- •Петрозаводский государственный университет
- •Chapter 1
- •1.1 Introduction to analysis
- •1.2 Stylistic devices
- •1.3 Some general recommendations to text analysis
- •1.4 Some phrases, which may be helpful while preparing the analysis
- •Cat in the Rain
- •Assignment 1. Cat in the Rain by e. Hemingway
- •Answer the following questions.
- •A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield
- •Assignment 2
- •Analyze the text using the following outline.
- •Assignment №3
- •Assignment №4
- •1. Find Russian equivalents for the following word-combinations.
- •7. Answer the following questions:
- •What does the title of the story tell the readers?
- •What is the type of narrative?
- •Where does the action take place?
- •The Gifts of the Magi
- •Assignment 5
- •1. Find the definitions of the words and give examples of your own.
Assignment 5
“The Gifts of the Magi” by O.Henry
1. Find the definitions of the words and give examples of your own.
imputation,parsimony, implied, flop down, sobs, sniffles, mighty pride, sterling, pier-glass, agile, fob chain, meretricious,truant,curiously, scrutiny, worship, ardent
Translate from English into Russian
Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far.
The income was shrunk to $20.
Expenses had been greater than she had calculated.
Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window someday to dry just to depreciateHer Majesty's jewels and gifts.
…to see him pluck at his beard from envy.
Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake.
Her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession.
And them Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"
Find the synonyms of the following words and give the examples from the text.
Worn, owner, unpretentious, appearance, slim, clothes, hesitate, embrace
Comment upon the following sentences
There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl.
It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretriciousornamentation--as all good things should do.
Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment.
Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered," she went on with sudden serious sweetness, "but nobody could ever count my love for you.
They're too nice to use just at present.
Answer the questions
What is the theme of the story?
Who are the main characters of the story?
What is the type of narrative?
Where does the action take place?
Study the structure of the text. What parts does it fall into? Where is the emotional climax of the passage? What stylistic means bring it out?
How would the story be different it were told from Jim's perspective rather than Della's? Why might O. Henry have chosen to tell the story from Della's perspective?
Is "Gift of the Magi" a story within a story?
Both Della and Jim make sacrifices so they can buy Christmas gifts for each other. Who made the greatest sacrifice, Della, by selling her hair or Jim, by selling his watch? Why?
At the end of the story, O.Henry seems to be saying two different things: “And here I have told you the story of two children who were not wise. Each sold the most valuable thing he owned in order to buy a gift for the other. But let me speak a last word to the wise of these days: Of all who give gifts, these two were the most wise”.
Who are the two children? Why does O' Henry refer to them as "children"? How were they unwise? How were they wise?
REFERENCES
Антоникова Л. Е. Аналитическое чтение – Тобольск, 2008.
Докучаева И.В. Аналитическое чтение художественной литературы на английском языке. Учебно-методический комплекс. – Ростов н/Д: ИУБиП, 2004
http://www.txtshr.com/literature/8368/index.html?page=2
Комаров Е. В. Методические рекомендации по аналитическому чтению для студентов III - IV курсов отделения "История и английский язык" - Брянск, 2000.
Кухаренко В. А. Практикум по интерпретации текста - М.: Просвещение, 1987.