The First Seven Years: Critical Overview
With its Jewish immigrant characters living in dingy surroundings and burdened by the weight of life’s cares, ‘‘The First Seven Years’’ is a representative Malamud story. It has been highly regarded ever since its publication in Malamud’s collection of stories, The Magic Barrel (1958). For example, William Peden commented in the New York Times, ‘‘[Malamud] possesses a gift for characterization that is often breathtaking. His lonely shoemakers, despondent graduate students and sickness ridden shopkeepers are brilliantly individualized.’’ The First Seven Years: Summary
Feld the shoemaker and his assistant Sobel are working at their benches on a snowy February day. Feld thinks about Max, a young man he admires for his dedication to pursuing his education. He contrasts Max’s determination with the lack of interest his daughter Miriam shows in education.
At that moment Max brings in a pair of shoes for repair. Feld takes him aside, out of Sobel’s hearing, and asks whether Max would like to meet Miriam. After Max sees a picture of Miriam and asks a few questions about her, he agrees to get in touch with her. Feld gives him Miriam’s telephone...
The First Seven Years: Introduction
Written in 1950, ‘‘The First Seven Years’’ was published in Bernard Malamud’s first collection of short stories, The Magic Barrel, in 1958. The story is about Feld, a Jewish shoemaker who seeks a suitable husband for his daughter Miriam. But she is not interested in his choice of Max, a college student. Feld soon discovers that his assistant, Sobel, a Polish Jewish refugee, is in love with Miriam, and that she returns his affections. Miriam sees spiritual qualities in Sobel, but Feld is dismayed because he wants her to do better for herself. Feld is faced with a moral choice: will he allow Sobel to wed Miriam? Can he put his daughter’s feelings above what he thinks is appropriate for her? Can he learn to see in Sobel what Miriam sees in him? In the climax of the story, Feld tells Sobel that if he works for two more years, making seven in all, he can ask Miriam for her hand in marriage. Hence the title of the story, which is an allusion to the Biblical story of how Jacob labored in the service of Laban for seven years to win the hand of Rebecca, whom he loved.
‘‘The First Seven Years’’ is one of many stories Malamud wrote about Jewish immigrants living in Ne
第二篇：The First Seven Years资料
The First Seven Years: Critical Overview
With its Jewish immigrant characters living in dingy surroundings and burdened by the weight of life’s cares, ‘‘The First Seven Years’’ is a representative Malamud story. It has been highly regarded ever since its publication in Malamud’s collection of stories, The Magic Barrel (1958). For example, William Peden commented in the New York Times, ‘‘[Malamud] possesses a gift for characterization that is often breathtaking. His lonely shoemakers, despondent graduate students and sickness ridden shopkeepers are brilliantly individualized.’’ The First Seven Years: Summary
Feld the shoemaker and his assistant Sobel are working at their benches on a snowy February day. Feld thinks about Max, a young man he admires for his dedication to pursuing his education. He contrasts Max’s determination with the lack of interest his daughter Miriam shows in education.
At that moment Max brings in a pair of shoes for repair. Feld takes him aside, out of Sobel’s hearing, and asks whether Max would like to meet Miriam. After Max sees a picture of Miriam and asks a few questions about her, he agrees to get in touch with her. Feld gives him Miriam’s telephone...
The First Seven Years: Introduction
Written in 1950, ‘‘The First Seven Years’’ was published in Bernard Malamud’s first collection of short stories, The Magic Barrel, in 1958. The story is about Feld, a Jewish shoemaker who seeks a suitable husband for his daughter Miriam. But she is not interested in his choice of Max, a college student. Feld soon discovers that his assistant, Sobel, a Polish Jewish refugee, is in love with Miriam, and that she returns his affections. Miriam sees spiritual qualities in Sobel, but Feld is dismayed because he wants her to do better for herself. Feld is faced with a moral choice: will he allow Sobel to wed Miriam? Can he put his daughter’s feelings above what he thinks is appropriate for her? Can he learn to see in Sobel what Miriam sees in him? In the climax of the story, Feld tells Sobel that if he works for two more years, making seven in all, he can ask Miriam for her hand in marriage. Hence the title of the story, which is an allusion to the Biblical story of how Jacob labored in the service of Laban for seven years to win the hand of Rebecca, whom he loved.
