Download Lesson Fourtheen Argentia Bay by Herman Wouk I . Background

Lesson
Fourtheen
Argentia Bay
by Herman Wouk
I . Background Knowledge
1. Author introduction
Herman Wouk (191- ): American novelist. He was born in New York City, into a Jewish
family that had immigrated from Russia, and received an A.B. from Columbia University. He was
first a radio scriptwriter, and worked with Fred Allen, then in 1941 worked for the US government
on radio spots selling war bonds. Wouk then joined the United States Navy and served in the
Pacific Theater, an experience he later characterized as educational; "I learned about machinery, I
learned how men behaved under pressure, and I learned about Americans." His first ship was the
USS Zane, then he was second-in-command on the Southard. He started his writing career
onboard, working on a novel during his off-duty hours. He married Betty Sarah Brown in 1945,
with whom he had three sons, became a fulltime writer in 1946, and published his debut novel,
Aurora Dawn in 1947. In 1952, The Caine Mutiny received the Pulitzer Prize. In 1998, he received
the Guardian of Zion Award. His novels include The Caine Mutiny (1951), a Pulitzer Prize novel
of events aboard a naval vessel, The Winds of War (1971) and War and Remembrance (1977).
2. Works introduction
The Winds of War was best-selling novellist Herman Wouk's second book about World War II,
the first being The Caine Mutiny (1951). Published in 1971, it was followed up seven years later
by War and Remembrance. Originally conceived as one volume, Wouk decided to break it in two
when he realized it took nearly 1000 pages just to get to the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1983, it
became a hugely successful mini-series on the ABC television network.
Plot introduction: The story revolves around a mixture of real and fictional characters, all
connected in some way to the extended family of Victor "Pug" Henry, a middle-aged Naval
Officer and confidant of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The story begins six months before Germany’s invasion of Poland, which launched the European
portion of the war, and ends shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when the United States and,
by extension, the Henry family, enters the war as well.
Plot summary: As the story begins, Navy Captain Victor "Pug" Henry has been appointed
naval attaché in Berlin. During the voyage to Europe, Victor befriends a British radio personality,
Alistair "Talky" Tudsbury, and his daughter, Pamela. While in Germany, Victor meets a German
general, Armin von Roon, who later becomes the viewpoint character for the German side of the
war, and witnesses the worsening of the German government's discrimination against the Jews.
He also notices the intent of the Germans to invade Poland. Realizing that this would mean war
with the Soviet Union, he concludes the only way for Germany to safely invade is to agree not to
go to war with the Soviets, even though the Communists and Fascists are sworn, mortal enemies.
Going over his supervisor's head, he submits a report predicting the Nazi-Soviet nonaggression
pact before it takes place. When the pact is made public, the report draws President Roosevelt's
attention to him, and the President commands Pug to be his unofficial eyes and ears in Europe.
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This assignment delays again his desired sea command, but later will give him the opportunity to
travel to London, Rome and Moscow and meet historical figures like Winston Churchill, Hitler,
Mussolini and Stalin.
His wife Rhoda, meanwhile, is forced to spend time away from her husband, first in Berlin and
then in Washington, and begins a relationship with a government engineer named Palmer Kirby,
who later will be involved in the first phase of the Manhattan Project. For his part, Pug begins a
platonic but very close and borderline romantic relationship with Pamela, but can't decide to leave
his wife Rhoda for her.
After having finally obtained command of a battleship, the USS California, he leaves for Pearl
Harbor from Moscow, where he has discussed lend-lease issues and observed a battle. He flies
over Asia and spends time in Manila listening to the radio broadcast of the yearly game between
Army and Navy. When his flight is approaching Pearl Harbor they get the radio message that Pearl
is under attack and when they approach the naval yard they see the burning ships—including his
own.
Pug's three children have their own story lines. His older son, Warren, is a Naval Academy
graduate who enrolls in the Navy Flight School in Florida. His daughter, Madeline, gets involved
in American radio.
The child most prominent in the story is middle child and younger son Byron, named after the
English poet. Though a Columbia University graduate and holding a naval reserve commission,
Byron has not committed himself to a career. In 1939 he accepts a job as a research assistant for an
expatriate Jewish American author, Aaron Jastrow, who is best known for his book A Jew's Jesus
and lives in Siena, Italy.
Byron also meets Jastrow's niece, Natalie, and her former boyfriend, Leslie Slote, who still loves
her and works for the Department of State. Readers later discover that Natalie and Slote are also
good friends of Pamela Tudsbury from their time in Paris together.
