Part One Warm-up I. Listening Materials a. Love your live . However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not (1) it and call it hard names. You may perhaps have some pleasant, (2) glorious hours, even in a poor-house. The setting sun is (3) from the windows of the alms-house as (4) as from the rich man's abode; the snow (5) before its door as early in the spring. Maybe they are simply great (6) to receive without (7) . Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old, return to them. Sell your clothes and keep your (8). Keys: (1)shun (2) thrilling (3) reflected (4)brightly (5)melts (6) enough (7) misgiving (8) thoughts b. Friends A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and (1) your heart. There's always going to be people that hurt you, so what you have to do is keep on (2) and just be more careful about who you trust next time around. Make yourself a better person and know who you are before you try and know someone else and (3) them to know you. Remember: Whatever happens, happens for a (4). How many people actually have 8 true friends? Hardly anyone I know. But some of us have all (5) friends and good friends. Keys: (1)touches (2)trusting (3)expect (4)reason (5)right c. No man or woman is (1) your tears, and the one who is, won't make you cry. Never (2), even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile. Just because someone doesn't love you the (3) you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have. Don't cry because it is over, smile because it (4). Life is a pure flame, and we live by an (5) sun within us. Keys: (1) worth (2)frown (3)way (4)happened (5)invisible II. About the Author Introduction: Liam O'Flaherty is one of the most significant and important modern Anglo-Irish authors. His novels have not been met with much critical analysis over the last forty years because he stopped publishing work in 1956. Both his novels and his short stories define Anglo-Irish literature in that his themes stem from his experiences growing up in a poverty-stricken society on the island of Aran; his naturalistic, mystical, romantic, and realistic styles were also defined by his experiences in his native Ireland. Chronology of Liam O'Flaherty's Main Works 1923 Thy Neighbour's Wife. First published creative work-a short story, “The Sniper“—appeared on January 12, 1923, in the British Socialist weekly The New Leader 1924 The Black Soul. One of the founders of the short—lived literary magazine To-Morrow. 1924 Spring Sowing 1925 The Informer, which was made into a film of the same name by John Ford. 1925 Civil War. 1928 The Assassin 1932 Skerrett 1934 Shame the Devil 1937 Famine The Short Stories of Liam O'Flaherty 1948 Two Lovely Beasts and Other Stories 1950 Insurrection 1953 Duil [Desire], a collection of most of the short stories which O'Flaherty had written in Gaelic 1956 The Stories of Liam O'Flaherty Liam O’Flaherty became famous because of his novels, especially Famine and The Informer, but his literary reputation rests more heavily upon his short stories. III. Do You Know? Liam O'Flaherty was born in the village of Gort na gCapall, Inishmore, on 28 August 1896. Inishmore is the most northern of the Aran Islands. Gort na gCapall means "The Field of the Horses" and is true to its meaning. The entire area of Inishmore was bleak and harsh. The treeless, flat, rocky ground was almost too shallow for any crops to grow. Such a harsh land affected O'Flaherty immensely: I was born on a storm-swept rock and hate the soft growth of sunbaked lands where there is no frost in men's bones. Swift thoughts, and the swift flight of ravenous birds, and the squeal of terror of hunted animals to me reality. I have seen the leaping salmon fly before the salmon whale, and I have seen the sated buck horn his mate, and the wanderer leave his wife in search of fresh bosoms with the fire of joy in his eye. For me, that man is great who is his own God and the slave man is a harnessed lout who jingles the coppers of his hire in the scales of mediocrity (Doyle 18). The area of Inishmore was also quite poverty stricken. Poverty, famine, and death were something that the people of Gort na gCapall dealt with every day (Sheeran 15). The people struggled with feeding large families on little or no food. Also, the people had little means of earning money or removing themselves from the poverty. The common occupations in Gort na gCapall were as landowners, such as Liam O'Flaherty's father, and fishermen. Another common practice was to haul sand from the shore in order to mix it with seaweed and silt in order to turn "bare rock into tillage land" (Sheeran 15). O'Flaherty had both an admiration and hatred for the poor. They give him both a romantic quality in describing the plight of the common man but also "frequently fill him with misanthropy" (Doyle 18). Among the people of Gort na gCapall were many orphans and