‘‘The First Seven Years’’ is one of many stories Malamud wrote about Jewish immigrants living in Ne 故事讲述费尔德，一个犹太鞋匠谁寻求他的女儿仪合适的丈夫。 But she is not interested in his choice of Max, a college student.但她不感兴趣，他的最大，一名大学生的选择。 Feld soon discovers that his assistant, Sobel, a Polish Jewish refugee, is in love with Miriam, and that she returns his affections.费尔德很快发现，他的助手，索贝尔，波兰犹太难民，与仪爱，她返回自己的感情。 Miriam sees spiritual qualities in Sobel, but Feld is dismayed because he wants her to do better for herself.仪看到了索贝尔精神品质，但费尔德是失望，因为他希望她为自己做的更好。 Feld is faced with a moral choice: will he allow Sobel to wed Miriam?费尔德面临着道德的抉择：他让索贝尔至三仪？ Can he put his daughter's feelings above what he thinks is appropriate for her?他能凌驾于他认为自己的女儿的感情，是适合她吗？ Can he learn to see in Sobel what Miriam sees in him?他能学会看到索贝尔什么仪在他看到？ In the climax of the story, Feld tells Sobel that if he works for two more years, making seven in all, he can ask Miriam for her hand in marriage.在故事的高潮，费尔德告诉索贝尔说，如果他的作品多两年，使得在所有7个，他可以问她求婚仪。 Hence the title of the story, which is an allusion to the Biblical story of how Jacob labored in the service of Laban for seven years to win the hand of Rebecca, whom he loved.因此，标题的故事，这是对圣经故事，典故如何雅各布吃力7年来，拉班的服务赢得了丽贝卡，被他爱的手。
费尔德的鞋匠和他的助手正在索贝尔在雪原上2天的长椅。 Feld thinks about Max, a young man he admires for his dedication to pursuing his education.费尔德认为，关于最高，一个年轻人，他对他的奉献精神追求他的教育钦佩。 He contrasts Max's determination with the lack of interest his daughter Miriam shows in education.他对比与缺乏兴趣，他的女儿仪最大的决心，显示了教育。
At that moment Max brings in a pair of shoes for repair.在那一刻带来了最大的修理鞋。 Feld takes him aside, out of Sobel's hearing, and asks whether Max would like to meet Miriam.费尔德需要他拉到一边，出索贝尔的听证会，并询问是否想最大满足仪。 After Max sees a picture of Miriam and asks a few questions about her, he agrees to get in touch with her.之后最大的仪看到了图片，并请她的几个问题，他同意在与她接触。 Feld gives him Miriam's telephone number.费尔德给他仪的电话号码。 Feld decides to repair the shoes at a reduced price although he does not tell Max of his generosity.费尔德决定在修复降价的鞋子，尽管他并没有告诉他的慷慨最大。 Later that day, Sobel pounds so hard on the last (the wooden mold of the human foot on which shoes are built or repaired) that he breaks it.当天晚些时候，索贝尔英镑这么高的最后（人类脚的鞋上建造或修补木模），他打破了。 He then grabs his coat and rushes outside, quitting his job.然后，他取了外套，往外冲，放弃了工作。
Sobel's departure leaves Feld in an unfortunate situation.索贝尔的离去将使菲尔德在一个不幸的局面。 He cannot run the business entirely by himself.他不能运行的业务完全由他自己。 He remembers how, five years earlier, he had had a heart attack and would have had to sell the business had it not been for Sobel, a Polish refugee, who appeared and begged him for work.他记得，5年前，他心脏病发作，不得不出售有关业务的，如果不是因为索贝尔，波兰难民，谁出现，并乞求他的工作得到。 Feld took him on and Sobel soon learned how to run the business.费尔德发生在他和索贝尔很快学会了如何经营业务。 Feld trusted him.费尔德信任他。 Sobel, although uneducated, spent his spare time reading, and was in the habit of lending his books to Miriam.索贝尔，虽然没有受过教育，经常利用业余时间读书，并在他的书，以贷款仪的习惯。 Although he earned little, he showed no desire to secure a better-paying job.虽然他工资微薄，他表现并不希望取得更好的高薪工作。
