our-town分析

Ourtown---ThorntonWilder2010级英语6班ContentsThorntonWilderCharactersSynopsis(剧情简介)symbolsThemeQuestionsThorntonNivenWilder：BornonApril17,1897,inMadison,heisthesonofanAmericandiplomat,spentpartofhischildhoodinYantai,China,attheProtestantMissionSchoolthere.BacktoAmericabecauseoftheunstablesituationinChina.WenttoBerkleySchoolandtookhisBachelor’sDegreeofArtsatYaleUniversityin1920.TaughtliteratureattheUniversityofChicagofrom1930to1937.AmongotherplayshewrotewereTheSkinofOurTeeth,andTheMatchmaker1954.Wilderalsowroteseveralnovels,themostfamousofwhichisTheBridgeofSanLuisRey.WilderwonaPulitzerPrizeforthatbookandanotherforOurTown.WilderdiedonDec.7,1975,inHamden,Conn.OurtownThecast(人物表）:StageManager-Thehostoftheplayandthedramaticequivalentofanomniscientnarrator.故事的叙述者GeorgeGibbs乔治-Dr.andMrs.Gibbs’sson.Adecent,upstandingyoungman.正派、有主见的年青人EmilyWebb艾米丽-Mr.andMrs.Webb’sdaughterandWally’soldersister.Dr.Gibbs-George’sfatherandthetowndoctor.Mrs.Gibbs-George’smotherandDr.Gibbs’swife.Mr.Webb-Emily’sfatherandthepublisherandeditoroftheGrover’sCornersSentinel.Mrs.Webb-Emily’smotherandMr.Webb’swife.Mrs.Soames-AgossipywomanwhosingsinthechoiralongwithMrs.WebbandMrs.Gibbs.小镇上一个爱搬弄是非的妇女SimonStimson-Thechoirmaster,whosealcoholismandundisclosed“troubles”havebeenthesubjectofgossipinGrover’sCornersforquitesometime.经常酗酒，一度引起小镇人的不满RelationshipGeorgeGibbsMrs.WebbEmilyWebbDr.GibbsMr.WebbfatherLOVEMrs.GibbsmotherfatherMrs.SoamesFriendStageManagerStageManagermotheromniscientnarratorSimonStimsonchoirmasterAnalysisofMajorCharactersStageManager：EveryactbeginsandendswiththeStageManager’sannouncementsHefrequentlyinterruptstheplay’saction,providingtheaudiencewithrelevantinformationSo,heissomeonewhoworksbehindthescene.EmilyWebb:kindandfrank，getnewunderstandingaboutlifeafterherdeath善良、坦率,死后得到了对生活的新的认识Emily:George,you’vegotawfulconceitedandstuck-up(自命不凡),.......,I’msorry,butIcan’tbesorryIsaidit.-----FrankEmily:Soallthatwasgoingonandwenevernoticed...Dohumanbeingeverrealizelifewhiletheyliveit?Newunderstanding(humanbeingsfailtorecognizethetransienceoflifeandtoappreciateitwhileitlasts.)GeorgeGibbs:decentandupstandingGeorgeisahighschoolbaseballstarwhoplanstoattendtheStateAgriculturalSchoolafterhighschool.HiscourtshipofEmilyWebbandeventualmarriagetoheriscentraltotheplay’slimitednarrativeaction.WilderusesGeorgeandEmily’srelationshiptoponderthequestionsofloveandmarriageingeneral.Plotoverview(剧情简介)ActI:DailyLifeIntheopeningscene,thestageislargelyempty,exceptforsometablesandchairsthatrepresentthehomesoftheGibbsandWebbfamilies.AftertheStageManager’sintroduction,theactivitiesofatypicaldaybegin.Themilkmanandthepaperboymaketheirdeliveryrounds.Mrs.GibbsandMrs.Webbmakebreakfast,sendtheirchildrenofftoschool,andmeetintheirgardenstogossip.Thetwowomenalsodiscusstheirmodestambitions,andMrs.GibbsrevealsthatshelongstovisitParis.ActII:LoveandMarriageThreeyearspassandGeorgeandEmilypreparetowed.Thedayisfilledwithstress.HowieNewsomeisdeliveringmilkinthepouringrainwhileSiCrowell,youngerbrotherofJoe,lamentshowGeorge'sbaseballtalentswillbesquandered.Georgepaysanawkwardvisitwithhissoon-to-bein-laws.Here,theStageManagerinterruptsthesceneandtakestheaudiencebackayear,totheendofEmilyandGeorge'sjunioryear.EmilyconfrontsGeorgeabouthispride,andoveranicecreamsoda,theydiscussthefutureandtheirloveforeachother.ActIII:DeathandEternityActIIItakesplacenineyearslater,inacemeteryonahilltopoverlookingthetown.Emilyhasdiedinchildbirthandisabouttobeburied.Asthefuneraltakesplace,thedeadspeak,servingasdetachedwitnesses.Deathhasrenderedthemlargelyindifferenttoearthlyevents.Emilyjoinsthedead,butshemissesherpreviouslifeanddecidestogobackandrelivepartofit.TheothersoulsdisapproveandadviseEmilytostayinthecemetery.WiththeaidoftheStageManager,Emilystepsintothepast,revisitingthemorningofhertwelfthbirthday.Emilynowhasanostalgicappreciationforeverydaylifethatherparentsandtheotherlivingcharactersdonotshare.Shebecomesagonizedbythebeautyandtransienceofeverydaylifeanddemandstobetakenbacktothecemetery.symbolsTheTimeCapsule(时间仓)thetimecapsuleembodiesthehumandesiretokeeparecordofthepast.Accordingly,italsosymbolizestheideathatcertainpartsofthepastdeservetoberememberedoverandaboveothers.HowieNewsomeandtheCrowellBoys1.HowieandtheCrowellboysillustratethisconstancyofsmalltownlife.2.HowieandtheCrowellsrepresentnotonlythestabilityoflifeinGrover’sCorners,butthestabilityofhumanlifeingeneral.3.Themilkmanandthepaperboysembodythepersistenceofhumanlifeandthecontinuityofthehumanexperiencefromyeartoyear,fromgenerationtogeneration4.ThefactthatSireplaceshisbrotherJoeshowsthatthetransienceofindividuallivesactuallybecomesastabilizingforce.theme1.THEIMPORTANCEOFLOVELoveismentionedofteninOurTown,andastheplayprogressesyouaregivenexamplesofdifferenttypesoflove.InActIyouseefamilyloveandfriendship.Parentsandchildrenloveeachotherandneighborsloveeachother,justasideallytheyshould.InActII,youseeromanticlove,culminatinginmarriage,againasideallyitshould.InActIIIyouseethekindoflovethatisperhapshardesttounderstand,spiritual,selflesslo