消失的丈夫

江蘇 秦 虞

Step 1 感知·閱讀導航

話題導入

Jim與Anne于1960年結婚，住在紐約郊區拉奇蒙特，他們雖然沒有孩子但生活甜蜜。 在1971年的某一個月，Jim連續遇到了幾個小意外，腦部受傷，后突然失憶且失蹤。 之后，Anne一邊外出工作維持生計，一邊堅定地等待他回來。Jim失憶后陰差陽錯到了費城市區，換了名字，開始了沒有過去的生活。1985年，Jim又連續遇到了幾個小意外，竟然恢復了記憶。 恢復記憶后的Jim會回到Anne身邊嗎？ Anne還在堅定地等待他嗎？

本文改編自一篇短篇小說，全文共519詞，建議用時8分鐘。

閱讀目標

1. 把握故事的梗概和主要情節。

2. 體會故事主人公之間恒久的愛及愛的力量。

3. 模仿故事語言風格，合理構思情節，展開讀后續寫，培養想象能力。

Track 01

讀前預熱

Ⅰ. Video time

Have you ever heard the song we played just now?Can you use one word to summarize the apparent theme and the hidden theme of the song?

Ⅱ. Discussion

Have you ever waited for someone? How long did you wait and how did you feel? And what if you wait 14 years for someone?

1The McDonnells lived in a small brick house in Larchmont, a suburb of New York City. Jim was the foreman of mail carriers at the post office. Married in 1960, he and Anne were childless.

2On the evening of the eleventh anniversary of their marriage, carrying out the garbage, Jim Mc-Donnell slipped on icy steps, and struck his head. A few days later, driving to work, he lost control of the car, hit a telephone pole, and banged his forehead against the windshield. The following day he fell off the stairs and banged his head. Found unconscious, he was hospitalized for three days with a cerebral concussion (腦震蕩). One day in the same month, Jim borrowed a friend's station wagon and drove to Kennedy Airport to pick up Anne's brother and family, unaware that the wallet containing his identification had slipped out of his pocket onto the floor of the car. After returning the car, he was never seen again.

3For weeks, Anne walked the house wringing her hands and praying. At night, watching television, she would stare at the armchair where Jim had dozed off evenings. She often dreamed he had come home, only to wake up and find he wasn't there.

4After Jim's disappearance, to earn a living, Anne tried various kinds of jobs; in 1977, she took her current job as a nursing attendant. Anne fell into the habit of working at the hospital on holidays because it was easier if she kept busy. Through it all, she had faith that Jim would return. She kept his clothes in the closet covered to protect them from dust. His razor and can of shaving cream remained in the bathroom cabinet.

5So what really happened to Anne's husband? During his walk home, Jim had indeed blacked out, losing all ability to remember who he was and where he lived. What happened then is unclear.The next thing he knew was that he was in downtown Philadelphia. Seeing signs advertising the services of a James Peters, a real estate broker, Jim adopted James Peters as his own name. He had no past; his only reality was the present. James Peters got a Social Security card, which could be obtained at that time without showing a birth certificate, and took a job in a health club. He also got a night-shift job at the P&P luncheonette, where he became well known for his omelets (煎蛋卷), as well as his kindness and good humor.

6Bernadine Golashovsky, a waitress at P&P, recalls, “My father had died and Jim apparently had no family, so after he started at P&P we adopted each other. He became my father figure, and we—my husband, Pete, our four children and I—were his family. The children loved him.”

7In December, 1985, a woman appeared in his dream again and again. On December 22, 1985,Jim had fallen and banged his head. The next day he had fallen again, striking his head. On December 24, he awoke feeling confused, yet excited. After almost 15 years, he knew who he was!

Step 2 理解·文本解讀

Ⅰ. Story mountain

A. Jim banged his head several times and disappeared and then Anne started working with the faith that he would come back.

B. Jim suddenly recovered his memory.

C. Jim and Anne married and lived in Larchmont in New York City.

Ⅱ. Jim's character

Clues in the text Possible characteristics...carrying out the garbage 1....he became well known for his omelets, as well as his kindness and good humour. 2....we—my husband, Pete, our four children and I—were his family. The children loved him. 3.