widows. Because of the hard life, many people died early, either from starvation, disease, or drowning in the ocean in an attempt to catch fish to feed the family. O‘Flaherty describes the life in such a harsh place as: … terribly intense. There, not only extreme poverty, but the very position of the island foster in the human mind those devils of suspicion and resentment which make ingratitude seem man's strongest vice. The surrounding sea, constantly stirred into fury by storms that cut off communication with the mainland, always maintains in the mind of the inhabitants a restless anxiety, which has a strong bearing on character, sharpening the wits and heightening the energy, but at the same time producing a violent instability of temperament (Doyle 17). A somewhat different description of the Aran Islands was given by John Millington Synge in The Aran Islands. This work is important in that it was a sore point for O'Flaherty. The description provided in The Aran Islands, written at intervals between 1898 and 1901, was very different than the life O'Flaherty actually led. The book provided an inspiration for O'Flaherty later on in life to give a proper description. The mist and fog of Inishmore also proved to be a defining factor for the young O'Flaherty. As a youngster, he was fascinated with the mystical qualities present in the melancholy atmosphere of his homeland. He was enthralled by the "mystical dreams and mystical terrors" of the land (Doyle 18). He became preoccupied with ancient ruins in the form of the "numerous prehistoric pagan and early Christian monuments" of Aran (Doyle 18). O'Flaherty, through his mystical fascination, became a brooding youngster who undertook "gloomy meditation" (Doyle 18). The enjoyment of the mystical pasts of Ireland also furthered a naturalistic movement inside of O'Flaherty, which is quite evident in his short stories. O'Flaherty does not deal with the harsh life in Inishmore for a great deal in his autobiographies because of a sense of family pride (Sheeran 22). His own upbringing is only a source of experiences on which to create a greater imagination and draw a picture in his novels and short stories. In 1908, a priest of the Holy Ghost order from Rockwell College in County Tipperary came to the Aran Islands in order to recruit some youngsters for the priesthood (Doyle 18). O'Flaherty was at the top of his class and showed imagination in his unusual brooding manner. He was therefore pointed out to the priest that further educational opportunities should be given to him. His education at Rockwell College would be practically free. O'Flaherty still did well enough at Blackrock to receive an entrance scholarship to University College, Dublin. He again, despite his retrospective aversion to the Church, contemplated the priesthood once again and was accepted at the Dublin Diocesan Seminary at Clonliffe. The experience at the University College was not a good one though. O'Flaherty's life took an odd twist when he dropped out of University College and enlisted in the British Army in 1915. Three reasons exist as to why O'Flaherty made such a drastic move. First, O'Flaherty was rather disillusioned with the Republican cause because its leaders were not as violent and apt to rebel as O'Flaherty would have liked. He felt that they were overly cautious with Republican actions (Doyle 20). In 1920, O'Flaherty returned to Ireland. He became active in Communist activities. The Communist Party of Ireland was started by the son of James Connolly, Roderic Connolly, who was the first president. O'Flaherty was active within the party (Cahalan 193). During the Irish Civil War, O'Flaherty and a group of unemployed men gained control of the Rotunda in Dublin and raised the Communist flag over the building (Doyle 21). O'Flaherty soon joined the Irish Republican Army in an attempt to overthrow the Free State forces to no avail. On 6 December 1922, the Free State was officially established. O'Flaherty lost his spirit of activism and turned his efforts to writing (Cahalan 195). Liam O'Flaherty is an often overlooked, though quite prolific, Irish writer. His writings are hard to quantify. He vacillates from the romantic to the realistic to the naturalistic to the mystical. O'Flaherty never really found his place in society, which may have actually helped his writings. His abandonment led to imaginative insights. His rebellious nature led to a passion for his writings. The mythical history of Ireland and his impoverished upbringing affected O'Flaherty for the remainder of his life. The unique author Liam O'Flaherty died in Dublin on 7 September 1984. IV. Warming-up Questions 1. Do you know that proper words can drive people’s dissatisfactions and tiredness way? Give an example from the text. 2. Do you know how to sow potatoes? Describe it in your own words. 