【ABookReview—TheSnake-StonebyBerlieDohertyThesetting:UrbanEngland(thecities),butalsoruralEngland(thecountryside)includingremoteEnglishvillages.Thetheme:Themainthemeisateenagesearchofself-discovery,inthiscase】
ABookReview—TheSnake-StonebyBerlieDoherty
Thesetting:UrbanEngland(thecities),butalsoruralEngland(thecountryside)includingremoteEnglishvillages.
Thetheme:Themainthemeisateenagesearchofself-discovery,inthiscasethesearchforamotherfromwhomtheherowasseparatedatanearlyage.Itsotherconcernsarelove,gettingonwithothers,beingpersistentandcourageousandtryingtodealwithdoubts,troublesandworries.Asthebookmovestoaclose,James’swimmingcoachsaystohim:“Youarenotlikeakidobeyinginstructionsanymore.Youaredivinglikeayoungmanwhoknowswhereheisgoing.”
Thecharacters:Jamesistheheroofthestory.Heisachampionshipdiver,andhasacomfortablelifewithhisfosterparents(养父母).Yethealsohasthequalitiestotakehimonalongjourneytofindhisbirthmother.TheothercharactersinTheSnake-Stone,James’parents,hisdivinginstructor,bestfriend,thevillagers,peoplehemeetsonhisjourney,arepicturedrealistically.
Theturningpoint:TheturningpointinthestorycomeswhileJames’fosterparentsareawayinLondon,andhewondersabouttheidentityofhisbirthmother.Theonlycluehehasisafossil,“thesnakestone”whichsheleftbehindalongwithanoteonwhichshehadwritten:“TakegoodcareofSammie.Itwaswrittenonatornenvelopewithpartsofanaddressstillthere.
Thejourney:InsteadofgoingtoLondon,Jamesdecidestofindhisbirthmother.Withhelpfromhisgeographyteacher,Jamessetsoutfortheremotecountryvillagewherehismothermightbefound.Jameshaspainful,challenging,butalsohumorousandhappytravels.Themotherhefinallymeets,Anne,hasaminoryetpowerfulvoiceinthenovel.Hecomestounderstandwhyshelefthimatastranger’sdoorfifteenyearsbefore.Althoughthemeetingisnotlong,itleaveshimwithafeelingofcompleteness.Asajourneyofself-discoveryTheSnake-Stonealsoprovidesitsreaderswithahappyending.Itsherosays,onreturningtohisfosterparents,“Iwashome.”
小题1:Whatisthemainthemeofthenovel?A．Lifewithfosterparents.B．Lifeintheworldofdiving.C．Ajourneyofself-discovery.D．Atravelaroundthecountry.小题2