One week later, Feld seeks out Sobel in his rooming house, but the landlady tells him Sobel is not at home.一个星期后，费尔德要求进行索贝尔在他家寄宿，但房东告诉他索贝尔不在家。 Feld does not believe her.费尔德不相信她。 He decides to hire a new assistant, and although the new man is not as proficient as Sobel, Feld is satisfied.他决定聘请一位新的助理，虽然新人不如索贝尔熟练，费尔德满意。 He also learns that, on Friday, Max is to have his first date with Miriam.他还了解到，上周五，最多是让他与刘健第一次约会。
When Miriam returns from her date, Feld meets her in the kitchen.当她返回日期仪，费尔德符合她在厨房里。 Miriam reports that she and Max went for a walk, but she is noncommittal about whether she likes him.仪报告说，她和马克斯去散步，但她不置可否她是否喜欢他。 Feld, though disappointed, is consoled by the fact that Miriam has accepted a second date with Max, eight days later.菲尔德，虽然感到失望，是安慰的是，刘健仪已接受了第二次约会与马克斯，8天之后的事实。 On that occasion, Feld waits up for Miriam to return.在那次会议上，费尔德等待仪还归还。 But Miriam confesses she was bored by Max's company, and does not plan to see him again.但仪坦承她是由最高的公司无聊，不打算再见到他。
Max does not call again, and he starts to take a different route to school, avoiding Feld's house.马克斯没有再打电话，他开始采取不同的路线到学校，避免费尔德的房子。 Then one afternoon he returns for his shoes and the transaction is completed without Miriam's name being mentioned.然后，一个下午，他返回他的鞋和交易是没有仪的名字被提及完成。
That night, Feld discovers that his new assistant has been stealing from him, and the shock gives him a mild heart attack.那天晚上，费尔德发现他的新助手已被窃取了他，给他的冲击轻微心脏病发作。 He stays in bed for three weeks, and on his first day back at work
he realizes he has no option but to seek out Sobel again.他留在床上躺了三个星期，并在工作的第一天回来，他意识到他已别无选择，只能再次寻求索贝尔。 He visits Sobel in his one small room, which has several stacks of books in it.他参观了一个小房间，它具有多种图书栈也索贝尔。 Feld asks him when he will return to work and Sobel says never.费尔德问他时，他将返回工作，索贝尔说，从来没有。 Feld offers him higher wages, but Sobel does not care about money.菲尔德向他提供更高的工资，但索贝尔不在乎钱。 Then Feld says he had always treated Sobel as if he were his own son, but Sobel seizes on the remark and asks Feld why, then, did he seek out boys for Miriam to go out with instead of him?然后费尔德说，他始终把索贝尔就好像他是自己的儿子，但索贝尔的话抓住并要求费尔德为什么，那么，他探求仪男孩去，而不是他呢？
In the ensuing discussion, it transpires that the only reason Sobel worked for Feld for five years was because he was in love with Miriam.在随后的讨论问题，它的唯一理由索贝尔的费尔德工作了5年，是因为他爱上了同仪。 Feld had half-guessed this was the case but had not acknowledged it to himself.费尔德的一半，猜到这是这样，但没有承认它自己。 Sobel says that Miriam knows how he feels about her although he has never told her directly.索贝尔说，仪知道他如何对她的感觉，尽管他从来没有直接告诉她。 Feld is angry and tells Sobel that he will never marry his daughter.费尔德是生气，并告诉索贝尔，他永远不会娶他的女儿。 Sobel also becomes angry but then breaks down in tears.索贝尔也变得愤怒，但随后分解流泪。 Feld feels pity for him.费尔德为他感到可惜。 He does not want Miriam to have the life of a shoemaker's wife; he had dreamed of a better life for her.他不想仪有一个鞋匠的妻子生活，他有一个更美好的生活对她的梦想。 But then Feld has a change of heart.但费尔德已经改变主意。 He says that if Sobel waits two more years he can then talk to Miriam about marriage.他说，如果索贝尔等待两年，他就可以谈论婚姻仪。
When Feld returns to work the next morning, he finds Sobel already at his bench, working hard.当返回到工作费尔德第二天早上，他发现自己已经在板凳索贝尔，努力工作。