Byron and Natalie visit her family's native town in Poland, Medzice, for a wedding. During the
visit to Medzice, they travel through the town of Oświęcim; Auschwitz by its former Austrian
name. When the war begins they travel from Medzice to Warsaw; ahead of the invading German
army. In Warsaw they are trapped in the siege and are evacuated along with other neutral citizens.
Now in love with Byron after his unexpected heroism during their escape from Warsaw, Natalie
informs Slote that their relationship will not be rekindled (which prior to this she had been
contemplating) and accepts Byron's proposal of marriage. She returns briefly to America for
Warren's wedding, and while there her father dies of a heart attack upon hearing of the invasion of
Norway and Denmark on April 9th, 1940.
In 1941, she marries Byron and devotes herself to getting her reluctant uncle out of Europe to
escape the coming Holocaust, soon discovering she is pregnant.
All the storylines are left at a cliffhanger as the war begins. Rhoda makes and then retracts a
request for a divorce. With the California already out of action, Pug is given command of a cruiser,
the USS Northampton. Byron has been called to active duty as a submarine officer; and his
brother Warren has graduated from Pensacola, married a congressman's daughter, Janice
Lacouture, and is assigned to USS Enterprise. Aaron, Natalie, and Natalie's infant son Louis are
trapped in Europe as the war begins. These storylines continue through War and Remembrance.
Major historical events covered
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
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Case White - German invasion of Poland
Peace proposals by Sumner Welles
Fall of France
Battle of Britain
Lend Lease
Operation Barbarossa
Einsatzgruppen in the east
Pearl Harbor
Battle of Moscow
United States entry into World War II
Japanese attack on the Philippines
3. Notes:
1). Argentia Bay: better known as Placentia Bay, wide inlet of Atlantic Ocean, SE Newfoundland,
Canada. Here on the British battleship Prince of Wales the Atlantic Charter was signed on Aug. 14,
1941 by President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
2). Newfoundland: island in Atlantic Ocean, off sea coast of Canada, became (with Labrador on
the mainland) a province of Canada in 1949.
3). H.M.S.: his (Her) Majesty’s Service, Ship, or Steamer.
4). Prince of Wales: sunk by the Japanese in the South China Sea in December 1941.
5). Bismarck: German battleship of 45,000 tons, completed early in 1940, for operations against
British convoys in the North Atlantic. In an encounter with the British fleet on 24 May, 1940, it
sank the British cruiser Hood and damaged the Prince of Wales; the Bismarck was also hit by the
guns of the Prince of Wales. The Bismarck was finally sunk on 27 May, 1940.
6). The Star-Spangled Banner: This is the official national anthem of the United States, by a Bill
which passed the Senate on 3 March 1931.
7). God Save the King: the British national anthem. It is usual in Britain to play the tune whenever
the monarch appears in public.
8). Averell Harriamn: (1891-1986) American financier, diplomat and cabinet member; became
successively chairman of the Business Advisory Council of the Department of Commerce,
overseas administrator of lendlease, and ambassador (1943-46) to the U.S.S.R. Enjoying the
confidence of President Roosevelt, he was present at the Quebec, Casablanca, Moscow, and
Tehran conferences, participated in the San Francisco Conference which established the United
Nations, and accompanied President Truman to the Potsdam Conference.
9). The president: referring to F.D. Roosevelt (1882-1945), 32nd President of the United Sates.
10). Sumner Wells: (1892-1961) American diplomat, political columnist and author. He served as
U.S. assistant secretary (1933-37) and under-secretary (1937-43) of State. He later was a political
columnist for the New York Herald Tribune.
11). Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. (1941-), third son of President Roosevelt. He served (1941-46)
in the U.S. Navy and in 1949 was elected to Congress as Liberal.
12). “My country” Tis of Thee: the first line of “America”, a patriotic hymn of the United States
composed by the Rev. Samuel Francis Smith in 1831 and sung to the music of the British national
anthem, “God Save the King (Queen)”.
13). Harry Hopkins: (1890-1946) American social worker and public administrator, intimate
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associate and adviser of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and U.S. secretary of commerce
(1938-40). As the personal representative of President Roosevelt, he went on missions to London
and Moscow, conferring with Churchill and Stalin. He also attended the major was conferences at
Washington, Casablanca, Quebec, Cairo, Tehran, and Yalta.
