narcissus英语小说导读海明威之acleanwell-lightedplace的课后练习

2021年1月24日发(作者：窗户的英文)


ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

1

·
What besides the insomnia makes the old waiter
reluctant to
go to bed

If
we
just
from
the
surface
to
answer
this
question,
we
can
pick up some opinion from the story:

.
“I

am
those
who
like
to
stay
late
at
the
café
,
”

the
older
waiter
said.
“
With
all
those
who
do
not
want
to
go
to
bed.
With
all
those
who
need
a
light
for the night.
”
[ page 158 ]


“…
Each night I am reluctant to close up
because
there
may
be
someone
who
needs
the
café
.
”

[page 158]

However,
if
we
analyses
deeply,
we
will
realize
that
insomnia
is
just
a
symbolism
of
the
story.
When
you
are
sleepless in the night, you will keep awake through the hour
of
darkness,
and
this
will
make
you
feel
lonely
and
even
worse,
the
despair.
There
is
not
only
about
insomnia
but
about
loneliness, the darkness of life, the segregation from the
world, and the nothingness. And those desperate feelings are
the
most
important
thing
to
make
the
old
waiter
and
the
old
man
refuse to go to bed


·
comment on the older waiter
’
s meditation with the nada
refrain.


Nada means nothing. It is a Spanish word. And from this
refrain, we can know that nothing cannot be deal with by man
or god. It is the senselessness of each heart. There is no
meaning
in
life.
Nothing
is
the
experience
of
one
’
s
own
existence, and the thorough understanding of life.


·
Why
does the old waiter so well understand the old man
’
s
need for a
café


The
old
waiter
is
a
middle-age
man.
Though
he
isn
’
t
as
old
as the old man, he suffers the war and life, and he also has
the
insomnia
like
many
other
men
(perhaps
including
the
old
man).
He also feels the loneliness and nothingness in his life. So
he can understand the old man
’
s feeling about the life, and
he can even relate and see his future in the old man. This is
why the old
waiter so
well
understands
the
old man
’
s
need
for
a
café
.
The
café

is
a
peaceful
place
where
the
old
man
can
escape
from the loneliness and nothingness and desperation in the
life.


·
What
does
the
café

represent
for
the
old
man
and
the
old
waiter

The
café
is a clean and well-lighted place in the story.
It is an idealized space. Sitting in the
café
, they will feel
peaceful
and
comfortable.
The
café

is
a
place
where
the
old
man
and the old waiter can escape from loneliness. The
café
is
lighted, because light can chases away the dark. The
café
is
clean, which makes them feel comfortable and peaceful.


2

·
Different attitudes towards the old man

The young waiter:

The young waiter is selfish and impatient. He looks down
upon the old man. He thinks the old man is nasty. He is easily
angry and impolite to the old man because he wants to go back
home and sleeps early. He doesn
’
t understand the old man. He
even wants the old man to suicide.

.
“I’
m sleepy now, I never get into bed before
three o
’
clock. He should have killed himself last
week.
”
[page 155]


“I

wouldn’t

want
to
be
that
old.
An
old
man
is
a nasty thing.
”
[page 157 para. 6]

The old waiter:

The old waiter shows his sympathy for the old man, which
is totally different with the younger waiter. He knows the
importance
of
a
clean
and
well-lighted
place
for
those
who
need
a
place
to
escape
from
loneliness
and
nothingness.
He
knows
the
old
man
’
s
sufferings
and
was
sympathized
with
him.
He
doesn’t

think it is bad that the old man stays in the
café
late. He
respects the old man.

.
“
Not always. This old man is clean. He drinks
without spilling. Even now, drunk.
”
[page 157]


·
Whose attitude is closer to that of the author

I
think
the
old
waiter’
s
attitude
is
closer
to
the
author’
s
attitude.
The
young
waiter
is
ignorance.
H
e
doesn’t

understand
the
old
man
’
s
mind so he
can’t
stand for the
attitude
of
the
author.
And
the
old
waiter
is
sympathized
with
the
old
man
and
he
understands
what
the
old
man
suffers.
He
knows
the loneliness and nothingness; he knows the loss and despair
in the life. So the old waiter
’
s attitude about the old man
is closer to the
author‘s
attitude.


·
How does the author make his own feeling clearly to us

Even though Hemingway
doesn’t
editorially state his own
feelings, we can know clearly from his story. We can analyze
from the description of the old man.

.

“
not
always.
This
old
man
is
clean.
He
drinks
without spilling. Even now, drunk.
”
[page 157]

A
very
old
man
walking
unsteadily
but
with
dignity.
[page157]


3

·
The style of the story

In
this
short
story,
we
can
see
a
very
Hemingway
’
s
writing
style.

Firstly,
you
can
hardly
find
any
complicated
words,
phrases
or sentences. Hemingway uses easy and simple word as many as
possible.
He
tries
to
cut
out
any
unnecessary
words.
The
whole
story is easy to read but not to understand.

. It was late and everyone has left the
café
except
an
old
man who sat in
the shadow the leaves of the
tree
made
against
the
electric
light.
[first
paragraph]

Secondly, the story consists of a lot of dialogues. And
these dialogues are colloquial and loose.

.
“
He was in despair.
”


“
What about
”


“
Nothing.
”
[page 155]

Thirdly,
the
dialogue
is
deviated
from
ordinary
conversation order.

.
“He
must be eighty years old.
”


“
Anyway I should say he was eighty.
”