精读|On Self-Respect Day 3

Part One 听讲解（典故） 记笔记

1. Crime And Punishment

Raskolnikov is the protagonist of the novel, and the story is told almost exclusively from his point of view. His name derives from the Russian wordraskolnik, meaning “schismatic” or “divided,” which is appropriate since his most fundamental character trait is his alienation from human society. His pride and intellectualism lead him to disdain the rest of humanity as fit merely to perpetuate the species. In contrast, he believes that he is part of an elite “superman” echelon and can consequently transgress accepted moral standards for higher purposes such as utilitarian good. However, that guilt that torments him after he murders Alyona Ivanovna and Lizaveta and his recurring faintness at the mention of the murders serve as proof to him that he is not made of the same stuff as a true “superman” such as Napoleon. Though he grapples with the decision to confess for most of the novel and though he seems gradually to accept the reality of his mediocrity, he remains convinced that the murder of the pawnbroker was justified. His ultimate realization that he loves Sonya is the only force strong enough to transcend his ingrained contempt of humanity. Raskolnikov’s relationships with the other characters in the novel do much to illuminate his personality and understanding of himself. Although he cares about Razumikhin, Pulcheria Alexandrovna, and Dunya, Raskolnikov is so caught up in his skeptical outlook that he is often unappreciative of their attempts to help him. He turns to Sonya as a fellow transgressor of social norms, but he fails to recognize that her sin is much different from his: while she truly sacrifices herself for the sake of others, he essentially commits his crime for his sake alone. Finally, his relationship with Svidrigailov is enigmatic. Though he despises the man for his depravity, he also seems to need something from him—perhaps validation of his own crime from a hardened malcontent.

Alienation is the primary theme of Crime and Punishment. (from Sparknotes)

2. innocence  is “lights would always turn green for me”

3.totem

A totem is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe.

an animal or other natural object that is chosen and respected as a special symbol of a community or family, especially among Native Americans; an image of this animal, etc. （尤指美洲土著的）图腾；图腾形象

totemic animals 图腾动物

4.Stanford-Binet scale

a skill to messure up children's cognative ability   AKA intelligence

5.misplaced

(1)not appropriate or correct in the situation 不合时宜的；不适宜的

misplaced confidence/ optimism/ fear  不应有的信心╱乐观精神╱恐惧

(2)(of love, trust, etc. 爱情、信任等) given to a person who does not deserve or return those feelings 给错对象的；不该给的

misplaced loyalty  无谓的忠诚

6. marked cards

It is a cheating deck of poker cards, with invisible inks on its back or cut-out on it's corner, often need special cameras or lens to detect them. The purpose is to know exactly what cards are being dealt to gain more winning probability. 

# Tom was caught in casino for cheating with marked cards. (from urbandictionary.com)

引申义：Your motivations or actions are visible to see by others.(from testmecards.wordpress.com)

7. Rhett Butler & Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind

" You don't need reputation if you have courage. With enoughcourage, you can do without a reputation."

8. Chinese Gordon

Chinese Gordon - Wikipedia

拓展阅读

Charles George Gordon

9.Cathy in Withering Heights

Catherine

The location of Catherine’s coffin symbolizes the conflict that tears apart her short life. She is not buried in the chapel with the Lintons. Nor is her coffin placed among the tombs of the Earnshaws. Instead, as Nelly describes in Chapter XVI, Catherine is buried “in a corner of the kirkyard, where the wall is so low that heath and bilberry plants have climbed over it from the moor.” Moreover, she is buried with Edgar on one side and Heathcliff on the other, suggesting her conflicted loyalties. Her actions are driven in part by her social ambitions, which initially are awakened during her first stay at the Lintons’, and which eventually compel her to marry Edgar. However, she is also motivated by impulses that prompt her to violate social conventions—to love Heathcliff, throw temper tantrums, and run around on the moor. Catherine represents wild nature, in both her high, lively spirits and her occasional cruelty.

10.Eton

Napoleon & Waterloo

11. the sins of commission and omission

12. the ashes

In the Old Testament, putting on sackcloth and cover your head with ashes indicate repentance over your sins before God, since God values your repentant heart, you will get forgiveness and absolution sackcloth and ashes are symbols of seeking absolution from God on account of your sins.

So here in the article, Joan mentioned remembered the flavor of those particular ashes with embarrashing clarity, meaning she remembered all those guilty moments so clearly so vividly - she could not forget her past mistakes.