现代大学英语阅读四 4.The Duchess and the Jeweller

The plot
Now he lives in a big flat,there is a man servant serve for him,he could buy everything he wants,but he always recollect his poor childhood,those recollection makes him unconfident, even if he is wealthy now.So he does businesses with the duchess of Lambourne.when the duchess shows him the ten peals,he wants to test it,but the duchess prevents him,he finally gives in because of Diana,as well as because of the tempting status.
The Duchess and the Jeweller
Virginia Woolf
Adeline Virginia Woolf
(25 January 1882 – 28 March 1941) She was an English author,essayist(评论 评论 家）,and writer of short stories, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century. During the interwar period, Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. (一个英国艺术家和学者的团体)
• Her most famous works include the novels 《Mrs Dalloway》(1925), • 《To the Lighthouse》 (1927) and 《Orlando》 (1928), • The book-length essay 《A Room of A One's Own》 (1929), with its famous dictum："A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction."
I think it may be difficult for us to uderstand the exact meaning of Stream of Consciousness by reading the defination.Then i will give you an explanation. A literary technique in which a character's thoughts are presented in the confusing,jumbled and inconsequential manner of real life without any clarification by the author. in this kind of fiction,interior monologue will be common used. if you want to learn more about stream of consciousness technique,you can read 《to the Lighthouse》,written by Woolf.
Rank in Britain
• • • • • • • • Royal Duke 大公 Duke 公爵 Duchess Marquis 侯爵 Marchioness Earl 伯爵 Countess Viscount 子爵 Viscountess Baron 男爵 Baroness Baronet 从男爵 Knight 骑士 公爵夫人 侯爵夫人 伯爵夫人 子爵夫人 男爵夫人
The is a wealthy plot The hero of this novel
jeweller in London,who named Oliver Bacon.At first,the narrator use a great deal of words to describe Bacon's life,which is luxurious. Then through Bacon's mental activity,we know that he grew up in a poor neighborhood and came from a poor family.
Writting Skills
Interior monologue: This story happened just on someday's morning,but the narrator let us know about Mr.Bacon's childhood, experience and what he plan to do in the future by describing the mental activities. Symbolism:describe the giant hog and truffle,show us a greedy and hf Mr.Bacon
• Snobbish when he enters his office, Snobbish: he just waggles his one finger of the amber-coloured glove; • Greedy: his nose,which is long and flexible,seemed to say by its curious quiver at the nostrils that he is not satisfied yet; • Ambitious: he wants to become an utter class person; • Full of vanity: he ask the Duchess to wait for ten minutes;
Stream of Consciousness (意识流）
Stream of consciousness is a form of narrative（叙事的）technique （叙事的） used to "render the flow of myriad 无数的） （无数的）impressions—visual, auditory, physical, associative, and subliminal—that impinge on the consciousness of an individual and form part of his awareness along with the trend of his rational thoughts."
Theme
This novel is basically to satire the society, in that society,if you are the noblest lord, you will be honoured .But if you are just an ordinary people,even if you are wealthy, you are still an ordinary people.
My feeling
In my point of view,though Oliver Bacon is a greedy,ambitious and snobbish man,just because he is so attracted by the wealth and social status;however,he is also smart and quick—minded,he struggled to his career, and finally ,owned his own store,moreover, his store became famous in the world jewelry market.I think it's great,he is very intelligent.