Dramatic Interpretation of O'Hetry's Short Stories in Out-of-School Language Activities

Разделы: Иностранные языки, Внеклассная работа


Внеклассная работа по иностранному языку органически входит в учебно-воспитательный процесс. Она предполагает подготовку и проведение тематических викторин, конкурсов, олимпиад и вечеров на английском языке. Систематическая, целенаправленная деятельность в данном направлении способствует как расширению общего кругозора учащихся, повышению их заинтересованности в изучении предмета, совершенствованию коммуникативных навыков, так и развитию художе­ственных способностей детей, воспитанию чувства коллективизма, взаимовыручки, учебных трудовых навыков.

Изучение темы «World Literary Heritage» в 10 классе завершилось выступлением учащихся в лингвострановедческом мероприятии «Masterpieces of O.Henry», посвященном 150-летнему юбилею писателя, которое проводилось кафедрой английской филологии в Мирнинском Политехническом институте (филиале) ФГАОУ «Северо-Восточного федерального университета им. М.К. Аммосова».

Этому предшествовала большая и кропотливая работа. Наряду с изучением программного материала готовились инсценировки рассказов О. Генри, подбирались исполнители с учетом знания английского языка и артистических данных, проводилась индивидуальная работа с каждым участником. Во время репетиций акцентировалось внимание на умении двигать­ся на сцене, слушать партнера и вовремя вступать со своей репли­кой, держаться естественно. Большое внимание уделялось работе над произношением и интонацией, постановке громкой, правильной и четкой речи, что является залогом успеха взаимодействия с аудиторией. Одновременно готовились реквизиты и продумывались костюмы героев инсценировок.

В конкурсе принимали участие команды всех школ нашего города. Вечер получился познавательным, насыщенным и очень интересным. Участникам была предоставлена хорошая возможность выступить публично на большой сцене, познакомиться с творчеством сверстников, продемонстрировать свои лингвистические возможности. Заинтересованный, творческий подход участников к драматической интерпретации рассказов О. Генри был отмечен Жюри мероприятия Дипломами в различных номинациях. Учащиеся получили большой эмоциональный заряд и профессиональную оценку своего учебного труда.

Ниже предлагаются сценарии по рассказам О. Генри «No Story» и «Two Gifts».

NO STORY

Cast:

Storyteller: O.Henry, the author
Newspaper Reporter: Mr. Chalmers
Tripp: George Brown, newspaper contributor
Miss Lowery: Ada Lowery, George’s (Tripp’s) former sweetheart

Storyteller: I was doing work on a newspaper. One day Tripp came in and leaned on my table. Tripp was some­thing in the mechanical department. He was about 25 and looked 40. Half of his face was covered with short, curly red whisk­ers that looked like a door-mat. He was pale and unhealthy and miser­able and was always borrowing sums of money from twenty-five cents to a dollar. One dollar was his limit. When he leaned on my table he held one hand with the other to keep both from shaking. Whisky.

Scene 1

(Tripp enters Newspaper Reporter’s office)

Newspaper Reporter: Well, Tripp, how goes it?

Tripp:(выглядит еще более жалким, чем когда-либо, смотрит на репортера собачьими глазами) Have you got a dollar?

Newspaper Reporter: I have, I have, and four besides. And I had hard work getting them. And I need them all.

Tripp:I don't want to borrow any. I thought you'd like to get a good story. I've got a really fine one for you. It'll probably cost you a dollar or two to get the stuff. I don't want anything out of it myself.

Newspaper Reporter:(спрашивает официальным тоном) What is the story?

Tripp: It's a girl. A beauty. She has lived all her life on Long Island and never saw New York City before. I ran against her on 34th Street. She stopped me on the street and asked me where she could find George Brown. Asked me where she could find George Brown in New York City! What do you think of that?! I talked to her. It's like this. Some years ago George set off for New York to make his fortune. He did not reappear. Now there's a young farmer named Dodd she's going to marry next week. But Ada – her name's Ada Lowery – couldn't forget George, so this morning she saddled a horse and rode eight miles to the railway station to catch the 6.45 a. m. train. She came to the city to look for George. She must have thought the first person she inquired of would tell her where her George was! You ought to see her! What could I do? She had paid her last cent for her railroad ticket? I couldn't leave her in the street, could I? I took her to a boarding-house. She has to pay a dollar to the landlady. That's the price per day.

