E03 E. B. White: 给钟上好发条

E03 E. B. White: 给钟上好发条

课程导读

60年代末到70年代初是美国历史上的黑暗时期。政治军事上的不稳定因素使得美国人对美国政体产生了怀疑；经济上的衰败使希望愈加渺茫；由此引发的颓废而离经叛道的社会氛围将人们笼罩在痛苦之中。尽管如此，E. B. White 在写给 Nadeau 的信中却没有如此绝望和愤恨，而是在世界整体发展趋势的高度上劝解 Nadeau 要始终对明天心怀希望与善念。

▍背景介绍
埃尔文·布鲁克斯·怀特（E. B. White，1899 - 1985），美国当代著名散文家，评论家，“其文风冷峻清丽，辛辣幽默，自成一格”，开创了影响深远的《纽约客》文风。除此之外，他还为孩子们写了几本童话故事《精灵鼠小弟》、《夏洛的网》与《吹小号的天鹅》，深受儿童喜爱。

英文原文

Dear Mr. Nadeau,

As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate. Hope is the thing that is left to us, in a bad time. I shall get up Sunday morning and wind the clock, as a contribution to order and steadfastness.

Sailors have an expression about the weather: they say, the weather is a great bluffer. I guess the same is true of our human society — things can look dark, then a break shows in the clouds, and all is changed, sometimes rather suddenly. It is quite obvious that the human race has made a queer mess of life on this planet. But as a people we probably harbor seeds of goodness that have lain for a long time waiting to sprout when the conditions are right. Man's curiosity, his relentlessness, his inventiveness, his ingenuity have led him into deep trouble. We can only hope that these same traits will enable him to claw his way out.

Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.

Sincerely,
E. B. White