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(Para. 2)He closed his eyes(searched his memory)an instant, but opening them his face lit up as though he had struck a match in a dark room一闪而过的兴奋使他脸上露出光彩。

(Para. 9)He interrupted her, \waitress. \

He was self-centered, not interested in what Vera said, nor encouraged her to talk about herself.

(Para. 26)She broke in: \Vera was very eager to know about his life in the past six years. It showed she was considerate, and cared about him. (Para. 29)He gave a strange half laugh (To show him superior to her, indicating that he was quite contented, a little showing off, and proud.)and leaned back in his chair. (Later he pursued his topic further, not caring about Vera at all. That hurt her very much, but he enjoyed it. ) (Para. 31)As he spoke, so lightly, tapping the end of his cigarette against the ashtray,…

Without any consideration of Vera, he was very content: It was no big deal. (Para. 31)she felt the strange beast…

She'd burst with her desire for those were the very places that she had long wanted to go to.

(Para. 41)She shivered, hearing the boatman's song break out again loud and tragic, and seeing…

She was very sensitive to art and music and she felt excited as the man was describing the beautiful picture.

(Para. 42)\

It is so informal, so impulsive, so free a picnic by the Black Sea in the evening; champagne; eating and drinking on the grass; a coachman; a dill pickle so right for him; so free, so impulsive

(Paras. 43 and 44)I know perfectly what you mean…

Vera could imagine even more than the man described. she was more emotionally involved in painting and therefore enjoyed more than the man(Para. 45)like mournful lovers. They love each other but feel sad for some reason. The greatest wish for them is to die together, like Romeo and Juliet(Para. 46)Was there just a hint of mockery in his voice? she could not be sure.

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Question 1: How came she had such a feeling that he mocked her by saying \

By saying so, the man did mock her. She only kept listening and said nothing. In his mind, she should be full of regret for deciding the end of their love. Question 2: Was she sure about the mockery later? Proof 1:

(Para. 52)It seems such ages ago. that particular nightImplication: Although it was only 6 years, it appeared that he had practically forgotten everything about their past love. But to Vera, she could even remember the details clearly.

Proof 2:Para. 52 … I had to take such a leap back to that time. Implication: 1.I had ceased to cherish that memory.

2.I had forgotten you long ago

Proof 3:

Para. 52 … although at the time that letter nearly finished my life. I found… and I couldn't help laughing as I read it.

Implication: To write such a break-up letter was very difficult for Vera. The letter reminded them of the heart-broken feeling and it finished both the man and the woman. But he trivialized the letter, and even mocked the letter, which hurt Vera deeply.

Question: What was Vera's response to the man's painful hurt?

Para. 53 She had buttoned her collar again and drawn down her veil.

Mentioning of the letter hurt her very much, but he was not aware of the hurt. She tried to control herself.

Para. 54 Now, she knew he'd been mocking. (Turn to the original novel) She now heard a hint of mockery, for he mocked the letter. Question: What made her anger die away? Paras. 55—58

He expressed his desire to hold her back.

He was still attractive and sometimes could say beautiful and sweet words. Para. 58… as though she drank something; (sth. needed to enjoy what he said)

the strange( her long love and desire for the man)beast in her bosom…Paras. 59—63

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By saying \women whose marriage was driven by material life. To some extent, the man understood Vera more than anyone else. He was probably the only man who really understood her.

For Vera, after hearing his sweet words, she seemed to regret having rejected the man's marriage proposal and doubted the possibility to change her decision and renew their relationship.

Paras. 64—65Apparently he understood himself and Vera as well, both of whom were single and lonely. But Vera was not like him:

She was more lonely than others because what she pursued was a spiritual life and a true lover who could really understand her. Vera kept a lot of space in her heart for the man. She loved him and was fully occupied by him, which he could not understand.

He was lonely because he was too self-centered and egoistic (fatal weakness), and he did not care about her. He really had no corner in his heart for anybody else, even for Vera.