14). Admiral King: Ernest Joseph King (1878-1956), American naval officer. He was appointed
commander in chief of the U.S. Atlantic fleet (1940) and of the entire U.S. fleet (December, 1941).
He served (March, 1942-December, 1945) as chief of naval operations during World War Second.
He was appointed (December,1944) admiral of the fleet (five-star rank).
15). Archangel: or Arkhangelsk, city in U.S.S.R., on right bank of Northern Dvina near its mouth
about 460 miles NE of Leningrad.
16). Oops-a-daisy: a consolatory cliché, rather than a catch phrase, uttered as one picks up a child
that has fallen. A baby-talk alteration of “up-a-daisy” or “upsadaisy”.
17). Pickwick: Samuel Pickwick, founder of the Pickwick club, central character in Pickwick
Papers by Charles Dickens. He is short, stout, good-hearted and benevolent.
18). Burne-Wilk: a British senior staff officer.
19). U-boat: the German unterseeboot, or submarine. During the Second World War the term was
used to describe all submarines Italian, Japanese and German operating against the allied forces,
while those of the allies were always called submarines.
20). “arsenal of democracy”: referring to the United States; first used by F.D. Roosevelt in his
Fireside Chat broadcast on 29 December, 1940.
21). Crete-like invasion: Crete, Greek, island in East Mediterranean Sea, captured by German
airborne forces May 20-30, 1941, first successful use of airborne forces in a major campaign in
world War Second.
22). air commodore: a rank in the Royal Air Force equivalent to that of Brigadier in the British
Army.
23). the Hun: term of contempt applied to German soldiers especially in World War Second.
24). Admiral Pound: Sir Dudley Pickman Rogers Pond, (1877-1943) British admiral of the fleet,
became First Sea Lord and chief of the Naval Staff.
25). Tirpitz: a 42,500-ton German battleship, sister ship of the Bismarck. From Jan. 1942 to Nov.
1944 she served in Norwegian waters, where she constituted a permanent threat to the British
convoys to North Russia. It was finally sunk on 12 Nov. 1944.
26). Iceland: island between North Atlantic and Artic Oceans, became an independent republic in
June, 1944; placed under British and American military occupation in World War Second. British
forced landed on May 10, 1940, American marines on July 7,1941.
27). Sonoma: country in California.
28). Winnie: a diminutive form of Churchill’s first name “Winston”.
29). Smolensk: a city in U.S.S.R. and some other navies equivalent to that of midshipman or
sub-lieutenant.
30). Laurel and Hardy: an American film team (1926-1952) whose comedies were among the most
popular in the world.
31). Surgeon-General: the title of the chief of the Army Medical Service and of the United States
Public Health Service.
32). Clement Attlee: (1883-1967) English politician, Labour Party leader, and prime minister
(1945-51). In World War Second he served in Churchill’s cabinet as lord privy seal (1940-42),
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deputy prime minister (1942-45), dominion s secretary (1942-43), and lord president of the
council (1943-45).
33). The Atlantic Charter: a statement of principles in World War Second by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The Charter, announced publicly on Aug. 14,
1941, resulted from a series of conferences (August 9-12) between the two leaders aboard the
U.S.S.R. August off Newfoundland. The Atlantic Charter was employed effectively as a
propaganda weapon against the axis powers during World War Second.
34). Lend-Lease: in World War Second, the furnishing of goods and services to any country whose
defense was deemed vital to the defense of the United States, under the terms of the Lend-lease
Act passed by Congress on March 11, 194.
35). Munich pact: the pact of September 29,1938, signed by Nazi Germany, Great Britain, France,
and Italy, in which the Sudetenland as ceded to Germany.
36). Chamberlain: Arthur Neville Chamberlain (1869-1940), prime minister of reat Britain
(1937-1940), main advocate of the policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany that culminated
in the Munich Agreement of 1938.
II. Questions after the detailed study of the text.
1. On the problem of aid to Russia, did Churchill and Roosevelt see eye to eye? In what way did
their opinions differ?
2. What was Britain’s immediate need? Why did the author consider this need pathetic?
3. On the last day of the conference, Admiral King called Henry in. He informed him of three
important things. Say what they were.
4. For the American guest, it was a bad half hour. Why was it a bad half hour for Henry?
5. Why did the part about free trade and independence for all peoples mean the end of the British
Empire?