Newspaper Reporter: That's no story. Every ferry-boat brings or takes away girls from Long Island.

Tripp: (совершенно разочарованно) Can't you see what an amazing story it would make? You ought to get fifteen dollars for it. And it'll cost you only four, so you'll make a profit of eleven dollars.

Newspaper Reporter: (спрашивает подозрительно) How will it cost me four dollars?

Tripp: One dollar to the landlady and two dollars to pay the girl's fare back home.

Newspaper Reporter: And the fourth?

Tripp: (совершенно разочарованно) One dollar to me. Don't you see that the girl has got to get back home today?

Storyteller: And then I began to feel what is known as the sense of duty. In a kind of cold anger I put on my coat and hat. But I swore to myself that Tripp would not get the dollar. He took me in a street-car to the boarding-house and I paid the fares. When we came into the boarding-house, in a dim parlour a girl sat crying quietly and eating candy out of a paper bag. She was a real beauty. Crying only made her eyes brighter.

Scene 2

(a parlour in the boarding-house where Ada Lowery stayed)

Tripp: My friend, Mr. Chalmers. He is a reporter, and he will tell you, Miss Lowery, what's best to do.

Storyteller: I felt ashamed of being introduced as Tripp's friend in the pres­ence of such beauty.

Newspaper Reporter: (репортеру неловко выступать другом Трипа в присутствии такой красивой девушки) Why – er – Miss Lowery, will you tell me the circumstances of the case?

Мiss Lowery: Oh, there aren't any circumstances, really. You see, everything is fixed for me to marry Hiram Dodd next Thursday. He's got one of the best farms on the Island. But last night I got to thinking about G – George –… (златокудрая головка Ады падает на руки. Горько плача, девушка берет конфету и продолжает) You see, I can't help it. George and I loved each other since we were children. Four years ago he went to the city. He said he was going to be a policeman or a railroad president or something. And then he was coming back for me. But I never heard from him any more. And I – I – liked him. (Ее головка снова падает на руки.)

Tripp: Now, Miss Lowery, you like this young man, Dodd, don't you? He's all right, and good to you, isn't he?

Мiss Lowery: Of course I like him. And of course he's good to me. He's prom­ised me an automobile and a motor-boat. But somehow I couldn't help thinking about George. Something must have happened to him or he would have written. On the day he left, he got a hammer and a chisel and cut a cent into two pieces. I took one piece and he took the other, and we promised to be true to each other and always keep the pieces till we saw each other again. I've got mine at home. I guess I was silly to come here. I never realized what – a big place it is.

Tripp: (вступает с неловким смешком) Oh, the boys from the country forget a lot when they come to the city. He may have met another girl or something. You'll go back home, and you'll be all right.

Storyteller: In the end we persuaded Miss Lowery to go back home. The three of us then hurried to the ferry, and there I found the price of the ticket to be but a dollar and eighty cents. I bought one, and a red, red rose with the twenty cents for Miss Lowery. We saw her aboard the ferry-boat and stood watching her wave her handkerchief at us until it was a tiny white patch. And then Tripp and I faced each other.

Tripp: Can't you get a story out of it? Some sort of a story?

Newspaper Reporter: Not a line.

Tripp: (тихо, с разочарованием) I'm sorry.

Storyteller: Tripp unbuttoned his shabby coat to reach for something that had once been a handkerchief. As he did so I caught sight of something shining on his cheap watch-chain. I stretched out my hand for it and seized it curiously. It was the half of a silver cent that had been cut in halves with a chisel.

Newspaper Reporter: (восклицает в изумлении) What?!

Tripp: (тихо, с разочарованием) Oh yes, George Brown, alias Tripp. What's the use?

(Репортёр вынимает из кармана доллар и без колебаний отдает его Джорджу-Трипу)

TWO GIFTS

Cast:

Della – a young lady
Jim – Della’s husband
Landlord – the owner of the rented room
Hairdresser – the hair buyer
Shop assistant 1 – at the watchmaker's shop
Shop assistant 2 – at the jeweller's shop

Scene 1

(Della and Jim in their flat)

Della: Oh, Jim, nice to see you! I miss you so much! Haven’t you forgotten that today is the 30th of December?

Jim: Of course, my darling! I know it! Look here, we are young and nice, but it’s a pity we are so poor!

