Mozhou

Author: George Sand (France)
Introduction
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: In 1846, George Sand published The Magic Pool, which is a representative work of her pastoral novels. In the preface to the novel, George Sand declared that she would portray beauty in simplicity, and indeed, this novel is a very simple yet poetic love story. The clever and capable farmer Germain, after losing his wife, lives with his three children. The grief of losing his beloved wife never leaves him. His father-in-law, Monsieur, advises him to move on from his longing and remarry, introducing him to a widow from a neighboring area for a horseback date. Germain accepts this suggestion for the sake of his children's happiness. The local villager Marie, aged 16, is required by her mother to go to a farm near the widow's village to help with shepherding, and accompanies Germain. On the way, Germain gives in to his eldest son Pierre's persistent requests to wait for him in the bushes and brings him along. To take a shortcut, they leave the main road early and enter the forest they must pass through. Due to slippery ground and dense fog, they get lost and cannot find their way out. Starving and exhausted, they stop by a large oak tree near a pool to make a fire for warmth. It is a captivating place; after resting, they attempt to re-enter the forest but, exhausted, find themselves back by the pool. They have no choice but to spend the night there. During their interactions with Marie, Germain discovers her beauty, capability, thoughtfulness, bravery, and resourcefulness in caring for children, and hopes she will be his second wife. However, in probing conversations, he learns she "doesn't like" him. Upon arriving at their destination, both Germain and Marie encounter great disappointments. Germain finds that the coquettish widow is accompanied by three other suitors, though he is favored by both the widow and her father, he feels it is a shame to compete in the marriage proposal. After denying his purpose in the date, he goes to the farm to pick up Pierre, whom he had entrusted to Marie. To escape the farmer's inappropriate advances, Marie has already taken Pierre and fled the farm. Germain finds them in the forest and throws the pursuing farmer off his horse, teaching him a lesson. After returning home, Germain is listless every day but constantly observes Marie's actions and secretly sends things to her barn. Under his mother-in-law's questioning, he admits that he has fallen in love with Marie, and she encourages him to propose. During the proposal, he learns that Marie also likes him. The plot of the novel is very simple, basically only describing what happens in a day and a night, but George Sand manages to extract the noble and upright hearts of the male and female protagonists from this simple storyline. The male and female protagonists are from poor and wealthy backgrounds, yet under the influence of love, the differences in wealth and age vanish. The tranquil, mysterious, and unique rural scenery in the novel adds a rich romantic touch to the love story of the protagonists. George Sand undoubtedly idealizes the young farmers, rural scenery, and rural youth in the novel because she believed that art is the pursuit of "ideal truth," and The Magic Pool reflects this romantic literary doctrine. The secondary characters in the novel are also very well written: the practical Monsieur, the vain and coquettish widow, and the worldly Leon, all vividly portrayed with just a few strokes. The lively and mischievous Pierre, Germain's eldest son, also prevents the love scenes between the protagonists from becoming monotonous, adding a touch of life to the story. The final description of customs may seem lengthy at first glance, but it is rich in local color, exudes a rough yet enduring rural charm, and holds significant historical value. It is an excellent portrayal of rural customs. The success in all these aspects makes this novel a unique masterpiece of the world's middle-length fiction. Learning a foreign language primarily refers to mastering the skills of using that language, which determines that learning a foreign language must emphasize practical training. That is to say, only through sufficient practice in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translation can one truly master the language. In summary, to learn a foreign language well, one must put in hard work, and this "hard work" is to study diligently and practice tirelessly. Among the five skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translation, listening and reading are both the content of practice and the two major channels through which learners absorb foreign language knowledge. Learners must learn to make full use of these two channels to continuously consolidate, expand, and enrich their foreign language knowledge, thereby improving their application skills. Under the favorable conditions of reform and opening up, China's "foreign language fever" has always remained high. English reading materials are rich and varied, almost endless, providing excellent reading conditions for English learners. In contrast, French reading materials are indeed scarce, with few types and a lack of high-quality works that are attractive and cater to different needs. French learners cannot or find it difficult to find reading materials that suit their personal preferences. In light of this, the Department of French at Beijing Foreign Studies University has collaborated with the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press to plan the "Annotated Series of Famous Works of 19th-Century French Literature," including 11 renowned literary works. The selected works are all classic masterpieces that have stood the test of time, representing the essence of the French language and culture. Based on our years of teaching experience and considering the characteristics of Chinese readers, we have strived to include authors and works from various representative schools and styles to ensure the exemplary, informative, engaging, readable, and practical nature of the texts, so that French learners and enthusiasts of French language and culture can not only gain necessary nourishment from French literature but also consolidate, expand, and enrich their French knowledge, thereby improving their oral and written expression skills. It is well known that the 19th century was the peak of French literature, leaving behind numerous brilliant masterpieces and many towering masters for posterity. This "Annotated Series of Famous Works of 19th-Century French Literature" includes the soul-stirring The Three Years by the world-renowned author Victor Hugo, the excellent short story collection by the master of the short story Guy de Maupassant, the Three Tales by the master of language Gustave Flaubert, and the famous work of the revenge tragedy writer Prosper Mérimée, Honorine. There is also the Page of Love by the founder of naturalism, émile Zola, who called himself the "Giant with a Hundred Eyes and a Hundred Hands," as well as the Wandering Boy (L'évadé) by H. Malot, the Little Thing (Le Petit) by A. Daudet, the Carrot Mustache (La Barbe-à-poussière) by J. Léonard, the The Magic Pool (Le Lac aux Serpents) by George Sand, and the Rebel (Le Révolté) by J. Vallès, among others. This series is aimed at students of French in their second year and above, as well as French language and literature enthusiasts. To facilitate reading, we have engaged experienced French teachers to provide annotations. Each book includes an author introduction and a synopsis of the plot, along with relevant annotations in footnotes for language difficulties, allusions, background knowledge, events, and characters. We hope that all this will serve as a good guide for readers. Experience has shown that books are the most reliable teachers and companions for self-learners, available for use and consultation at any time. Experience has also shown that in foreign language learning, it is the smartest and most effective method to learn to use a foreign dictionary early and to engage with original foreign-language works early on. This is the only way to move from the realm of necessity to the realm of freedom in foreign language learning. We hope this series will help readers open the door to reading French literature, allowing them to enter the vibrant garden of French literature to gather its finest fruits and roam freely in the vast ocean of French literature. Reading original works can be done through extensive reading, intensive reading, or what is called fast reading and slow reading. To ensure a certain reading effect, do not be content with just skimming through the text; it is best to take notes while reading, recording beautiful and practical sentence patterns, memorizing insightful and memorable quotes, and frequently writing summaries or reflections in French. If you persist in this, you will surely make solid gains and progress in your reading. Sufficient effort will surely yield corresponding results. A correct reading philosophy will guide you to stay sharp in listening, reading, writing, and speaking, and to use your hands and mind in practice, thus achieving the ideal effect of accumulated knowledge leading to fruitful expression in foreign language speaking and writing. To facilitate reading and ensure good results, we recommend selecting materials based on the principle of starting with the easier and gradually moving to the more difficult. This series of reading materials is divided into three levels: A, B, and C. As the saying goes, "To read ten thousand books, one writes as if by magic." This applies to learning one's mother tongue as much as to learning a foreign language. Starting with the annotated works of French literary masterpieces, you will grasp the key to reading original works, and then by widely and deeply exploring, you are bound to lead you to the path of success. Move forward, success is ahead, victory is within reach. Editor-in-Chief: Zhang Fang