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The Sห้องสมุดไป่ตู้ory:
The Discus Thrower
by Richard Selzer
Questions for Discussion:
What impression do you get of the patient from the description given in the story? List the abnormal behaviors of the patient. How do we understand his abnormality? Read carefully the paragraph about plate-throwing. Why does the writer give such detailed description of it? What is your interpretation of this rather abnormal behavior? Why does the writer choose “The Discus Thrower” as the title? Is it coincidence that the short story has the same title as the famous Greek sculpture Discobolus (Discus Thrower)?
The Theme and the Subject:
The theme of a story is seldom stated explicitly. Instead, it is implied and conveyed through the selection and arrangement of details, and through the actions and reactions of the characters. If the subject of a story is growing up, its theme may be childhood innocence vs. the corrupted adult world. If the subject of a story is about war, it may reveal its theme of the conflict between human nature and patriotism.
Discobolus(公元前5世纪雕刻家Myron所 作青铜像
The Setting:
When the setting dominates, or when a piece of fiction is written largely to present the manners and customs of a locality, the writing is called local color or regionalism.
The Theme and the Subject:
Subject refers to what the story is about, while theme is a general idea that extends beyond the story and applies to the world outside fiction. Subject is the narrator’s contents and concern, while theme is the author’s implication, some comment on values in human nature and conduct.
The Theme:
Certain themes are frequently found in fiction, such as loss of innocence, pain of love, struggle of women for equality, generation conflict, clash between desire and conscience, search for one’s cultural identity and the tension between idealism and reality.
The Setting:
The historical setting refers to the approximate period of time during which a story takes place. The geographical setting refers to the actual location in which a story takes place. The physical setting refers to the various physical attributes of setting, for example, the stormy weather, or the gloomy midnight, which help create a story’s atmosphere. The cultural setting refers to the social conventions and the general environment, for example, the religious, moral, political and emotional conditions by which characters may be constrained.
The Setting and the Theme Reading: Richard Selzer “The Discus Thrower”
The Setting and the Background:
The setting often refers to the geographical location and the historical period in which a literary work is set, but it can mean more than just the background -- the time and the place. It can be a key force in the story. The setting may influence the characters, affect or reflect their emotional state, create a mood for the story, and reinforce the central ideas that the story examines.
