A while ago, I watched "Mr. Toad Go to the Psychiatrist" and was pushed a story blueprint about its prequel, called "The Sound of the Willow Forest". I have paid attention to the interpretation of teacher Luo Xiang in this book, and I feel that I am touched by true friendship. Today I would like to share and obtain with all of you:
1. The story introduction of "The Sound of the Willow Forest"
2. Teacher Luo Xiang's interpretation and perception of this book
3. Exquisite illustrations of the original book
4. Pure friendship can bring us strength and touch!
①
This English literary classic "The Wind in the Willows" is a fairy tale novel published in 1908 by the British writer Kenneth Graham, and it is also a classic novel with cross-era significance. Read the comments of some scholars: "English-language writers born almost every twentieth century regard this novel as an important part of their childhood life. ”
Picking up this children's literature, it's always easy to substitute yourself for animal members living in the quiet countryside. Join them on a picnic boat ride along a river shaded by weeping willows, adventure the town in a beautiful carriage, explore the mysteries of nature in the mysterious wild woods, and sit around the warm fire and share a cup of freshly brewed hot tea.
It is said that this story is the bedtime story he wrote to his son, so the words in this book are full of warmth, and a father wants his child to have simple wisdom.
When confronted with some entangled complex realities, or indignant arguments, reading "The Wind in the Willows" can bring me a sense of stability and healing, that innocent friendship, and always remind me to remain sincere.
②
The book tells such a story:
When the spring flowers bloom, the moles that are doing spring cleaning are attracted by the wonderful smell of spring full of longing and come to the forest. By a large, abundant river, he encountered a clever and friendly water rat. Water rats invite moles, who have never experienced the beauty of the river, to board their own boats and have a picnic together.
"At this moment, they have left the main channel and sailed into a new body of water. At first glance, it looks like a small lake surrounded by land. Turquoise grass slopes stretch all the way to the water's edge, and the crooked brown roots shimmer under the calm water. Ahead, a silver barrage with a billowing water bubble stands side by side with a never-ending water wheel. The wheels dripped water and spun non-stop, driving a mill with gray gable walls above, making a monotonous and dull sound. However, from time to time, soft voices came from the mill, clear and cheerful. The scene was so beautiful that the mole couldn't help but raise its front paws and get so excited that it couldn't catch its breath: "Oh my God! ah! Oops! ”
In the company of the water rat, in this spring, the mole gradually learned the joy of being with the flowing water, and occasionally understood the whispers of the reeds when the wind drifted among the reeds, and the two of them became good friends.
One bright summer day, the mole, led by the water rat, visited Mr. Toad, who lived in the forest mansion. Mr. Toad is a rich second generation who is kind in heart, but arrogant and arrogant, and is a vain and wanton rich second generation. Mr. Toad dragged them out on an adventure in the luxury carriage he had just bought, but when the carriage reached the middle of the road, it was shattered by a speeding car.
However, Mr. Toad did not feel sorry for the carriage he had just bought, and he did not care about the two friends who had fallen enough, but instead became fascinated by the car as if he had been caught in the evil.
"Amazing! What an exciting sight"! The toad murmured, not at all intent on moving. "It's as beautiful as a poetic movement!" That's how a real trip should be! This way of traveling is simply unique! Here today, tomorrow it will be where it used to take a week to get there. In the blink of an eye, villages, towns and cities passed. There is always a new horizon in front of you! Oh, my God! Oh poof! burst! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! ”
"Hey, toad, don't be so stupid!" The mole cried out in despair.
Since then, Mr. Toad has been frantically buying cars and racing cars, even after being fined many times and even arrested without waking him up. In the end, he was even sentenced to a human court sentence for stealing someone else's car, and his ancestral mansion was occupied by weasels in the woods.
"Come to think of it, I never knew!' The toad continued to mutter, 'How many years have I wasted!' Not only did I never know, I never even dreamed of it! But now, now I know, I know it all! Ah, from now on, what a glorious road ahead of me! When I flew on the road, how spectacular the dust clouds were! When I gallop forward with great momentum, I will definitely crash countless cars into the ditch! Whether it's the pitifully small cars, the ordinary carriages, or the pale yellow caravans, they all have to roll down! ”
Since then, Mr. Toad has been frantically buying cars and racing cars, even after being fined many times and even arrested without waking him up. In the end, he was even sentenced to a human court sentence for stealing someone else's car, and his ancestral mansion was occupied by weasels in the woods.
Although Mr. Toad is so conceited and stubborn, does not listen to advice, and indulges in the vanity of his "talent" and wealth, his friends: moles, water rats, old badgers... But they never gave up on Mr. Toad, and they persuaded and helped him again and again, helped him regain his mansion, and tried their best to tell him the truth about the world and himself.
In the end, the conceited, vain, arrogant Mr. Toad finally turned back.
"The toad found itself intriguing every animal when it wandered among the guests and responded modestly."
