时间:2018-12-07 作者:英语课 分类:原版英文故事与诗歌


英语课

Uncle Tom's Cabinby Harriet Beecher StoweUncle Tom's Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on worldwide attitudes toward African-Americans and slavery. In the United States, it is widely thought to have helped intensify 1 the sectional conflict that led to civil war.


Stowe, a Connecticut-born teacher at the Hartford Female Academy and an active abolitionist, focused the novel on the character of Uncle Tom, a long-suffering Black slave around whose life revolve 2 the stories of other characters—both fellow slaves and slave owners.


Uncle Tom's Cabin was the best-selling novel, and the second best-selling book {following the Bible}, of the 19th century and is credited with helping 3 to fuel the abolitionist cause in the 1850s. In the first year after it was published, 300,000 copies of the book were sold in the United States alone. The book's impact was so great that when Abraham Lincoln met Stowe at the start of the American Civil War, Lincoln is often quoted as having declared, "So this is the little lady who made this big war."


The book also helped create a number of common stereotypes 5 about Blacks, many of which endure to this day. These include the affectionate, dark-skinned mammy; the piccaninny stereotype 4 of black children; and the Uncle Tom, or dutiful, long-suffering servant faithful to his white master or mistress. In recent years, the negative associations with Uncle Tom's Cabin have, to an extent, overshadowed the historical impact of the book as a "vital antislavery tool."


Uncle Tom's cabinPlot summaryEliza escapes with her son, Tom sold "down the river"


The book opens with a Kentucky farmer named Arthur Shelby facing the loss of his farm because of debts. Even though he and his wife (Emily Shelby) believe that they have a benevolent 6 relationship with their slaves, Shelby decides to raise the needed funds by selling two of them—Uncle Tom, a middle-aged 7 man with a wife and children, and Harry 8, the son of Emily Shelby’s maid Eliza—to a slave trader. Emily Shelby hates the idea of doing this because she had promised her maid that her child would never be sold; Emily's son, George Shelby, hates to see Tom go because he sees the old man as his friend and mentor 9.


When Eliza overhears Mr. and Mrs. Shelby discussing plans to sell Tom and Harry, Eliza determines to run away with her son. The novel states that Eliza made this decision not because of physical cruelty, but by her fear of losing her only surviving child (she had already lost two children due to miscarriage). Eliza departs that night, leaving a note of apology to her mistress.


While all of this is happening, Uncle Tom is sold and placed on a riverboat, which sets sail down the Mississippi River. While onboard, Tom meets and befriends a young white girl named Eva. When Eva falls into the river, Tom saves her. In gratitude 10, Eva's father, Augustine St. Clare, buys Tom from the slave trader and takes him with the family to their home in New Orleans. During this time, Tom and Eva begin to relate to one another because of the deep Christian 11 faith they both share.


Eliza's family hunted, Tom's life with St. ClareDuring Eliza's escape, she meets up with her husband George Harris, who ran away previously 12. They decide to attempt to reach Canada. However, they are now being tracked by a slave hunter named Tom Loker. Eventually Loker and his men trap Eliza and her family, causing George to shoot Loker. Worried that Loker may die, Eliza convinces George to bring the slave hunter to a nearby Quaker settlement for medical treatment.


Back in New Orleans, St. Clare debates slavery with his cousin Ophelia who, while opposing slavery, is deeply prejudiced against Black people. St. Clare, however, believes he is not biased 13, even though he is a slave owner. In an attempt to show Ophelia that her views on Blacks are wrong, St. Clare purchases Topsy, a young black slave. St. Clare then asks Ophelia to educate Topsy.


After Tom has lived with the St. Clares for two years, Eva grows very ill. Before she dies she experiences a vision of heaven, which she shares with the people around her. As a result of her death and vision, the other characters resolve to change their lives, with Ophelia promising 14 to love her slaves more, Topsy saying she will better herself, and St. Clare pledging to free Uncle Tom.


Tom sold to Simon LegreeBefore St. Clare can follow through on his pledge, he is fatally stabbed while intervening in a fight. His wife reneges on her late husband's vow 15 and sells Tom at auction 16 to a vicious plantation 17 owner named Simon Legree. Legree (who is not a native southerner but a transplanted Yankee) takes Tom to rural Louisiana, where Tom meets Legree's other slaves, including Emmeline (whom Legree purchased at the same time). Legree begins to hate Tom when Tom refuses Legree's order to whip his fellow slave. Tom receives a brutal 18 beating, and Legree resolves to crush Tom's faith in God. But Tom refuses to stop reading his Bible and comforting the other slaves as best he can. While at the plantation, Tom meets Cassy, another of Legree's slaves. Cassy was previously separated from her son and daughter when they were sold; unable to endure the pain of seeing another child sold, she killed her third child.