(Landlord comes in)

Landlord: Oh, hi, young people! I’ve come to get my money for this luxury flat.

Jim: Wait a bit! We don’t know what we’ll eat tomorrow and the prices are so high!

Landlord: OK, I’ll wait but only for 2 days. New Year is coming and we are going to celebrate it. I need money to buy presents for my wife and my children!

Jim: OK, OK! I’ll try to do my best!

(Landlord leaves the room)

Jim: (to himself) Oh, what shall I do now? I am so short of money, but I ought to congratulate my dear Della on a Happy New Year. Oh, I’ve nearly forgotten. I’ve got a gold watch. It was my father’s present and I’m proud of it. Now I know what to do. I will go to the shop and sell it.

(Jim leaves, Della appears in her flat)

Della: New Year is coming. What can I give to my dear Jim as a present? I’ve got only one dollar. That’s all what I have! What can I buy on such a little sum of money? Maybe, this beautiful golden hair? OK, I will go to the hairdresser and sell it. Oh, here is the “Madam Sofroni. Hair goods of all kinds!” shop!

Scene 2

(at the hairdresser’s)

Hairdresser: Good morning young lady, welcome to our shop. What would you like to buy?

Della: I want nothing. Will you buy my hair?

Hairdresser: Your hair? Let me see it. Won’t you be sorry about it later? I will give you 20 dollars. That will be enough. It’s only hair. You can’t sell it for a great deal of money anyhow.

Della: OK, I agree. Take the hair and give me the money.

Hairdresser: Well then! Take it, please. But if later you’ll be sorry about it, remember – it was your own decision!

Della: Thank you Madam Sofroni. You’re very kind. You helped me so much. With this money I can buy a present for my dear friend. May be something practical and useful!

Hairdresser: Good bye and a Happy New Year to you and your friend!

(Della to herself)

Della: Now I’ve got 21 dollars. My dream will come true. I will be able to buy a present for my dear Jim! Oh, here is a jeweller's shop!

Scene 3

(Della at the watchmaker's)

Shop assistant 1: Can I help you madam? What can I do for you?

Della: I’d like to buy this watch chain. How much does it cost?

Shop assistant 1: It will cost you about 25 dollars and 99 cents.

Della: Goodness! But I’ve got only 21 dollars…

Shop assistant 1: Never mind! Tomorrow will be a holiday and I can give you a discount. 21 dollars will be OK! Take the chain and be happy!

Scene 4

(at the same time Jim is thinking of buying a comb for Della)

Jim: I’ve got an idea! I know how I can congratulate my dear Della. I will go to the shop and buy a beautiful comb for her luxurious hair. She will be happy and so will I! Oh, here is the shop!

(Jim is at the jeweller's)

Jim: Hello, how much can I get for this?

(Jim gives his watch to a shop assistant)

Shop assistant 2: It’s an old thing and it seems to me it is very precious… Where did you get it?

Jim: It was given to me by my ancestor. I got it from my father and he got it from his many years ago.

Shop assistant 2: I can give you 100$. It is the real price for this watch. It is a great deal of money. I think it will help you to overcome your difficulties in some way.

Jim: OK, that suits me fine. Della will be happy if I buy the comb which she has seen in the shop window recently. Oh, I have to hurry up. It’s nearly 9 p.m.

Scene 5

(Jim and Della’s flat)

Jim: Oh, at last I am at home! Hello, my dear. But what has happened to your hair?

Della: Jim, darling, don’t look at me like that! I’ve sold my hair because I wanted to give a present to you. My hair will grow again. It grows very fast. Let’s say “A Happy New Year!’ to each other and be happy! You don’t know what a beautiful present I’ve got for you! But why are you looking at me in such a strange way?

Jim: If you open the package you will understand, my dear…

Della: (opens a present box and finds out beautiful combs) Oh, Jim, I have been dreaming of such combs since I saw them in a Broadway shop window. Now they are mine! Oh, Jim, I’m so happy! (Then she runs to the dressing table.) But you haven’t seen your present yet! It’s a beautiful chain! Give me your watch. I want to see how it goes with it!

(Jim gets stiff with astonishment)

Jim: Dear Della, but I’ve sold my watch to get the money to buy the combs for you... Is the coffee ready?

(Both look at each other with deep regret)

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