3. What’s your opinion of being a farmer? V. Warming-up Activities 1. Try to work out a list of words or expressions used in sowing. 2. Please give a simple character sketch of the couple. Part Two Background information I. More About the Author’s Hometown The Aran Islands The Aran Islands comprise three islands (Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Óirr) located at the mouth of Galway Bay. The names are Irish language for “the big island”, “the middle island”, “the south island” respectively. The Aran Islands are rich in the language, culture and heritage of Ireland. Inishmore Inishmore (or Inis Mórin Irish) is the largest of the three Aran islands. Its principal village is Kilronan where there is a good, deep harbour. An excellent Visitor's Centre, Ionad Arainn, provides a solid introduction to the history and culture of the island. Sites to see include the interesting remains of Arkin's Castle, a Cromwellian fort that maintained a garrison during the 17th and 18th centuries. Saint Ciaran's Monastery, east of the village, where can be seen also several early cross-slabs, pillars and a holy well dedicated to the early saint. Also in this locality is the very early Saint Soorney's Church. To the west of Kilronan is the church of Saint Enda, the saint most closely identified with the spread of Christianity on Aran. Kilmurvy is the other main village on Inishmore; it lies about 7km west of Kilronan, and in its vicinity is the Church of Saint Colman MacDuagh, and the Church of the Saints. Dun Aonghasa Undoubtedly the most famous and impressive site on Inishmore is the great stone fortress of Dun Aonghasa—the largest of the prehistoric stone forts of the Aran Islands. It is perched spectacularly on the edge of a sheet 100m (300ft) cliff that falls away into the Atlantic Ocean. It is enclosed by three massive dry-stone walls and a "chevaux-de-frise" consisting of tall blocks of limestone set vertically into the ground to deter attackers. The fort is about 900 metres from the visitor centre and is approached over rising ground. Wheelchair access is available to the visitor centre, but not to the fort. Inishmann Inishmann (Inis Meáinin Irish, meaning the "the middle island") also contains both kinds of monuments, notably the ancient Kilcanonagh Church, the 15th century Templemurray, and fragments of Templeshaghtmacree, or the Church of the King's Seven Sons. Prehistoric times are represented by the superb oval stone fort of Dun Chonchubhair. There is one church on the island with beautiful Harry Clarke Studio windows. Also only one pub which is thatched and kept in the old traditional style. There is no bank on the island, so the bank flies in with Aer Arann once a month for business. An Dun is an excellent restaurant with award winning food set near the base of Dun Chonchubhair, a beautifully preserved prehistoric fort. Inis Óirr Inishere (Inis Óirr in Irish, meaning "the south island") is the smallest of the three islands with a population of only about 300 people. Despite its size you can still find pubs, B&Bs, a hotel and a campsite and there is plenty to do and see. Inis Óirr is geologically similar to the Burren in County Clare, comprising mostly of rock. Like the Burren, many rare and exotic flowers and plants grow there. II. Ireland Geography Small-beaked and wing-clipped, Ireland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean which appears about to alight on the coast of Britain 80km to the west across the Irish Sea. Its cities are small, so it's never far to isolated sweeps of mountains or boglands. Much of Ireland's elevated ground is close to the coast, and almost the entire Atlantic seaboard is a bulwark of cliffs, hills and mountains, with few safe anchorages. Most of the centre of the island is composed of flat farmland or raised bogs. This area is drained by the 260km long Shannon, which enters the sea west of Limerick. Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 7% in 1995—2004. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. III. The Potato Comes to Ireland Many countries in Europe paid very little attention to the arrival of the potato from the New World. This is because most countries already grew enough food to feed their population, and so there was no reason to grow a new vegetable in large numbers. However, the situation was different in Ireland. During the 1500's Ireland was torn apart by constant warfare between the country’s English rulers and Irish inhabitants, and between local nobles who were always fighting one another. As a result of these continual conflicts, Ireland's peasant farmers had a hard time growing enough food to feed themselves, let alone anyone else. It was into this starving, war-torn Ireland that the potato was introduced around the year 1600. No one is sure exactly who introduced the potato to Ireland. Some believe it was the famous English explorer, sea captain and poet, Walter Raleigh. Others speculate that the