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1、Love is a fallacy Max Shulman pre-reading questionswhat does the narrator think about himself?To exchange for the girl he wanted, what did he have to give? Is Polly a perfect candidate for his future wife?How did his lesson on logic work with Polly?Did he succeed in winning Polly? Why not?On loveIf
2、to give an individual definition to love, what will your definition be?Max Shulman lAffairs of Dobie Gillis (1953)Authors noteWhat does the author think of his own essay compared to those of the Charles Lambs?What is this essay like according to the author?And compared with those written by Carlyle
3、and Ruskin?Charles LamblCharles Lamb (1775-1834)wasanEnglishessayist,bestknownforhisEssays of Elia(Eliawashispenname)andforthechildrensbookTales from Shakespeare,whichheproducedalongwithhissister,MaryLamb.Thomas Carlyle(1795-1881)lBritish historian and essayistlThe French Revolution(1837),lOn Heroes
4、, Hero Worship and the Heroic in History(1841)landPast and Present(1843).John Ruskin(1819-1900)lartist,scientist,poet,environmentalist,philosopher,andthepre-eminentartcriticofhistime.that logic, far from being a drypassion, and trauma.Metaphor and hyperbole. Its a metaphor comparing logic to a livin
5、g human being. It is a hyperbole because it exaggerates for the sake of effect. Logic is not at all a dry, learned branch of learning. It is like a living human being, full of beauty, passion and painful emotional shocks.Hyperbole A figure of speech with the deliberate use of overstatement or exagge
6、ration to achieve emphasis. Eg.Hamlet: I love Ophelia: forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum. Shakespeare: HamletIBM ThinkPad: Where the worlds most innovative people choose to think. (2003 Ad.)Words and expressionsMonth of Sundays: a long timeTo unfetter
7、MemorableLimp, flaccid, spongyWithout doubtFar from=not at allDisciplineTrauma Paras 4-6 cool I Vs dumb PeteyWhat does “I” think of himself?Is it common to have a 18-year-old so brilliant, according to himself?What does the narrator think of his roommate, Petey, comparing to himself?Why does he cons
8、ider Petey dumb as an ox?Keen, calculating, I was all of these.Keen, calculating, perspicacious, acute and astute all refer to unusual mental agility or perceptiveness.Keen suggests a vigorous and forceful ability to grapple with complex or obscure problems, e.g. a keen mind for distinctions. Someti
9、mes by analogy with good vision, the word may suggest an ability to observe details and see them as part of a larger pattern, e.g. a keen understanding of the problems facing the conservation movement. Acute suggests a fine sensitivity or receptivity to nuances that might escape others. e.g. an acut
10、e awareness of the slightest ambiguity in each statement made by his opponent; it might also imply a high-keyed state of nervous attention that is not sustainable for long,; e.g. an acute alertness, heightened by the strange silence in the enemy trenches.Astute suggests a thorough and profound under
11、standing, stemming from a scholarly or experienced mind that is in full command of a given field, e.g. an astute assessment of the strengths and weakness of the plans for reorganizing the department; an astute evaluation of the gaps on our knowledge of how life evolved.Perspicacious is the most form
12、al of these words; it stresses intensity of perception, e.g. a perspicacious remark that illuminated the whole problem for all of them.Calculating means shrewd or cunning.My brain was as powerful as a dynamo,a scalpel.Simile and HyperboleThe narrator use 3 similes to praise himself, which shows his
13、pomposity.Hyperbole A figure of speech with the deliberate use of overstatement or exaggeration to achieve emphasis. Eg.Hamlet: I love Ophelia: forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum. Shakespeare: HamletIBM ThinkPad: Where the worlds most innovative people
14、 choose to think. (2003 Ad.)Same age, same background, but dumb as an ox. Ellipsis. He and I are the same age and have the same background but he is as dumb as ox.The use of elliptical sentences, together with short sentences and dashes help maintain the speed of the narration.dumb as an ox: Simile,
15、 as stupid as an ox; very stupid. This kind of simile reflects differences in culture because the Chinese would not consider an ox dumb but would link dumbness to a donkey.nothing upstairsnothing upstairs: (American slang) empty-headed; a nitwit The corresponding British slang is “unfurnished in the