At this point Tom Loker returns to the story. Loker has changed as the result of being healed by the Quakers. George, Eliza, and Harry have also obtained their freedom after crossing into Canada. In Louisiana, Uncle Tom almost succumbs 19 to hopelessness as his faith in God is tested by the hardships of the plantation. However, he has two visions—one of Jesus and one of Eva—which renews his resolve to remain a faithful Christian, even unto death. He encourages Cassy to escape, which she does, taking Emmeline with her. When Tom refuses to tell Legree where Cassy and Emmeline have gone, Legree orders his overseers to kill Tom. As Tom is dying, he forgives the overseers who savagely 20 beat him. Humbled 21 by the character of the man they have killed, both men become Christians 22. After Tom's death, George Shelby (Arthur Shelby's son) arrives to buy Tom’s freedom, but finds he is too late.


Final SectionOn their boat ride to freedom, Cassy and Emmeline meet George Harris' sister and accompany her to Canada. Once there Cassy discovers that Eliza is her long-lost daughter who was sold as a child. Now that their family is together again, they travel to France and eventually Liberia, the African nation created for former American slaves. There they meet Cassy's long-lost son. George Shelby returns to the Kentucky farm and frees all his slaves. George tells them to remember Tom's sacrifice and his belief in the true meaning of Christianity.


 



1 intensify
vt.加强;变强;加剧
  • We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
  • They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻,保卫我国的领空。
2 revolve
vi.(使)旋转;循环出现
  • The planets revolve around the sun.行星绕着太阳运转。
  • The wheels began to revolve slowly.车轮开始慢慢转动。
3 helping
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
4 stereotype
n.固定的形象,陈规,老套,旧框框
  • He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
  • There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。
5 stereotypes
n.老套,模式化的见解,有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化,使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )
  • Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
  • It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调,我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
6 benevolent
adj.仁慈的,乐善好施的
  • His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
  • He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人,连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。
7 middle-aged
adj.中年的
  • I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
  • The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。
8 harry
vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼
  • Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天,人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
  • Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
9 mentor
n.指导者,良师益友;v.指导
  • He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
  • He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。
10 gratitude
adj.感激,感谢
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
11 Christian
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒
  • They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
  • His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
12 previously
adv.以前,先前(地)
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
13 biased
a.有偏见的
  • a school biased towards music and art 一所偏重音乐和艺术的学校
  • The Methods: They employed were heavily biased in the gentry's favour. 他们采用的方法严重偏袒中上阶级。
14 promising
adj.有希望的,有前途的
  • The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
  • We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。
15 vow
n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓
  • My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿,每星期日都去做礼拜。
  • I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。
16 auction
n.拍卖;拍卖会;vt.拍卖
  • They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
  • They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。
17 plantation
n.种植园,大农场
  • His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
  • The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。
18 brutal
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的
  • She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
  • They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼,骨子里却是野蛮残忍。
19 succumbs
不再抵抗(诱惑、疾病、攻击等)( succumb的第三人称单数 ); 屈从; 被压垮; 死
  • Eventually the virus prevails and the infected person succumbs to the infection. 最终病毒体会战胜药物,而导致感染者死亡。
  • A German lender succumbs to perverse incentives. Who's next? 一德国贷方受制屈服于非正当(投资)动机。谁将步其后尘?
20 savagely
adv. 野蛮地,残酷地
  • The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
  • He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。
21 humbled
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )
  • Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
  • His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。
学英语单词
(of a silkworm) molt to go through the chrysalis state
amethystanthus japonicus nakai
Ampcoloy
antipodism
arsentsumebite
asymmetric conductivity
autogyro rotor
bacterial calls
ballet british colombia
bioocclusion
biotropic
birth control measure
carried-out
Caryophyllineae
cell granulations
chimney exit diameter
chresard
closer-in
consultation committee
coolant distribution unit
cryptands
Cupressus sempervirens
daylight robberies
direct-geared
dito
domestic staff
electronic band
exceptional performance
eye-blinks
fixture for boring machine
flood-level rim
formrs
green machine
hisds
homatropine eye drops
i could have wept
Iepê
igloo
imagistically
intropressions
isooctyl alcohol
joint and several obligation
laser raman photoacoustic spectrometry
lebanese pounds
line terminator
love beat
main spar
mapmakings
mat-forming
mecke
media check
meta-anthracite
methylmetal-crylates
mixed tumor of submaxillary gland
monarchia
moss locust
muckamuck
Muhamut
musculoligamentous
nitrocellulose varnish
nonstratified crown
Norheimsund
onagers
online monitoring
ooxanthines
order Spirochaetales
oxoglutaric
particulars of goods
pestiferously
postheparin
potato beans
power supply main
precipitron
press agencies
PsLogList
refolds
relieving oppression and masses
rere-county
residence half
restimulates
self-directing missile
single-spindle lathe
slab amplifiers
sode ash
soft-pedalleds
sphericities
static MOS inverter
stratified sand
stringifying
subsonic ejection seat
swallowers
systems analysis and design
target.com
the means of production
tourism area
true folding
uncastigated
uniform heat flux
vestibule floor
visual relief map
width of ruled area