potato washed up on the beaches of Ireland as part of the shipwreck of the Spanish Armada, which had sunk off the Irish coast in a violent storm. However it arrived, one thing can be said for certain—the potato caught on very quickly in Ireland. The potato's popularity was based on the potato producing more food per acre than any other crops Irish farmers had grown before. In peaceful times the potato spread throughout Ireland as a healthy and reliable source of food. In times of war it was popular as well. When soldiers destroyed farmers' crops and livestock—as soldiers often did—, the potato would survive because it was hidden, and buried below ground. When the soldiers left, people could still dig up potatoes and eat them. Ireland was the first country in Europe where the potato became a major food source. By the 1800's, the potato was so important in Ireland that some of the poorer parts of the country relied entirely on the potato for food. Because the potato was so abundant and could feed so many people, it allowed the population of Ireland to grow very quickly. By 1840, the country’s population had swelled—from less than three million in the early 1500's to a staggering eight million people—largely thanks to the potato. Some men and women tried to warn everyone that it was dangerous for so many people in one place to be dependent on just one crop. Unfortunately, no one listened to their warnings. Part Three Text Appreciation I. Text Analysis 1. Theme The simple life, honest nature and good wishes of the newly-married couple are presented through the descriptions of their spring planting in minute detail. It reveals the traditional virtues of a typical farmer: hard work, simple living, discipline, and above all, strong sense of responsibility for the happiness of his wife and family. 2. Text Structure Part 1 (Paras. 1—8):The young couple’s preparations for the first day of their first spring sowing Part 2 (Paras. 9—23): A detailed description of the spring sowing. Part 3 (Paras. 24—26): The young couple’s yearnings for the future 3. General Analysis Question: What kind of a harvest were the newly-weds going to have in the first day of their first spring sowing? For the young couple, the first day of their first spring sowing was an extremely important day, because it not only would determine the crop they would harvest in autumn, but also would show what kind of wife and husband they would prove to each other and what kind of family they were going to have. 4. Further Questions on Appreciation Further Questions on Appreciation 1. What values and moral principles are being idealized here? Is it still the same today? Do you agree that the traditional work ethic is out of date? Are such qualities as hard work, diligence, thrift, responsibility, discipline, simple and honest living, rugged individualism and self-reliance, etc. still valued? 2. What changes have taken place in social ethics since our grandfathers’ time? Is there anything that remains unchanged? 3. Let’s pretend that you are Martin Delaney or Mary living in the 21st century. What kind of a person would you like to have as your wife or husband? What qualities would you like to find in your spouse? II. Writing Device Onomatopoeia Definition: The use of words that by their sound suggest their meaning. Some onomatopoetic words are “hiss”, “buzz”, “whirr”, “sizzle”, “crack”. However, onomatopoeia in the hands of a poet or a writer becomes a much more subtle device than simply the use of such words. Outside, cocks were crowing and a white streak was rising from the ground. (Para. 1) … he turned up the first sod with a crunching sound as the grass roots were dragged out of the earth. (Para. 13) She was just munching her bread and butter. (Para. 17) The rasping noise carried a long way in the silence. (Para. 19) Cows were lowing at a distance. (Para. 26) A notable example appears in The Princess by Tennyson: The moan of doves in immemorial elms, And murmuring of innumerable bees. … I have ever heard—the ripple of the river, the soughing of the trees swayed by the wind, the murmurs of the crowds, the faint ring of incomprehensible words cried from afar, the whisper of a voice speaking from beyond the threshold of an eternal darkness. IV. Sentence Paraphrase 1. ... While Mary raked out the live coals that had lain hidden in the ashes… (Para. 1) raked out: to clear fireplace by shaking and pulling a toll inside it live coals: burning coals had lain hidden in the ashes: had been buried under the ashes 2. it was hateful leaving a warm bed at such an early hour. (Para. 2) it was hateful leaving: “It + link verb + adj./noun + present participle” is a common way of commenting on what you are doing or experiencing. Instead of present participles, you can use the infinitive. E.g. It’s been nice talking to you. It’s difficult trying to persuade a person like Ricky. It’s important to kno