16、 upper storey”.Fads, negation of reason.I believe following passing crazes shows a complete lack of sound judgment.Submit: to offer as an opinion; suggest, proposeVery negation: the complete (absolute) lack or opposite of some positive character or qualityReason: sound thought or judgment; good sens
17、e Words and expressions keen, calculating, perspicaciousAcute and astuteA giant intellectDumb as an oxNothing upstairsImpressionableTo sweep away/to be swept awayTo surrender oneself toThe acme of Paras 7-59 the deal“I” came back to the dormitory to find petey all depressed? Why?Why does he want to
18、have a raccoon coat so badly?With what purpose did I help him to get the coat?what kind of girl was Polly?Where did I get the coat?Raccoon and raccoon coatShe was, to be sure, a girl who excited the emotions. She was beautiful and attractive enough to arouse the desires and passions of men.But I was
19、 not oneentirely cerebral reason.but I would not let feelings or emotions get the upper hand of reason or good sense. Im guided in my actions by reason and good sense and not by feelings and emotions. to let my heart rule my head: metonymy. “Heart” stands for “feelings and emotions” and “head” for “
20、reason and good sense”.shrewd: clever; sharp in practical affairscalculated: undertaken or accepted after the probable results have been estimatedcerebral: (humorous) requiring the use of the intellect; intellectual rather than emotional With one omission, Polly fitted the specifications perfectly.S
21、pecification: (usu. plural) a statement or enumeration of particulars, as to actual or required size, quality, performance, terms, etc. Notice the use of “specifications”. The narrator wanted to sound exactly like somebody talking about a serious business transaction.Pin-up: (American colloquialism)
22、 designating a girl whose sexual attractiveness makes her a subject for the kind of pictures often pinned up on wallsproportion: lines, shapes of the bodysupply the lack: supply what is wanting He implies that time will give her a perfect figure. But he deliberately avoids using those explicit words
23、 describing female physical attractions.She already had the makings.Makings: the material or qualities needed for the making or development of somethingShe already had all the physical qualities needed for developing into a very beautiful woman.Carriage, bearing, poiseSynonymous“bearing” ,in the con
24、text, denotes manner of carrying or conducting oneself and refers to characteristic physical and mental posture. “Carriage”, also applies to posture, specifically stresses the physical aspects of a persons bearing, e.g. an erect carriage.pot roast: meat, usually a large cut of beef, cooked in one pi
25、ece by braisingwithout even getting her fingers moist: (showing her dainty and refined table manner) Her fingers didnt even get slightly wet. The implied humor is that the woman had an usually good appetite. She wolfed down everything.In fact she veered in the opposite direction.veer: to change dire
26、ction; to shift; to turn or swing around.In fact, she went in the opposite direction. This is a sarcastic way of saying that she was rather stupid.I mean are you going steady or anything like that?to go steady: (American colloquialism) to date someone of the opposite sex regularly and exclusively; b
27、e sweetheartsI mean are you two sweethearts?I said with a mysterious winkA transferred epithet. He said mysteriously with a wink (the wink was not mysterious).Stutz Bearcat斯图兹勇士斯图兹勇士 He was a torn man.He was agitated and tormented, not knowing what was the right thing to do?Then he turned away and s
28、et his jaw resolutely.Set his jaw: he put his jaw in a fixed or rigid position. This action shows his fixed, unyielding determination.he just stood and stared with mad lust at he coat.Hyperbole. Its an exaggeration to describe his longing for the coat as “mad lust”. He stood there, looking with grea
29、t longing at the coat.Mad lust: frantic, insane, overmastering desireIts just been a casual kick-just a few laughs, thats all.Casual kick: (American slang) an occasional pleasure; a casual relationship; a passing affair; not a serous commitmentA final reason that eases Peteys conscience. We occasion
30、ally went out for a bit of fun, thats all.Words and expressionsIncredulous/incredibleBe in the swimIt so happened thatTo covetTo smarten upReverentTo set ones jawTo go steady with sb. Paras 60-61 the first dateHow did the narrators first date go with Polly?From the language Polly used, what kind of