III. Analysis and Appreciation of the text
1. The outline of the text:
Part One: Argentia Bay
Part Two: Harry Hopkins
Part Three: Churchill calls
Part Four: Roosevelt hobbles across
Part Five: A request from the British
Part Six: U-boat sightings
Part Seven: “We will have to the price”
2. Type of literature: novel
IV . Rhetorical Devices
1. transferred epithet:
He threw a reassuring arm round my shoulder = He threw his arm round my shoulder reassuringly.
1). Gray peace pervaded the wilderness-ringed Argentia Bay in Newfoundland.
2). Droves of blue jackets were doing an animated scrub-down.
3). They prolonged the clasp for the photographer, exchanging smiling words.
4). Pug observed that not one of them was shooting this crippled walk.
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5).The sailors swarmed into a laughing, cheering ring around the two men.
6). Franklin Roosevelt listened with bright-eyed smiling attention.
2. metaphor:
1). Passing from the Augusta to the Prince of Wales in King’s barge,… Victor Henry went from
America to England and from peace to war.
2). On the superstructure raw steel patches were welded here and there – sticking plaster for the
wounds from the Bismark’s salvos.
3). Hitler’s bitten off a big bite this time.
4). This is the changing of the world.
5). This plain truth… ran a red line across every request.
6). This simple yardstick rapidly disclosed the poverty of the “arsenal of democracy”.
7). You are dry as a bone in your service, aren’t you?
8). The President is the source of all Navy regulations, sir, and can tailor them to his desires.
9). Blockade,… would in time weaken the grip of Nazi claws on Europe.
10). The predicament of England seemed soaked in their bones.
11). They vote their political hunched to protect their political hides.
12). The war’s ball game they can watch. You are the home team, because you talk our language.
3. repetition:
Haze ad mist blended all into gray: gray water, gray sky, gray air, gray hills with a tint of green.
4. hyperbole:
Clouds of airplanes… same as the French were yelling for last year.
V. Detail study of the text:
1. ring: circle or surround
Ring the spelling mistakes with red ink.
Police ringed the building.
Grandmother lived in an old house ringed with trees.
2. await: v.
I shall await hearing from you.= I shall wait to hear from you.
3. blend: v. cause to make together
How well their voices blend!
Those two colors blend well
4. a primeval hush: like the silence in very ancient times when the world was first created
5. Quiet fell: Quiet came upon the place
Dusk had fallen heavily over the scene.
A leaden silence fell over the hall.
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6. brace: v. to make stronger (sth. used for supporting, stiffening, or fastening)
His weak back was heavily braced.
7. beckon: v. make a silent sign, as with the finger
She beckoned me to follow her.
I would like to stay – but work beckons, you know,
8. give sb. a hand: help or assist one
After the party several students offered to give a hand with the cleaning-up.
Could you give me a hand with these books?
9. tick sth. off:
Please tick off the names of those present.
The jobs which are done have been ticked off.
10. press for:
The bank is pressing us for repayment of the loan.
11. shore up:
She used this evidence to shore up her argument.
12. magnitude: n.
You don’t appreciate the magnitude of her achievement.
13. diminish: v.
His illness diminished his strength.
As people approach old age their energy may diminish.
14. flap: v.
The sails were flapping gently in the wind.
The bird flapped off across the lake.
15. there were meetings going at 3 different levels:
1). The summit 2). Chiefs of staff
3). Planners
16. dictate: v.
I refused to be dictated by you.
You cannot dictate to people how they should live.
17. wrap up: bring... to the end
The salesmen had already wrapped up a couple of deals by lunch-time.
18. cluster: v.
The village clusters the church.
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19. An American destroyer slowly moved paralleled with the battleship so that its bridge was side
by side with the main deck of the battle ship.
20. hear about: be told or learnt about
I have never head about him.
hear of: receive news of, have knowledge of
She hadn’t heard of my husband’s death when I met her.
hear from: receive a letter from
21. detach: v.
A number of men were detached to guard the city.
VI. Assignment
1. Write an essay to comment on the different attitudes of President Roosevelt, of Congress and of
the American people towards the war when Hitler had invaded the Soviet Union.
2. Words for dictation: pervade, blend, chore, primeval, shatter, parade, salt-crusted, august, aghast,
escort, double-breasted, scrounge, stagger, assault, magnitude, triumph, pathetic, arsenal,
hypothetic, stupendous, sneak, subversion, full-fledged, detach, smatter, dispatch, ruby, equivocate
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