The-Catbird-Seat分析

ThecatbirdseatByJamesThurberThecatbirdseatThecatbirdseatisanidiomaticphraseusedtodescribeanenviableposition,oftenintermsofhavingtheupperhandorgreateradvantageinalltypesofdealingsamongparties.AccordingtotheOxfordEnglishDictionary,[1]thefirstrecordedusageoccurredina1942humorousshortstorybyJamesThurbertitledTheCatbirdSeat,[2]whichfeaturesacharacter,Mrs.Barrows,wholikestousethephrase.Anothercharacter,JoeyHart,explainsthatMrs.BarrowsmusthavepickeduptheexpressionfromRedBarber,abaseballbroadcaster,andthattoBarbersittinginthecatbirdseatmeant'sittingpretty,'likeabatterwiththreeballsandnostrikesonhim.ThecatbirdseatPart1IntroductionoftheauthorPart2CharactersPart3PlotPart4ThemePart5Style&SkillsPart6QuestionsPart1IntroductionoftheauthorJamesThurber:anAmericanwriterandcartoonist,whodealtwiththefrustrationsofmodernworld.ThurberisgenerallyacknowledgedasthegreatestAmericanhumoristsinceMarkTwain(1835-1910).ThurberwasborninColumbus,Ohio,toCharlesL.ThurberandMaryAgnes(Mame)FisherThurberonDecember8,1894.Bothofhisparentsgreatlyinfluencedhiswork.Hisfather,asporadicallyemployedclerkandminorpoliticianwhodreamedofbeingalawyeroranactor,issaidtohavebeentheinspirationforthesmall,timidprotagonisttypicalofmanyofhisstories.ThurberdescribedhismotherasaborncomedianandoneofthefinestcomictalentsIthinkIhaveeverknown.Shewasapracticaljoker,ononeoccasionpretendedtobecrippledandattendedafaithhealerrevival,onlytojumpupandproclaimherselfhealed.[Thurberhadtwobrothers,WilliamandRobert.Once,whileplayingagameofWilliamTell,hisbrothershotJamesintheeyewithanarrow,andThurberlostthateye.Thisinjurywouldlatercausehimtobecomealmostentirelyblind.Unableinhischildhoodtopartakeinsportsandotheractivitiesbecauseofhisinjury,heelaboratedacreativemindwhichhethenusedtoexpresshimselfinwritings.[1LifeFrom1913to1918,ThurberattendedTheOhioStateUniversity,wherehewasamemberofthePhiKappaPsifraternity.HenevergraduatedfromtheuniversitybecausehispooreyesightpreventedhimfromtakingamandatoryROTCcourse.[3]In1995hewasposthumouslyawardedadegree.[4]From1918to1920,atthecloseofWorldWarI,ThurberworkedasacodeclerkfortheDepartmentofState,firstinWashington,D.C.,andthenattheEmbassyoftheUnitedStates,Paris,France.OnreturningtoColumbus,hebeganhiscareerasareporterfortheColumbusDispatchFrom1921to1924.Duringpartofthistime,hereviewedcurrentbooks,films,andplaysinaweeklycolumncalledCredosandCurios,atitlethatlaterwouldbegiventoaposthumouscollectionofhiswork.ThurberalsoreturnedtoParisinthisperiod,wherehewrotefortheChicagoTribuneandothernewspapersIn1925,ThurbermovedtoGreenwichVillageinNewYorkCity,gettingajobasareporterfortheNewYorkEveningPost.HejoinedthestaffofTheNewYorkerin1927asaneditor,withthehelpofE.B.WhiteThurberwasmarriedtwice.In1922,ThurbermarriedAltheaAdams.ThemarriagewastroubledandendedindivorceinMay1935.[1]TheyhadadaughterRosemarytogether,andlivedinFairfieldCounty,Connecticut.ThurberremarriedinJune1935toHelenWismer.Thurberdiedin1961,attheageof66,duetocomplicationsfrompneumonia,whichfolloweduponastrokesufferedathishome.Hislastwords,asidefromtherepeatedwordGod,wereGodbless...Goddamn,accordingtoHelenThurber.[LegacyandhonorsEstablishedin1997,theannualThurberPrizehonorsoutstandingexamplesofAmericanhumor.In2008,TheLibraryofAmericaselectedThurber’sstory,ASortofGenius,firstpublishedinTheNewYorker,forinclusioninitstwo-centuryretrospectiveofAmericanTrueCrime.TwoofhisresidenceshavebeenlistedontheU.S.NationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces:hischildhoodThurberHouseinOhioandtheSanford-Curtis-ThurberHouseinFairfieldCounty,Connecticut.WORKS他的短篇小说《沃尔特·米笛的秘密生活》（TheSecretLifeofWalterMitty）1929年瑟伯与E.B.怀特合作发表了第一本小说《性必要吗？》（IsSexNecessary?），幻想小说《十三座钟》（The13Clocks,1950），人物传记《与罗斯一起的年头》（TheYearswithRoss,1959）画册《瑟伯画册》（TheThurberAlbum,1952）散文集《灯笼与长矛》（LanternsandLances,1961）。Part2Characters•Mr.Martin•Cautious:manmaymakemistakes,butMartinneverdoes(p.272)•Tolerant:hehadalwayskeptanoutwardappearanceofpoliteandcalmness(273)•Calm:hedideverythingathisusualspeed•Clever:fromhislast-minuteideainMrs.B’shouse•Mrs.Barrows•Insolent:onthatdayconfusiongotitsfootinthedoor;finemanypeople•Powerful:Mr.Fitweilerhadthegreatestfaithinher(274)•Strong:Mrs.Brescuedthebossfromapowerfullybuiltdrunkenman•Mr.FitweilerTheheadofthefilingdepartmentatF&S,hethinkshighlyofMr.MartinForexample:Mr.Fitweilerhadoncesaid,ManisfalliblebutMartinisn't.Noonewouldseehishand,thatis,unlessitwerecaughtintheact.故事简介•itdescribesthefightbothwithopenandsecretmeansbetweenatimidmancalledMartinandaprettywomanMrs.Barrows..•Atthebeginning,Barrownearlycontrolledthestaff’sfates,i.e.Shetookthecatbirdseat(274).•Attheendofthestory,Martinregainedthecatbirdseatandrubherout.Part3Plot•FirstgoodspeculativemarketskillsofMrs.Barrowsservedaschairmansincesqueeze菲萨SpecialAdviseroftheday,relyingonthefavorofMr.BuffettWheelerdomineeringinthecompany,shesqueezedhiscolleagueswithimpunityandcombatsubordinates,andmadethecompanyutterconfusion,feelinsecure.AsthesayinggoesanxiousrabbitwillbitewhenMartindeadsetBarrosconvincedhiswifetofilefortheMinistrytostartwhen(herhighpicksarehangingintheair,waitingtocarryoutafi