A Dill PickleA Dill Pickle

Katherine Mansfield

Lesson 9

Part One: Warm-up

Part Two: Background Information

Part Three: Text Appreciation

Part Four: Language Study

Part Five: Extension

Part One Warm-Up

Can you use your imagination on the basis of the clues in the text and reconstruct the story of Vera and the man?

Famously, Mansfield remarked "risk, risk everything".

It was largely through her adventurous spirit, her eagerness to grasp at experience and to succeed in her work, that she became ensnared in disaster. . . If she was never a saint, she was certainly a martyr, and a heroine in her recklessness, her dedication and her courage.

Her last words were: "I love the rain. I want the feeling of it on my face."

Lesson 9 – A Dill Pickle

I.I. Author Author Her Adventurous Spirit

To be continued on the next page.

Lesson 9 – A Dill Pickle

II.II. Dill PickleDill Pickle

The end of Dill Pickle.

Cucumber reserved in salty

and spicy water with such

ingredients as pepper,

garlic, dill and vinegar.

In Russia, it is eaten with

hamburger as an appetizer.

Dill pickle How does it

taste?

It tastes very sour.

Kew Gardens, on the banks of the River Thames

in southwest London, represents 250 years of

landscape and garden history. The site also

houses 40 historically significant buildings,

including Kew Palace, Queen Charlotte's Cottage,

and the Palm House.

III.III. PicturesPictures

Lesson 9 – A Dill Pickle

Kew Gardens

To be continued on the next page.

Plot of the story: a young woman and a young man who had been lovers once met again after six years of separation. They sat and reminisced…

Setting of the story: in a restaurant Protagonists: Vera and her ex-lover (his name was never tol

d) Theme of the story: about the relationship between lovers: th

e heroine's sensitivity and the man's insensitivity to others—their feelings, attitudes and inner motivations. The man's egoism prevented him from seeing how greatly their lives had diverged in the six years since they parted.

Part Three Text analysisPart Three Text analysis

This story is not only by a woman, but also about women and relationships as seen through their eyes. Vera is courageous. She could have married the man six years ago because he was not without attractions. But she decided to end this relationship because he was too egotistical.

He was peeling an orange.

（ 1 ） To peel an orange: to take off the peel of an orange.

To peel potatoes; to husk 剥去 ... 的皮 [ 壳 ] the rice; to shell the peas 去壳除去…的壳；剥…外皮； shell oysters. 剥牡蛎 ; to weed the garden 给花园除杂草 ; to gut 取出内脏 the fish; to dust 掸掉 ... 上的灰尘 the tables.

Part Four Detailed StudyPart Four Detailed Study

But she was thinking how well she remembered that trick of his—the trick of interrupting her—and of how it used to exasperate her six years ago. （ 12 ）

To exasperate: to annoy, to vex, to irritate very much.

I am still just as ignorant for all your telling me. （ 13 ）

for all: in spite of all. For all our efforts, we still couldn’t save his lif

e. For all his power, he is still the most despise

d person.

His was the truer.(15 ) The Johnsons have two daughters. Tina was

the more intelligent.

And in the warmth, as it were, another memory unfolded. （ 16 ）

As it were: as if; as you might say; so to speak.

Apart from them, with his supper in a cloth on his knees, sat the coachman. （ 43 ）

Apart from: （ here ） some distance away from. It is a bit colder in winter, but apart from (except) t

hat, it’s quite a pleasant city to live in. Apart from （ Besides ） these reasons, there is

yet another factor.

A cloth: cloth is usually uncountable unless it refers to a piece of this material for special purpose such as a table cloth or a dish cloth.

beyond

Past or outside the limits, reach 为…所不能及；多于；超出

It's quite beyond me why she married such a heavy smoker.

beyond description 无法形容

2. Antonomasia （换称） 换称中的专有名词通常有三种来源：宗教，古代及当代的历史

和文学。比较： 借代： Uncle Sam （山姆大叔） -- the United States （美国） Fleet Street （舰队街） – the British press （英国报界） the Pentagon （五角大楼） – U.S. Defense Department （美国国

防部） the Capitol Hill ( 国会大山 ) – U. S. Congress the Scotland Yard – London’s Police department

Foggy Bottom （雾谷） – U.S. State Department （美国国务院）

Silicon Valley – U.S. high-tech center Hollywood （好莱坞） -- American film-making industry

（美国电影制片业 , 电影界）

10, Downing Street （唐宁街 10 号） – the residence and office of the British prime minister （英国首相官邸）

换称：（ 1 ） biblical or mythological figures （宗教或神话渊源）

Solomon （所罗门） – a wise man （聪明人） Daniel （丹尼尔） – a wise and fair judge （聪明而公正的法

官） Judas （犹大） – a traitor （叛徒） Hercules （赫丘利） – a hero of strength and bravery （大力

神） Achilles’ heel （致命弱点） - died in Trojan War, a war betw

een Greeks and Trojans started by Sparta’s queen Helen running away with Trojan Prince Paris

（ 2 ） historical figures （历史渊源） the Rubicon （鲁比肯河） – an irrevocable step （破釜沉舟，

无可挽回） Julius Caesar crossed the river to fight with Pompey, the ruler of Rome

Nero （尼禄） – a tyrant （暴君） of Rome who executed his mother and wife and who ended up in suicide amid public uprisings

John Wayne （约翰 · 韦恩） – a modern figure of a tough guy（粗犷型男子汉形象）， actor in westerns, and Oscar best actor 1969

（ 3 ） literary figures （文学渊源） Uncle Tom （山姆大叔） – a Negro who com

promises and conforms with the Whites odyssey – 磨难重重的旅程 Wind Country, S

irens

Paradox （似是而非的隽语） American civilization is characterized by conservative liberalis

m （保守的自由主义） of our political life, the pragmatic idealism （实际的理想主义） of our cerebral life, the emotional rationalism （重感情的理性主义） of our spiritual life and the godly materialism （敬神的实利主义） of our acquisitive life.

Part Five After-Class Assignment

Write a short essay of about 160—200 words on the changes Vera found in her former lover when they met again six years later.