Let life be beautiful like summer flowers and death like autumn leaves.
—Rabindranath Tagore
Unit Goals
After learning the unit, students are expected to be able
·to understand the meaning of life,
·to know Oscar Wilde and his aesthetic concerns,
·to understand fairy tale as a literary genre,
·to understand Bertrand Russell and his philosophy,
·to master the useful expressions in the writings, and
·to improve language proficiency and critical thinking through the content of this unit.
Before You Read
1.Create a concept map for the idea of kindness and discuss each item with your partner.
2.Work out the following questions.
1)Which fairy tales have you read? Which one impressed you the most? Why?
2)What are some typical characteristics of fairy tales? Can you give examples of each?
3)How do you view life? How to make one’s life more meaningful?
4)How do you view death? What kind of death do you think is worthwhile? If you could, how would you choose to die?
5)Are you willing to sacrifice your life for love or for others’happiness? Why or why not?
3.Form groups of three or four students.Try to find, on the Internet or in the library, information about the Oscar Wilde and Aesthetic Movement.Prepare a presentation about how his “Art for art’s sake”principle is reflected in his major works.
Start to Read