③
In my opinion, although "The Wind in the Willows" is a work of children's literature, it is actually a classic coming-of-age novel.
Mr. Toad's experience of "the prodigal son turning back" makes me think of myself a lot.
Mr. Toad is a free-spirited, assertive and indomitable adventurer, and his nature is very kind, so he can have these friends who do not abandon him.
But Mr. Toad is also an arrogant and vain "man", just like me, so I can understand why the old badger seems to have persuaded Mr. Toad to go the right way one second, but the next second Mr. Toad still fanatically declares that he will still go up and drive away another car when he sees it again.
"In it I say anything. Dear Badger, you are so eloquent, so touching, so persuasive, that you can put your head on the tao. You know very well that inside, you can do whatever you want me to do. But then I thought about it and thought about everything, but I found that I didn't regret it at all, and I wasn't sorry! So, if I had to say that, what's the point? You say yes or no? ”
Because vanity is inevitable, the more a person wants to get rid of vanity, the more he is not free from falling into vanity, you will feel that everything you have is what you deserve, running all the way on the road of arrogance, especially when you are accidentally pushed by fate to the spotlight, you will inevitably have some out-of-control moments, falling into vanity, unable to extricate yourself.
But "The Wind in the Willows" reminds me that instead of trying to fight vanity alone, you should turn your head and humbly ask your friends to tell you the truth.
There is a scene in the book where, with the help of his friends, Mr. Toad retakes his mansion, and as is customary, it is supposed to hold a banquet, but Mr. Toad, who has begun to write invitations, is once again caught up in his old problem of vanity and conceit:
As soon as the door closed behind the badger, the toad hurried to the writing desk. Just as he was talking, he suddenly thought of a good idea. He would write invitations, and he would remember that in each invitation he mentioned his leading role in the battle and how he had knocked the weasel leader to the ground. In addition, he wants to hint at his own adventures that are invincible and must be mentioned. Moreover, he had to list something on the title page similar to the party schedule for that night. The idea in his head was roughly like this:
Speech Speaker: Toad (During the dinner, toad will give other speeches)
Speech Speaker: Toad
Outline: first, our prison system; ii. the waterways of old England; iii. the trade in horses and the methods of trade; iv. property, property rights and obligations; v. return to the homeland; vi. typical English squires.
The song is sung
Singer: Toad (lyrics and music by the singer himself)
Other songs Composed by: Toad will be sung by the composer during the gala. ”
But where can the wise friends not see Mr. Toad's careful thinking? These vanity invitations were cut off halfway by them:
"Toad, now you've listened," said the water rat, "it's about this feast." It is a great pity that I have to say such a thing to you, but we hope that you will understand immediately that there will be no speech at the banquet, and there will be no singing. Please accept this fact clearly, we are not discussing with you, but informing you of the result. ”
The toad could see that he was really trapped. They knew him, saw through him, and got ahead of him. His dreams were shattered. "I'll just sing a short song, can't I?" He pleaded pitifully.
"No, not one." Water Rat said firmly. But seeing that the toad's lips were trembling with disappointment, he was quite distressed. "Toad, there's no benefit to that at all. You know very well that your songs are full of arrogant, conceited and vain words, and your speeches are all boasting about yourself, full of... belch...... Full of disgusting exaggerations... and...... and..."
"And bragging!" The badger interjected in his usual tone.
"Toad boy, it's all for your own good," the water rat continued, "you know, sooner or later you'll have to turn a new page." It seems that now is a great time to start over, a turning point in your life. You know, when I say these words, I don't feel better than you at all. ”
The episode is a lot like an experience I've written about before. Once, after I was having dinner with a friend, I happened to meet a student asking for an autographed photo, and I was a little proud, but my friend taunted: "Do you enjoy the vanity now?" "I was so ashamed that I suddenly woke up from vanity.
It was this friend who made a criticism of my article the other day. I was angry, but I immediately remembered Mr. Toad. The classic ending of The Devil's Spokesman comes to mind when the devil says, "Vanity, my favorite original sin of humanity." ”
Sincere criticism among friends is so precious because it is enough to puncture your illusion of self-righteousness.
As intellectuals, we often feel that we can save the world, but perhaps we cannot save ourselves; we have a love for the world, but perhaps we cannot truly love every specific person around us.
"The Wind in the Willows" reminds me of the preciousness of friendship, because only friendship can allow me to integrate abstract ideals into the care of concrete people.
Of course, "The Wind in the Willows" is not only the story I tell. I think that maybe you can also think of reading this book as a relaxing outing, without thinking about any deeper logic, just simply experiencing the four seasons of the forest in the fairy tale.
But suppose you also have moments, like Mr. Toad, when you invest no marginal value in the things you value, or when you are proud and conceited because some fateful coincidence has achieved enviable results, and you take vanity as the truth of life.
There's a sincere suggestion in this book: Friendship allows us to get out of narcissism and have the strength to move forward.