the rite of spring

The Rite of Spring Arthur Miller

R einforcementT ext Analysis

The Rite of Spring

B ackgroundW arming up

Unit 3

Questions / Activities

Check-on Preview

Objectives

The Rite of Spring

Warming up

Unit 3

Warming up Questions / Activities

Will you be a good gardener? A quick quiz!

1. Where is the best location to plant tall or climbing plants? A. North side of the garden B. East side of the garden C. South side of the garden D. West side of the garden

2. Tomato plants that are “determinate” are more bushy plants, and tomato plants that are 'indeterminate' are more viny plants True False

3. Potatoes are in what family? A. Carrot Family (Umbelliferae) B. Tomato Family (Solanaceae) C. Pea Family (Leguminosae) D. Morning Glory Family (Convolvulaceae)

4. What is the best level of soil ph for MOST plants? A. 3.5 - 5.5 B. 5.5 - 7.5 C. 8.0 - 9.0 D. 2.5 - 3.5


Will you be a good gardener? A quick quiz!

5. Pine needle mulch lowers the ph level of soil while peat moss raises the ph level. True False6. When a plant has beautiful lush foliage, but almost no fruit, the plant has an overdose of: (Ans: One 8-letter word) 7. Tomato leaves that are purple and thin is a pretty good sign that they are lacking Potassium. True False8. Potato plants want lots of organic matter in the soil for the potatoes to grow better. True False


Now Check Your Answer!

1. North side of the garden. When the tall plants are planted on the north side, they don't block the sun from other smaller plants and also keep down the north winds.

2. True. If you don't want to stake, you will want determinate. If not, go with indeterminate.

3. Tomato Family (Solanaceae). Eggplant, Tomato, Tomatillo, Potato, and Pepper are all in the tomato family.

4. 5.5 - 7.5. Most plants require ph levels of 6-7, but a few can tolerate 5.5 like corn, carrots, and potatoes. Others can grow well in soil ph of 7.5 like cabbage and cauliflower.


Now Check Your Answer!

5. False. Pine needle mulch and peat moss are good for alkaline soils because they lower the ph level.

6. Nitrogen. Nitrogen will help produce lush foliage, but too much will make the plant concentrate on the leaves instead of the fruit.

7. False. They lack phosphorus when the plants look like that.

8. False. Too much organic matter will cause scabbing on the potatoes.

Check-on PreviewWarming up

See the Preview Quiz on P67-70.

Objectives

• Know something about the author• Understand the genre of essay• Learn how to interpret and appreciate literary

essay

Warming up

Background

Genre

Author

The Rite of Spring

Unit 3

Background His Life

Arthur Miller 1915-2005 A Harlem-born Polish-Jewish

boyMajored in journalism at University of MichiganWrote first play in 1936Received BA in English in 1938

Background His Career

First successful play: All My Sons, 1946 Huge success: Death of a Salesman, 1949The Crucible, 1953

About Salem Witchhunt in 1692HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee), anti- communist McCarthyism Attended a HUAC hearing in 1956, refusing to give names; sentenced to a $500 fine or thirty days in prison, blacklisted, and disallowed a US passportConviction overturned in 1958

Return to theatrical success: The Price, 1968Experimental drama in 1970s, unsuccessful Kept writing until 2004

Background His Influence

One of the greatest dramatists of the twentieth centuryPolitically engaged, commercially successful, social playsNumourous awards and honors:

Three Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prize for Death of the Salesman in 19491965, Elected the first American president of International Pen1993, awarded the National Medal of Arts 2001, selected for the Jefferson Lecture, the U.S government's highest honor for achievement in the humanities

Background

Death of a Salesman 1949; 1984 movie starring Dustin Hoffman)

The Crucible, 1953, 1996 movie starring Daniel Day-Lewis

His Works

Background His Marriage

Mary Slattery, college sweetheart, 1940 Marilyn Monroe, 1956

Brief affair in 1951 Accompanied Miller to his 1956 trialMade The Misfits with Miller as the scriptwriterDivorced in 1961

Inge Morath, 1962Son Daniel born with Down Syndrome; institutionalized at Miller’s insistenceSon-in-law, English actor Daniel Day-Lewis

Background Genre

Essay A short piece of prose often written from the author’s personal point of view

Vague definition, great variety: literary, political, academic, journalistic, argumentative, expository, etc.

Aldous Huxley: a literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything

Personal and the autobiographical: these use "fragments of reflective autobiography" to "look at the world through the keyhole of anecdote and description ".

Objective and factual: in these essays, the authors "do not speak directly of themselves, but turn their attention outward to some literary or scientific or political theme".

Abstract-universal: these essays "make the best ... of all the three

worlds in which it is possible for the essay to exist".

Background Genre

Literary Essay Types of essay

Formal & Informal, Impersonal & Familiar

Post-Montaigne, the essay split into two distinct modalities: one remained informal, personal, intimate, relaxed, conversational, and often humorous; the other dogmatic, impersonal, systematic, and expository

Structure: rather loose, shapelessSamuel Johnson: "an irregular, indigested piece, not a regular and orderly performance."