Ⅲ. Deep reading

1. Do you think Jim loves Anne deeply? Use evidence from the story to support your opinion.

__________________________________________

2. Do you think Anne loves Jim deeply? Use evidence from the story to support your opinion.

__________________________________________

3. Why did nobody know Jim's past?

__________________________________________

Step 3 運用·讀寫整合

Ⅰ. Predict the plots

1. What would Jim think and do after he recovered his memory?

__________________________________________

2. Do you think Anne is still waiting for Jim?

__________________________________________

3. What would happen if Jim and Anne meet each other again?

__________________________________________

Ⅱ. Explore the theme

What could be the possible theme of the story?

__________________________________________

Ⅲ. Continuation writing

請根據已給出的小說情節、語言特點及所給段落開頭語，續寫兩段，使之構成一篇完整的小說。 詞數應為150左右。

Paragraph 1:

Suddenly, he became scared.

__________________________________________

Paragraph 2:

Anne had just returned home from Christmas Mass, where she lit candles and prayed for Jim.

__________________________________________

Step 4 提升·素養建構

Writing techniques

1. 敘述（narrative writing） VS 描寫（descriptive writing）

敘述和描寫是記敘文和故事中的兩種常用寫作方式。 敘述是指將事情的經過記錄下來，一般采用時間順序或事情發展順序。在時空轉換較多，或為加快敘事節奏時，宜使用敘述。描寫是把人物或景物的狀態具體形象地描繪出來，往往借助感官，如聽覺、視覺、嗅覺等。 在需要突出某個特定場景讓主人公留下深刻印象時，宜使用描寫。 敘述就如全景圖，而描寫就如近景圖，故事寫作中往往會將兩者結合使用。 在本故事中，故事原文時間跨度較大，多采用敘述；在讀后續寫環節展現Jim與Anne相見時的情景時，宜使用描寫，讓故事更具畫面感和沖擊力。

原文最后一段：In December, 1985, a woman appeared in his dream again and again. On December 22, 1985, Jim had fallen and banged his head. The next day he had fallen again, striking his head. On December 24, he awoke feeling confused, yet excited.

此處需快速交代Jim在一個月內的幾次經歷，故采用敘述。

讀后續寫部分的第二段，可使用描寫展現Jim與Anne相見時的動人場景：Anne opened the door—there stood a man with a white beard. Immediately she recognized him. Words failed her. “Hello,Anne,” Jim said. To him, Anne looked a little older but prettier. Anne stroked his face, tears streaming down her face. Then they threw themselves into each other's arms. Christmas bell was ringing, as if bringing the best wishes to this happy couple.

本段融合了多種描寫方式，讓讀者感受到兩人久別重逢后的激動和喜悅，具有較強的感染力。

2. 展示而非講述（to show rather than to tell）

以下方式能夠有效地直接或間接刻畫人物，突出某個場景。

a. 感官描寫

借助感官描寫，如聽覺、視覺、嗅覺、味覺、觸覺等，能創造出身臨其境之感。

b. 多維描寫

刻畫人物、烘托場景時可采用動作描寫、語言描寫、神態描寫、外貌描寫、心理描寫等多維描寫方式展現立體的人物形象或場景。

如讀后續寫部分第二段：Anne opened the door—there stood a man with a white beard. Immediately she recognized him. Words failed her. “Hello, Anne,” Jim said. To him, Anne looked a little older but prettier. Anne stroked his face, tears streaming down her face. Then they threw themselves into each other's arms. Christmas bell was ringing, as if bringing the best wishes to this happy couple.

本段結合了動作描寫、語言描寫、外貌描寫、心理描寫、神態描寫、環境描寫，讓讀者感受到夫妻之間的深情和重逢后的喜悅。

c. 側面描寫

刻畫人物時可使用一些細節或例子展現人物性格特點。 本文通過側面描寫很好地體現了夫妻之間忠貞的愛。

原文中并沒有直接說明Anne對Jim的愛，但我們可以從以下兩個段落中深刻地感受到：

For weeks, Anne walked the house wringing her hands and praying. At night, watching television,she would stare at the armchair where Jim had dozed off evenings. She often dreamed he had come home, only to wake up and find he wasn't there.

... Through it all, she had faith that Jim would return. She kept his clothes in the closet covered to protect them from dust. His razor and can of shaving cream remained in the bathroom cabinet.

這兩段通過描寫Jim剛失蹤不久后Anne失魂落魄的樣子，以及Anne堅信Jim會回來，在家里保留著Jim的衣物，很好地表現了Anne對Jim的愛。

Jim對Anne的愛可從原文最后一段第一句“In December, 1985, a woman appeared in his dream again and again.”看出，失憶多年，妻子Anne突然出現在Jim夢里，這足以體現Anne在他心中的地位。