31、girl is she?With Pollys disheartening stupidity, did the narrator intend to give her up?Pollys language The writer deliberately makes Polly use a lot of exclamatory words like” Gee, O, wow-dow” and clipped vulgar forms like “delish, marvy, sensaysh”, etc. to create the impression of a simple and rat
32、her stupid girl. Pollys language strongly contrasts with that of the narrators, thus increasing the force of satire and irony.Language in Para 61Formal. The narrator felt depressed after the first date with Polly. To bring this feeling out, and to create a humorous effect, the writer uses formal phr
33、ases such as “with a heavy heart”, “gravely underestimated the size of the task”, “ lack of information”, “a project of no small dimensions”, etc.This loomed as a project of no small dimensionsTo teach her to think appeared to be a vey big task, and at first I even thought of giving her back to pete
34、y. No small dimensions: understatement or litotes, Understatement (Litotes &meiosis)a figure of speech with deliberate use of understating a fact, impressing the listener or the reader more by what is mere implied or left unsaid than by bare statement.Litotes: understatement by the use of negative H
35、e was a man of no mean wealth. Its no laughing matter.Meiosis: understatement without the use of negation But then I got to think about her abundant physical charmsknife and forkThe way she entered a room: her carriage and poise of bearingThe way she handled a knife and fork: her refined table manne
36、rsIn this sentence, the narrator recapitulates Pollys good points or those qualities which made him choose Polly as his prospective wife.Words and expressionsA heavy heartBe tempted toAbundantParas 62-98 the first logic lessonWhy did the narrator want to teach Polly logic?Did the first logic lesson
37、go very well with Polly?Was “I” ready to give up yet? you would go far to find another so agreeable.Its not that easy to find a girl so agreeable.It will be better if you stop tugging my sleevesIt will be better: a request showing displeasureIts quite brusque for the narrator to say things to Polly
38、in this way, showing his disrespect for Polly.I was getting nowhere with this girl. Get nowhere: to make no progress; accomplish nothing.I was making no progress with this girl.This girl simply had a logic-proof head.-proof: resistant to, unaffected by. E.g. logic-proof, fireproof, waterproof, etc.P
39、olly had a head that was resistant to logic.Who knew?A rhetorical question, expressing some doubt or some hope.He might succeed in teaching Polly some logic. Nobody could tell for sure.Maybe somewhere in the a few embers still smoldered.Metaphor. comparing Pollys mind to the extinct crater of a volc
40、ane, and “embers” to some sparks of intelligence. Perhaps there is still some intelligence left in Pollys empty (or stupid) mind.也许在她死火山般的脑袋里，还有一点余火仍在闪烁冒烟。Admittedly it was not a prospect fraught with hope.Admittedly: by general admission, everyone will admit thatTo be fraught with: to be filled , c
41、harged, or loaded withOne must admit that the outcome does not look very hopeful.Words and expressionsHave all the facts at ones finger tipsTrysting placeEarnestlyIt will be better if ExasperationTo plunge aheadTo be fraught with Paras 99-123 the second logic lessonDid the narrator finally succeed t
42、o make Polly understand some logic on the second logic lesson?it just knocked me out.Knock (oneself) out: (American slang) to elicit enthusiasm or an emotional response, especially deep sympathy or laughterI was excited and filled with pleasure by the movie.That Walter Pidgeon is so dreamy.That: adj
43、ective, designating someone not described but well known or easily recognizable.Dreamy: (American slang) a general term of approval; excellent, wonderful, delightful, etc.That well-known actor Walter Pidgeon is so wonderful There is a limit to what flesh and blood can bear.Flesh and blood: synecdoch
44、e, material for the thing madeThere is a limit to what any human being can bear.Poisoning the wellThe logical fallacy “ ad hominem” or speaking “against the man” rather than to the issue. The writer compares “ the personal attack on a person holding some thesis” to “poisoning the well”a metaphor.I w
45、atched her closely as she knit in concentration.Knit the brow: to draw the brows together (as when thinking very hard)Creamy: soft, white color ( of Pollys complexion.I watched her as she thought very hard.a glimmer of intelligence came into her eyesA glimmer of intelligence: 一丝智慧的闪光From her eyes I
46、could see that for the first time she was beginning to understand the problem. with an airy wave of her handShe waved her hand in a vivacious or gay manner.This showed that she was pleased with the praise she received from her boyfriend.Over and over and over again I without let-up.To hammer away (a