Voice: usually “I”

Reader’s role: The reader generally believes what the essayist says is true; he has been called on to join in the making of meaning

Background Genre

Literary Essay Famous essayist

Michel de Montaigne, first to use the term in Essais, 1580

Francis Bacon , “Of Studies”

William Hazlitt

Charles Lamb

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Text Analysis Theme

“The Rite of Spring” rite: a solemn ceremony or act; a set of fixed words or acts

The Rite of Spring by Stranvinsky: a sacred pagan ritual where the wise elders are seated in a circle and are observing the dance before death of the girl whom they are offering as a sacrifice to the god of Spring in order to gain his benevolence

What does “The Rite of spring” refer to in this text?

How is gardening a rite? Does gardening carry any symbolic meaning?

Is gardening a celebration of spring?

DetailedAnalysis

Structure

Theme

The Rite of Spring

Unit 3

Text Analysis

Text Analysis Theme

How do you understand the title “The Rite of Spring”?

What about the timing of writing? Does it carry any significance?

Does the author enjoy gardening? Find textual evidence.

What does the author say about gardening?

What is the author’s attitude towards gardening?

Text Analysis Structure

I. Gardening as a celebration of the coming spring (1-2).

II. Why gardening? (3-10)

Gardening involves conflict and choice-making.

Gardening teaches you about nature.

Gardening is neurotic and moral.

Gardening helps character building.

III. Gardening enables people to stay hopeful for the future. (11-12)

Text Analysis Detailed Analysis

Part I: Main Idea What do you know about the facts of the author’s gardening?

Why did they keep the garden?

What do you make of the comparison between root crops and hot dogs?

Why can’t he resist the temptation to plant despite the seeming unwillingness? Why “inevitably”?

What do you think is the tone of para. 1?

What do you think of the last few descriptive sentences in para. 2?


Part I: Sentence Paraphrase

.

There is a human instinct at work here, a kind of back-breaking make-believe that has no reality. (para.1)

Back-breaking: physically hard and tiring

Make-believe: believing in things that you want to believe because they are easy or exciting, but are not real

At work: (lit.) to be having an effect, usually an obvious or bad effect

Paraphrasing: Perhaps gardening is human nature. We like to exert ourselves year after year working in the garden, believing this year’s harvest will be better, just like we can always revive hope after repeated failures.



As it is, though, I cannot deny that when April comes I find myself going out to lean on the fence and look at that miserable plot of land, resolving with all my rational powers not to plant it again. (para.2)

Analyze the grammatical structure of the sentence.



And the sun means business…(para.2)

Mean business: (infml) to want very much to achieve something, even if other people disagree with you; be serious about sth. you have to do

Paraphrasing: The sun shines more brightly and it’s getting warmer.


Part I: Words & Expressions

Words patch/plot; relatively; back-breaking; make-

believe; waft; worm

Phrases a bunch of; tell apart (from); at work; mean business; as it is/ though

Sentence Pattern

Grammar


Part I: Exercise

1. A bunch of ______/______/_____/_____/…2. ______/______/_____/_____ … one’s way 3. 尽管意识形态上仍有不同，近年来两国间的合作不断加强。4. 他这次似乎是认真的，还制定了一个详细的五年计划。5. 一个难民小心地、慢慢地从铁丝网的下面钻了过去。


Part I: Keys to Exercise1. A bunch of people/flowers/vegetables/fruits/keys, etc.2. work/make/shoulder/inch/bow/beg, etc. one’s way 3. 尽管意识形态上仍有不同，近年来两国间的合作不断加强。 Despite the ideological differences at work, the two countries have

strengthened their cooperation in recent years. 4. 他这次似乎是认真的，还制定了一个详细的五年计划。 He seems to mean business this time; he has even made a detailed

five-year plan. 5. 一个难民小心地、慢慢地从铁丝网的下面钻了过去。 A refugee carefully wormed his/her way through under the wire fence.

Text Analysis Detailed AnalysisPart II: Main Idea

What does the author mean by saying that “conflict” sends him back to garden?

What’s the difference between black plastic and hay mulch? Why does such difference matter? What does this say about gardening?

Why does the author use fertilizers sparingly? Why does he say “I’m not sure”?

How do you understand his claim that gardening is “neurotic” and “moral”? Do you agree?

What do you make of the parent-children metaphor in para. 6?

What do you think of the mother-in-law story? Why such a story?


Part II: Main IdeaWhy does the author say “I garden because I must”?

How do you understand “A garden is an extension of oneself”?

Where did gardening get Adam? What does this indicate?

What is the general tone in this part? Does Arthur Miller love gardening or not?


Part II: Sentence ParaphraseI’m not sure why I do this beyond the saving in fertilizer and my unwillingness to aid the weeds. (para.5)

Beyond: except (in negative sentences)

Eg. He has no idea of the current situation beyond what little he is told.