After ThoughtInterpreting character feelings:

An interpreting effect is created by the difference with regard to what the characters say and what they feel. In a case, the reader has to do a lot of \appreciate the story fullyThe woman What she says:

She hesitated, but of course she meant to \What she is feeling:

After all these years I'd love to speak to him. The man What he says:

Really for the moment I didn't know you. How the reader judges it:

What a hurtful thing to say: He couldn't recognize her after only 6 years. 1. Character Analysis (Close Reading)

Vera's changePhysical ChangesSix years ago: beautiful, happy

Six years later: poor, less better off,in poor healthSpiritual ChangesSix years ago: nothing to worry about, suppressing her dream and desire, longing, aspiration (together with the man) Six years later:fragile,(ill not so well) fragile but strong-willed (for the fact that she resisted the temptation) too romantic (she focused too much on spiritual life)Unchanged personalitySix years ago:

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belonging to the leisure class well-educated (she used to know a lot of flowers, Para. 13)

Six years later: still well-educated, middle- class, but now in a very difficult situationsensitive and tolerant (because she was very considerate and sensitive to other's feelings, not willing to hurt others) feminist: a spirit of sacrifice (If she couldn't gain spiritual satisfaction, she would give up.)

One point she kept for 6 yearsSix years ago Six years later

She never told the man why she left him. She wanted the man to feel her desire rather than tell him. That just created such trouble: She wanted this, but the man was insensitive.

The man's change more changesSix years agoyoung, handsome, good-looking

Six years laterstill very sweet, far better looking (material looking, well-dressed, admirable clothes) Change in appearance

Change in financial status: poor----financially secure (he made money), well-traveled, quite experienced Change in experience:

Six years ago: young, unpractical, out of all proportion to the occasionSix years later: attractive, experienced, mature, very sophisticated, confident (behaving with an air of man)Change in career

Six years agovague about future and life, dreamy, indecisive.

He had not then found his careerSix years later: successful, having established his reputation

Unchanged personality: self-centered, insensitive, talkative, conceited, inconsiderateWhat they have in common:

interest in music, traveling and loneliness (both were lonely) Implication of the TitleQuestions: ?When do people eat dill pickles?

?What's the main function of dill pickles?

Normally, people usually eat them during the meals in order to stir up their appetite.

Question: How does a dill pickle taste?

A dill pickle tastes sour, spicy, bitter and sweet.

Implication: It symbolizes the feeling of Vera, a mixture of flavors. Question: After you tasted dill pickles, would you enjoy them a lot?

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After you tasted dill pickles, you wouldn't enjoy them very much, because they are not a luxury. They only serve as appetizer. You would not use them as a main courseDill Pickles They are very sour but something about them makes you have to finish them. You rarely ever see a half eaten pickle. The story has a weird conversation between two past lovers who made plans to do things together. They split and the guy accomplished the plans by himself and is telling her about them. She obviously doesn't like him any more and shows little interest in his story. She always wanted to go to Russia and now that he has gone there without her she could care less. She is now applying her feelings toward him to Russia. The dill pickle symbolizes the changes she has had like a cucumber changing flavor when it's pickled.

A dill pickle is rather bitter in taste and throughout the whole conversation the reader gets the impression that Vera is sort of bitter towards the man she is talking to. For example, he looks back on all of the fond memories he has had with Vera, but Vera is bitter about something that happened there.

Implication of the TitleFrom the woman's perspectiveHere pickle refers to the whole encounter of the woman. Vera's life is very dull. So the meeting serves as an appetizer just as a stone is thrown into the motionless water and stirs up various desires to break the dull life of Vera. On the whole, a dill pickle appeals to you with attractive colors: greenish jar, red chili. But once you open the jar, one is enough and you won't finish the whole jar, which implies that the meeting will not bring Vera full satisfaction. In the text, Vera is looking forward to the meeting with the man, but it turns out to be no satisfaction at all. From the man's point of view:

In his life, Vera is just an appetizer, not a main course, meaning she is not a person that the man would like to spend the whole life with. She only makes his dull life a little colorfulDiscussion What is your impression of Vera?

What is your impression of her friend?

What do you think accounts for the difference in the perception of Vera's friend?

Do you think you would perceive him differently if you knew his thoughts? Why do you think he is not given a nameDo you think he was ever truly in love with Vera?

Was he still in love with her?

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