资源描述：
《The First Seven Years资料》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在教育资源-天天文库。
1、TheFirstSevenYears:CriticalOverviewWithitsJewishimmigrantcharacterslivingindingysurroundingsandburdenedbytheweightoflife’scares,‘‘TheFirstSevenYears’’isarepresentativeMalamudstory.IthasbeenhighlyregardedeversinceitspublicationinMalamud’scollectionofstories,TheMagicBarrel(1958).Forexampl
2、e,WilliamPedencommentedintheNewYorkTimes,‘‘[Malamud]possessesagiftforcharacterizationthatisoftenbreathtaking.Hislonelyshoemakers,despondentgraduatestudentsandsicknessriddenshopkeepersarebrilliantlyindividualized.’’TheFirstSevenYears:SummaryFeldtheshoemakerandhisassistantSobelareworkinga
3、ttheirbenchesonasnowyFebruaryday.FeldthinksaboutMax,ayoungmanheadmiresforhisdedicationtopursuinghiseducation.HecontrastsMax’sdeterminationwiththelackofinteresthisdaughterMiriamshowsineducation.AtthatmomentMaxbringsinapairofshoesforrepair.Feldtakeshimaside,outofSobel’shearing,andaskswhet
4、herMaxwouldliketomeetMiriam.AfterMaxseesapictureofMiriamandasksafewquestionsabouther,heagreestogetintouchwithher.FeldgiveshimMiriam’stelephone...TheFirstSevenYears:IntroductionWrittenin1950,‘‘TheFirstSevenYears’’waspublishedinBernardMalamud’sfirstcollectionofshortstories,TheMagicBarrel,
5、in1958.ThestoryisaboutFeld,aJewishshoemakerwhoseeksasuitablehusbandforhisdaughterMiriam.ButsheisnotinterestedinhischoiceofMax,acollegestudent.Feldsoondiscoversthathisassistant,Sobel,aPolishJewishrefugee,isinlovewithMiriam,andthatshereturnshisaffections.MiriamseesspiritualqualitiesinSobe
6、l,butFeldisdismayedbecausehewantshertodobetterforherself.Feldisfacedwithamoralchoice:willheallowSobeltowedMiriam?Canheputhisdaughter’sfeelingsabovewhathethinksisappropriateforher?CanhelearntoseeinSobelwhatMiriamseesinhim?Intheclimaxofthestory,FeldtellsSobelthatifheworksfortwomoreyears,m
7、akingseveninall,hecanaskMiriamforherhandinmarriage.Hencethetitleofthestory,whichisanallusiontotheBiblicalstoryofhowJacoblaboredintheserviceofLabanforsevenyearstowinthehandofRebecca,whomheloved.‘‘TheFirstSevenYears’’isoneofmanystoriesMalamudwroteaboutJewishimmigrantslivinginNe故事
