Unit 12 Starting Over 85

1. Unit 12 Starting Over 85 By Lawrence Grobel

2. Unit Overview In this unit you will : • Read about how an old man started over at the age of 85 • Take a test in fast reading • Read the story of a woman who fought to overcome her illiteracy • Know something about the film star—Katharine Hepburn

3. About the author: Lawrence Grobel is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in the N.Y. Times, Newsday, Playboy, Rolling Stone, Reader's Digest, Details, Modern Maturity, Movieline, Architectural Digest, Writer's Digest and numerous other publications. He is the author of Conversations with Capote, Conversations with Brando, The Hustons, Talking with Michener, Above the line: Conversations About the Movies, and Endangered Species: Writers Talk About Their Craft, Their Visions, Their Lives. He is the recipient of an NEA (national editorial association全国编辑协会) Fellowship for Fiction and a Pen Special Achievement Award for his book on Truman Capote. He currently teaches a course on " The Art of the Interview" in the English Department at University of California.

4. About James Michener James Michener(1907-1997) was a New York-born novelist. After graduation from Swarthmore study at Colorado State College, he was led into literature by his naval experiences in World War Two. In his memoirs, The World is My Home, he wrote that he was determined to explore the world once he saw the road outside his childhood home in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He was famous for his novels, which were mostly realistic. Michener was more adept (a. 熟练的,老练的) at getting the Americans to learn about the alien environment than any other American novelists. At the end of his autobiography Michener expressed his hope that young travelers aspiring to become writers would be encouraged by his life. But most of all, he said he wanted to be remembered by the row of his books resting on library shelves throughout the world.

5. About the hero of the story 1. He was a foundling of humble origin; was brought up by a poor widow; attended college with scholarship. 2. He taught and edited books; worked on a coal barge (in the Mediterranean Sea); collected folk songs (near Scotland); joined the Navy during WW II (where he compiled colorful fictional accounts). 3. In 1948, “Tales of the South Pacific” won a Pulitzer Prize, he rose from a poor humble boy to a successful writer with a large fortune.

6. Questions 1. What are the 2 incidents changing his life? 1) a set of Balzarc’s books; 2) the principal’s despising of poor people. 2. What made him decide to donate his large fortune to the cause of education? 1) His own experience: couldn’t get good education because of poverty, kew clearly that many talented poor men need finacial support to realize their dream; 2) the principal’s despising of poor people.

7. 3. Do you like Michener? What in him do you appreciate most? How did he differ from other old people/rich people you know or have heard about? What I appreciate him most is his courage to give away all his property and start over again. Michener was completely different from some of the old people who I have known. In most cases, the old people retire and begin to enjoy the peaceful, affluent and comfortable life when they have accumulated sufficient wealth for themselves to rely on. Although Michener was an 85-year-old man, he was brave enough to challenge his age. He was really a great figure.

8. 4. Why did Michener say that his life had been, in its way, a fable for its times? Michener said that his life had been a fable for their times, because he made a large fortune entirely through his own efforts. He started with nothing. He was born a foundling and enjoyed no benefaction. It was really a slow and hard struggle for him to gain so large a fortune. Everyone thought that Michener would rest on his achievement, but he chose to donate all his money. His action gave everyone a big surprise, for he didn't keep some to sustain himself. The people had got accustomed to the fact that the wealthy ones often made some donations, but Michener was the only one who started with nothing and gave away all he had at such an old age.

9. 5. Two incidents in Michener's childhood changed him greatly. Discuss the effects of the two incidents upon Michener. One incident that affected Michener was that a salesman sold a set of Balzac books to his aunt. The books roused his interest in writing and impressed him deeply. The other incident that had effect on Michener was that the principal despised poor people like Michener. Michener was determined to earn money to become rich and to dedicate his money to helping the poor students to go on with their education.

10. Language notes: 1. …he gave away his last 15 million dollars and started all over again. give away: give as a present/ give (sth) free of charge 2. Nevertheless, Hana told me it was really important that she talk to him. （ 尽管这样，海娜还是告诉我说，能与麦切纳谈一谈，对她来讲真的很重要。） Pay attention to the subjunctive mood used in the that-clause after the word important. It is a way to express emphasis. 3."I've just given away my last 15 million dollars－all my money." （“我刚刚捐出了我最后的一千五百万美元——我所有的钱。”） Here give away means to get rid of something by giving. 4. I'm going to have to make do with what she's got and with whatever I can earn from future books. (我以后得靠她的收入和写书赚钱来维持生计了。） Make do with means to use something even though it may not be exactly what is wanted or needed.

11. 5. Michener had heard how the talented student had to drop out of school to work. (米切纳曾经听人讲过，这位才华出众的学生是如何被迫辍学去工作的。) Drop out means to stop attending or taking part. 6. During the week I was with him in Maine, he had been called daily regarding his offer to fund a writing program there. (在我与他一同呆在缅因州的一周内，每天都有电话打来，与他商谈他要资助一个当地写作项目的事。) Regarding is used as a preposition meaning on the subject of or in connection with or concerning. 7. We're bearing up under it. (我们正在英勇搏斗。） Bear up means to show courage or strength by continuing in spite of difficulties.