Paraphrase: I don’t know why I only use very little fertilizer; maybe I don’t want to spend too much on fertilizer, or maybe I don’t want the weeds to thrive on fertilizer. But certainly there are more reasons.


Part II: Sentence Paraphrase

.

She is an outspoken, truthful woman, or she was until she learned better. (para.8)

Learn better: learn that it is not wise or moral to do sth.

Cf. know better (than to do sth.): to be wise or moral enough not to do sth.

Paraphrasing: She used to be a woman who spoke her mind and who was always straightforward in her speech, but now she has learned from experiences that it is not wise to do so.


Part II: Sentence ParaphraseIn some pocket of the mind there might even be the tendency to change this vision into a personal assurance that all this healthy growth, this orderliness and thrusting life must somehow reflect movements in one’s own spirit. (para.9)

Paraphrasing: In some small corner of the mind, I am even inclined to believe that such beautiful view of the garden can be transformed into a spiritual certainty; I feel certain that just like this well-organized and arranged garden and the life and vitality of everything growing in it, my spirit is equally active as well as in order.


Part II: Sentence Paraphrase

.

A garden in an extension of oneself – or selves – and so it has to be an arena where striving does not cease, but continues by other means. (para. 10)

Paraphrasing: A garden is like your second self, or a projection of yourself in nature; whatever you do in real life continues in your garden. So a garden must be a state where your effort for achievements never stops, but carries on in different ways.


Part II: Words & Expressions

.

Wordsweed-free; broadcast; beyond; neurotic; thin (v.; unthinned); pocket; glisten/glitter; shade/color

Phrasesgo for; come into play; turn upon; cast aside/away; as it were; learn better; stand on one’s dignity

Sentence Pattern

Grammar


Part II: Exercise

•

1. All that ________ is not gold.

2. The grass _________ in the early morning dew.

3. Shakespeare’s literary legacy is ________ compare.

4. She dyed her hair a very unusual ________ of red.

5. 任何适用于本地学生的校规也适用于留学生。6. 在朝鲜发射导弹问题上有多方力量参与。7. 他们是最好的朋友，却在利益面前像死敌一样互相攻击。


Part II: Exercise1. All that glitters is not gold.

2. The grass glistened in the early morning dew.

3. Shakespeare’s literary legacy is beyond compare.

4. She dyed her hair a very unusual shade of red.

5. All school rules for local students also go for overseas students.

6. Many forces came into play on the issue of North Korea’s missile launch.

7. They were best friends, but turned upon each other like deadly foes for profit.


Part III: Main Idea

According to the author, why is gardener a proper occupation for the father of mankind? What do you think?

Do you agree that mankind is a creature of self-delusion? Why do you think Arthur Miller say this? What does “self-delusion” actually mean here?


Part III: Sentence Paraphrase

Only the gardener is capable of reviving so much hope that this year, regardless of drought, flood, typhoon, or his own stupidity, this year he is going to do it right! (para.11)

Paraphrasing: Only the gardener can become hopeful after repeated failures and believe that this year he is going to have a good harvest, even though there might be disasters like drought, flood, typhoon, and even though he himself is foolish.


Part III: Sentence Paraphrase

Leave it to God to have picked the proper occupation for the only creature capable of such self-delusion. (para. 11)

Leave it to sb. to do sth.: to allow someone to make a choice or decision about something, or to make someone responsible for something

Paraphrasing: God has done His job properly and chosen the right occupation for mankind, because only man can “deceive” themselves willingly, only man can regain hope after repeated failures, believing in new and better possibilities.


Part III: Words & Expressions

Words

Phrases be capable of ; revive hope; self-delusion; for honesty’s sake;

Sentence Pattern

Leave it to sb. to do sth.

Grammar


Part III: Exercise

管理层决定把这个合同交给约翰去谈，因为他们知道他绝不会打没有准备的战。 The management decided to leave it to John to negotiate for the contract, as they knew he would never leave it to chance.

The Rite of Spring

Unit 3

Reinforcement

RetellingRetelling

DiscussionDiscussion

Reinforcement Discussion

Summarize what Miller says about gardening .

Compare what he says with the metaphors of gardening in “Mandela’s Garden”. What are the differences and similarities?

Have you ever had any experience in gardening? What do you think of gardening?

Do you think what Miller says still holds in the contemporary world?

Now what do you think of Miller’s attitude towards gardening? What do you think of the way he expresses himself?


Definition:

the surface meaning and the underlying meaning of what is said are not the same

Irony consists in stating the contrary of what is meant

Types of irony

Verbal irony is a disparity of expression and intention

Dramatic irony is a disparity of awareness between actor and observer

Situational irony is the disparity of intention and result

Irony


Can you find where the irony is in “The Rite of Spring”?

Title

Time of writing

Verbal irony

Irony

Reinforcement Further Reading

“Of Gardens”, by Francis Bacon

the rite of spring

Documents

tomato plants

potato plants

tall plants

bushy plants

smaller plants

tomato family solanaceae

ph level of soil

tomato leaves