The DrunkardFrank O’Connor, 1948

Language and Comprehension

Mr. Dooley

1. What is Mr. Dooley’s social status and religious background?2. What is father’s relationship with Mr. Dooley?3. How does father react to Mr. Dooley’s death?4. How does the narrator respond to Mr. Dooley’s death?

Terrace

Raised level area of ground

a row of houses on a level above the general surface, or on the face of a rising ground

Dominican （天主教修会）多明我会修道士（或修道女） The Dominican Order （天主教修会）多明

我会，中世纪托钵僧第二个大团体 - famed for its intellectual tradition, having produced many leading theologians and philosophers

The Dominican schools

Rosary beads 玫瑰念珠

Before the Funeral

1.Why does Mother try to stop Father from attending Mr. Dooley’s funeral?

2.What is Father’s great weakness?3.How is Father’s drinking habit different

from others’?4.Do you think the narrator “I”’s

description of the process of Father’s getting drunk believable?

5.What strategy does Mother take when she sees Father is determined to attend the funeral?

Bowler hat常礼帽

At the Funeral

1. What is the funeral like?2. How does it affect Father’s mood?3. What makes Father so pleased at the

funeral? 4. In what tone does Father announce

the end of the funeral? What does the tone indicate?

The Bouncing GoatMischievous & Joyous

After the FuneralIn the Pub

1. What has the narrator “I” done to prevent Father from drinking alcohol?

2. How does Father abort his efforts?3. What does Father order for the son

and himself?4. Why hasn’t Father drunk the beer

immediately?5. Do you find the process of the son’s

stealthy drinking and getting drunk believable?

Shawly women Shawly: (Irish) (also shawlie) a woman

(usu. poor or working-class) who wears a shawl over her head 披肩一直裹到头顶的女人（尤其是贫穷、劳动阶层的女人）

Shawl: (Irish) prostitute Shawly: coquettish, flirtatious 可能指酒店

里穿着披肩的女子卖弄风骚挑逗男人

Cherub one of the second highest order of

angels, usu represented in paintings as a plump child with wings 二级天使（通常绘作圆胖有翼的孩子）

(in art)angelic plump child with wings （艺术上）天使般的圆胖而有翼的孩子；

sweet or innocent-looking child 可爱的或天真无邪的孩子

Begor begorra(h), begad 的变体 an exclamation of surprise, traditionally

attributed to the Irish (alteration of “by God) （用于发誓）天哪，老天爷作证，千真万确（ by God 的委婉用法）

For the benefit of in order to help, guide, or be of service

to; in order to interest, or impress sb （英汉大辞典） 1 ）为了某人的利益，为了给

某人看（听或读）； 2 ）（用于反语）（出于刺激、愚弄等实际目的）为了让某人明白

Whisht (exclamation 感叹词 ) (chiefly Scottish &

Irish) hush (used to demand silence)（示意他人安静的）嘘

Getting back home

1. What do you know about the community’s public / social morals through Father’s behaviour to the drunken son?

2. How does Mother react to the event when she gets home? What does it indicate?

3. Do you agree with Mother that “I” was Father’s “guardian angel”?

Half-door a door of half the usual size, typically

covering the bottom half of an opening (e.g. in a stable)

Wisha (Anglo-Irish Colloq.) an exclamation

indicating dismay, emphasis, or surprise （爱尔兰）（表示惊讶或用作强调成分）哦，哎呀

Half pence / penny (also ha’pence) very small amount

Themes 主题

Ridiculousness and harmfulness of drunkenness Abnormal / wild / uncontrollable

behaviour in drunkenness Damage to body and health harmfulness to family financial situation,

life, relationship and child development Damage to neighbours’ mutual

relationship

Affection and Conflicts among the family Father and Son Mother and Son Husband and Wife

Characters 人物 Father Son Mother Mr. Dooley People at Delaney Lane

Father Well-read: somewhat cultivated – familiar

with Chopin’s Funeral March and Dead March in Saul

Cares for family, wife and children’s well-being: tries to restrain his desire for drink

Mild-tempered: no rude and violent behaviour to son and wife

Not able to resist the temptation of drink absolutely

Outstanding descriptions Mr. Dooley’s image Process of Father’s getting drunk Process of Son’s getting drunk Arrangement of Ironic effect

Dramatic conflict 戏剧性冲突 Father is prepared to fully enjoy a drink

after the funeral. Son wants to act as a brake on Father,

stopping him from drink and from getting drunk, with Mother’s arrangement

Irony 反讽 Father attends the funeral with high

spirit, intending to enjoy a drink. But it turns out that he has tasted not a drop of drink.

Son is arranged to supervise Father, stopping him from drinking alcohol. Yet, he himself gets drunk.

Narration 叙述

The first-person narrator 第一人称叙述者与主要人物父亲的亲密关系使所

叙述的故事带有强烈的情感色彩，成功表现父子、夫妻、母子间的亲情和关爱

第一人称的双重视角加剧父子之间的张力，强化反讽效果，渲染醉酒的可笑和危害

- The retrospective self / point of view 回顾性自我 / 视角 - The experiencing self / point of view 经历性自我 / 视角