高英--unit3---blackmail.ppt

Blackmail,Arthur Hailey,Arthur Hailey,,About the Author (1920 - 2004),Arthur Hailey is the author of a number of best-selling novels. Born April 5, 1920 in Luton, England, he was educated in English schools until age 14. After a brief career as an office boy, he joined the British air force (RAF) in 1939 and served through World War II.,About the Author (1920 - 2004),In 1949, he emigrated to Canada. Arthur Hailey decided to become a full-time author in 1956 following the success of his original television drama “FLIGHT INTO DANGER.“ For the next few years, he wrote teleplays for such legendary dramatic series. Soon after, Hailey became a novelist. In 1969, he moved to Bahamas for there’s no income tax. In 1979 Arthur Hailey announced his retirement. At this time, he discovered he was very ill and underwent a quadruple bypass heart operation. The surgery was a tremendous success, leaving Mr. Hailey feeling invigorated and bursting with creative energy.,Works,Hailey is a well-known bestseller writer.“FLIGHT INTO DANGER“ 《险中行》 (1956), “Runway Zero-Eight“ 《零八跑道》(1958) “The Final Diagnosis” 《最后诊断》(1959) “In High Places“ 《身居要职》(1961). “Hotel“ 《大饭店》(1965)“Airport“ 《航空港》(1968),Works,“Wheels“ 《汽车城》(1971), “The Moneychangers“ 《钱商》 (1975) “Overload“ 《超负荷》(1979) “STRONG MEDICINE“《烈药》(1984) “Detective” 《侦探》(1997).,Features of Hailey’s Writings,Each of his novels is set in a different industry or commercial environment and includes, in addition to dramatic human conflict, all of the information about the way that particular environment functions, and how it affects both the society and the people in it.,Features of Hailey’s Writings,Critics often dismissed Hailey‘s success as the result of a formulaic (刻板的) style in which he centered a crisis on an ordinary character, then inflated the suspense by hopping among multiple related plotlines(情节主线). However, he was so popular with readers that his books were guaranteed to become bestsellers. Most of his books have been made into films or TV series.,Hotel (1968) The luxurious - but debt-plagued - St. Gregory Hotel in New Orleans faces a battle for survival, while its staff, guests and prospective buyers generate behind-the-scenes romance, power plays, blackmail and betrayal.,Plot: Peter McDermott, the manager of a New Orleans hotel, is managing the hotel at a particularly problematic time. He must deal with his tough boss, business headaches, thieves, and a variety of demanding guests. For one thing, business has been on the decline and the owner, Trent, needs to raise enough money to save the hotel by modernizing it. Action has to be taken quickly because a ruthless hotel magnate is desperately trying to get his hands on the business. And to make the situation even more hectic, a union chief is at odds with Trent over the owner's unwillingness to unionize his workers. McDermott's work isn't made any easier by his boss's whites-only guest policy. Meanwhile, the guests have their own troubles -- including the Duke of Croydon, who is blackmailed by the hotel's detective after getting involved in a hit-and-run accident.,Before Blackmail,The Duke is an internationally famous statesman and the newly-appointed British ambassador to Washington. He and his wife occupy the best suite in St. Gregory. On Monday evening while driving back with his wife from a gambling house, the Duke knocks down a woman and her child. Both are killed. The Duke and the Duchess, however, drive away. The hit-and-run becomes top sensational news in New Orleans. The hotel’s chief house detective Ogilvie notices the battered car when comes back. Instead of reporting to the police, he goes to see the Duke and the Duchess …,Type of Writing,This kind of novels are called thrillers(惊险小说). Generally defining, a thriller is a work of fiction or drama designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of intrigue(阴谋), adventure or suspense.,Type of Writing,They can also be called cop-criminal novels, detective novels. The main purpose is for entertainment, amusement. Very often this kind of novels contain a lot of action, usu. suspension, not very much deep thought, without moral intention, not considered classic. The basic technique is to make the whole story of crime into sth. like a jigsaw puzzle(拼图玩具). You can not see the outcome until the final part is put in.,,General questions on the text 1. Why do you read novels? For appreciation and enjoyment For exploration, the opportunity to look into the past or future as well as to explore alternative life-styles in different times and places. For biblio-therapy—assimilating psychological or sociological objectives with the reader’s personality—can help students understand their own behavior and that of others, assist in the formation of ethnic values, offer opportunities for identification, and provide an understanding of the many motives for human behavior.,,2.The classification of fiction/novel: fiction is mass noun for novel, novel is a specific word. in terms of schools: realistic fiction ; romantic fiction; expressionism fiction existentialism fiction; “ beat generation” fiction. in terms of styles: narrative novel, prosaic novel, poetic novel, streams of consciousness novel, documentary novel in terms of length: novel; medium-length novel; short novel,。