47、t): to keep emphasizing or talking aboutLet-up: stopping, relaxingOver and over again I gave examples and pointed out the logical mistakes involved. I kept emphasizing all this without stopping.Words and expressionsTo appeal to sthBlubberBriefTo knock oneself outHamstring/to hamstringTo hammer away
48、atTo persistPara 124- the proposalDid the narrator love Polly?How did Polly respond to the narrators arguments for going steady with her?Why did he reject him?I had made a logician out of Polly.I had turned Polly into a logician.To make a logician out of polly: 把波莉培养成了逻辑学家。She was a fit wife for mef
49、or my well-heeled children.Mansion: a large, imposing house; stately residenceWell-heeled children: (American slang) rich, prosperousHere the narrator describes the role, which he thinks, a wife should play. First she should be a proper hostess of a rich man who owns many mansions. In other words sh
50、e should be good at entertaining his rich friends and clients and thus further his career. Second, she should be a good mother and properly look after his rich and rosperous children.PygmalionvPygmalion,inRomanmythology,sculptorofCyprus.Pygmalionhatedwomenandresolvednevertomarry.Heworked,however,for
51、manymonthsonastatueofabeautifulwoman,andeventuallyfellmadlyinlovewithit.Disconsolatebecausethestatueremainedlifelessandcouldnotrespondtohiscaresses,PygmalionprayedtoVenus,goddessoflove,tosendhimamaidenlikehisstatue.Venusansweredhisprayerbyendowingthestatuewithlife.Themaiden,whomPygmalioncalledGalate
52、a,returnedhisloveandborehimason,Paphos,fromwhomthecitysacredtoVenusreceiveditsname.PygmalionbyBernardShawBasedonclassicalmyth,BernardShawsPygmalionplaysonthecomplexbusinessofhumanrelationshipsinasocialworld.PhoneticsProfessorHenryHigginstutorstheveryCockneyElizaDoolittle,notonlyintherefinementofspee
53、ch,butalsointherefinementofhermanner.WhentheendresultproducesaveryladylikeMissDoolittle,thelessonslearnedbecomemuchmorefarreaching.ThesuccessfulmusicalMy Fair LadywasbasedonthisBernardShawclassic.I beg your pardon. A polite formula of apology, disagreement, etc. Here the narrator uses this polite fo
54、rmula to express his surprise and disbelief. He did not know what to make of Pollys answer.The dear child had learned her lessons well.This freshman adopted a very patronizing attitude towards Polly.patting her hand in a tolerant mannerHe is patronizing not only in speech and tone but also in action
55、. He patted her hand in such a way as to show that he was ready to ignore something he did not quite like.I was not Pygmalionmy monster had me by the throat.To have sb. By the throat: attack by seizing and squeezing ones throat.FrankensteinlShelley,MaryWollstonecraft(1797-1851),Englishnovelist.lDaug
56、hteroftheBritishphilosopherWilliamGodwinandtheBritishauthorandfeministMaryWollstonecraftGodwin,lWifeofpoetPercyByssheShelleylAccomplishedFrankensteinat20in1818.lRepeatedlydramatizedforboththetheaterandmotionpictures,thistaleofFrankenstein,astudentoftheoccult,andthesubhumanmonsterheassemblesfromparts
57、ofhumancorpsesaddedanewwordtotheEnglishlanguage:A“Frankenstein”isanycreationthatultimatelydestroysitscreator.Frantically I fought back the tide of panic surging through me.Desperately I tried to stop the feeling fo panic that was overwhelming me.“Polly” I croaked, “you mustnt take all these things s
58、o literallyCroak: to make a deep, hoarse sound, to speak huskilyThe narrators feelings turn from exasperation to desperation. He is making attempt to win Pollys love. Polly, you mustnt take all the logical fallacies I taught you seriously.I mean this is just classroom stuff.I mean that all the falla
59、cies I taught you are just things taught in a classroom.Implying they have no real use, that they are foolish or worthless ideas.That did it.That was the final straw. That made me finally lose my patience completely.This idiomatic phrase is used often and the meaning depends largely on the context.
60、“that” refers to what has been mentioned before and “it” refers to the result or consequence brought about by that”. Here that” refers to Pollys last answer and “it” to his loss of temper.I reeled back, overcome with the infamy of it.I staggered back, overcome by Peteys traitorous act.How could you choose Petey Burch over me?Over: in preference toWords and expressionsGruelingMake out of sbLanguishHave sb by the throatGrind ones teethCroakAn immense of willAssured futureKnot-head, jitterbugTranslation Lesson 4: paragraphs 1,4,6Lesson 5: paragraphs 145the end
