Burch.Love Is a FallacyParas45 a comparison between the two characters Burch and narrator.Love Is a FallacyPara5 1.Impressionable:easily influenced易受影响的 e.g impressionable young people.Impressive:Making a strong or vivid impression:给人以深刻印象的Love Is a Fallacy2.Faddist:n.趋于时尚者,好新奇的人Faddish:Having the nature of a fad.具有追求时尚的天性的;Given to fads.赶时髦的Fad:n.stresses the impulsive enthusiasm with which a fashion is taken up for a short time (一时流行的)风尚;狂热一时的爱好;癖好,嗜好(craze)Fashion:The prevailing style or custom,as in dress or behavior:风格，时尚Love Is a Fallacy3.Fads,I submit,are the very negation of reason:I believe following fashion/crazes shows a complete lack of sound judgment.Love Is a Fallacy4.Craze n.A short-lived popular fashion;a fad.短暂的时尚：流行一时的狂热Acme:The highest point;Summit 最高点，极点 the acme of perfection 完美无缺 the acme of good behavior 最崇高的行为 the acme of science 科学尖端 the acme of ones hope 最高的愿望 Love Is a FallacyNot,however,to Petey:Ellipsis.This was not the acme of mindlessness to Petey.Petey did not consider such behavior as the acme of mindlessness.Love Is a FallacyPara6.One afternoon,-One afternoon,when I went back to my dorm,Petey was lying on his bed.He wore such a depressed look that I came to the conclusion at once that he was suffering from appendicitis.“I want a raccoon coat”Racoon&Racoon CoatLove Is a FallacyPara11 Charleston n.A fast lively ballroom dance in 4/4 time,characterized by a twisting step and popular during the 1920s.查尔斯顿舞,一种流行于20世纪20年代的快节奏的4/4拍舞厅舞Love Is a FallacyPara16 quality of raccoon Petey,Why?Look at it rationally.:Petey,why must you have a raccoon coat?“it”is a vague pronoun,standing for the whole issue of owning and wearing a raccoon coat.Love Is a FallacyPara20 my brain,that precision instrument,slipped into high gear:My brain,which is as precise as a chemists scales,began to work at high speed.“anything?”ellipsis.Would you really give anything for a raccoon coat?Are you indeed willing to give anything away for a raccoon coat?“anything.”He affirmed in ringing tones(他毫不含糊地大声说道):ellipsis.Yes,Im willing to give anything for a raccoon coat.Love Is a FallacyPara22 1.It so happened that I knew where to get my hands on a raccoon coat:Luckily I happened to know where I could get hold of a raccoon coat.2.He did not have it exactly,but at least he had first right on it:He did not really own Polly Espy,or Polly Espy didnt really belong to him.They were not married or going steady.But Petey got to know her before him,therefore he had the first claim.Love Is a FallacyPara23-24 Why was the narrator interested in Polly Espy?What kind of girl was she?According to the narrator,he was interested in Polly“for a shrewdly calculated,entirely cerebral reason”.He wanted Polly to further his career as a lawyer.Polly was beautiful,gracious;only she was not intelligent.The narrator considered“Polly”a beautiful dumb girl”.who would smarten up under his guidance to become a suitable wife for him.Love Is a FallacyPara23 she was a girl who excited the emotions.But I was not one to let my heart rule my head:She was beautiful and attractive enough to arouse the desires and passions of men,but I would not let feelings and emotions get the upper hand of reason or good sense.Metonymy is usedLove Is a FallacyPara24 I was well aware of the importance of the right kind of wife in furthering a lawyers career:I knew very well how important it was for a lawyer to have the right kind of wife.The right kind of wife would help promote a lawyers career.Love Is a FallacyPin-up:(American colloq.)n.a girl whose sexual attractiveness makes her a subject for the kind of pictures often pinned up on the wall.钉在墙上的漂亮照片;漂亮女人Love Is a FallacyPara25 1.She was not yet of pin-up proportions,but I felt sure that time would supply the lack:She was not yet fully developed like pin-up girls but I felt sure that,given time,she would fill up and become just as glamorous/charming.Not yet of pin-up proportions:not yet as attractive as the picture pinned up on the wall.Time would supply the lack:given time,she would develop in right direction.Time will give her a perfect figure.Love Is a Fallacy2.She already had the makings:She already had all the physical qualities needed for developing into a very beautiful woman.Making:The abilities or qualities needed for development:素质发展所需的能力或性格。She has the makings of a fine teacher.她具备做一个优秀教师的素质Love Is a FallacyPara26 S2 她婷婷玉立 体态优雅，这一切都表明她出身高贵。Ease:Freedom from constraint or embarrassment;naturalness.不拘束，不拘谨；自然Bearing:the manner in which one carries or conducts oneself:举止/风度,一个人的行为方式：poise:the bearing of the head or body 姿势，样子the poise and bearing of a champion.冠军泰然自若的风度breeding:training in the proper forms of social and personal conduct.教养Love Is a FallacyPara26 gravy:n.The juices that drip from cooking meat.肉汁,烹肉时滴出的肉汁sandwichLove Is a FallacyPara26 Ls.the implied humor is that the woman had an usually good appetite.She wolfed down everything.Without even getting her fingers moist:Her fingers did not even get slightly wet.Showing her dainty and refined table manner Love Is a Fallacypara27 In fact,she veered in the opposite direction:In fact,she went in the opposite direction.This is a sarcastic way of saying that she was rather stupid Paras 2527 The author elaborates the three qualities that he believes to be important to a good wife 1)beautiful 2)gracious 3)intelligent Love Is a FallacyPara30 go steady American colloq date someone of the opposite sex regularly;be sweethearts成为关系相当确定的情侣,经常只和某一异性朋友约会出游Para 34.if you were out of the picture,the field would be open:If you were no longer involved with her(if you stop dating her)others would be free to compete for her friendship.Out of the picture:not considered as involved in a situationOpen:free to take part in or compete in(the games being held in the field)Love Is a FallacyPara.40I said with a mysterious wink.A transferred epithet.He said mysteriously with a wink.(the wink was not mysterious)Paras4159 He succeeded in persuading Petey Burch to exchange his girl friend for a raccoon coat with him.Love Is a FallacyPara45 Mince:To moderate or restrain(words)for the sake of politeness(由于礼貌或礼节而)委婉或限制使用（词语）；委婉地说Dont mince words:say what you mean.不要忌讳,把你的意思直说出来Love Is a FallacyPara50 1.He was a torn man:He was tormented,not knowing what was the right thing to do.2.he looked at the coat with the expression of a waif at a bakery window:simile Comparing his longing for the raccoon coat with the expression of a hungry homeless child looking longingly at the bread at a bakery window.Love Is a FallacyPara50 3.Back and forth his head swiveled,desire waxing,resolution waning:1)His head turned back and forth(looking at the coat then looking away from the coat).Every time he looked,his desire for the coat grew stronger and his resolution not to give away Polly became weaker.2)desire waxing,resolution waning:antithesis.“desire waxing”is balanced against“resolution waning”Love Is a FallacyPara.51“It isnt as though I was in love with Polly,”he said thickly.“Or going steady or anything like that”Petey is trying to rationalize his action.He is trying to find an excuse for finally deciding to accept the coat and give up Polly.Love Is a Fallacy