Unit 2 Going HOME
1. Warming-up Questions
1) What do you think Vingo had done that
got him in prison?
2) How do you think Vingo behaved in
prison? What do you think he wanted to
do after his release?
3) What kind of person do you think his wife
was? Why didn’t she write to Vingo?
4. Do you agree the yellow ribbon is a
symbol? What does it symbolize? What did
it mean to Vingo?
5. What lesson do you think young people
can learn from Vingo’s story?
6. Do you think the ability to forgive and
forget is important in human relationship?
2. Background Knowledge of the Text
1) About the Author
The text is based on “Yellow Ribbon”, a story
written in the 1960’s by Pete Hamill, a successful
American journalist and author. The story was
made into a Japanese movie in 1977 in which the
song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree”
became quite popular in the United States.
The 1960’s-70’s was a very trying ime for the
American people, as the country was deeply
troubled by its involvement in Vietnam War”. It
was a time when such traditional values as human
sympathy, understanding, trust and love seemed
to be losing out. Through the experience of a
former prisoner and his journey with a group of
young people, the story seems to express a strong
desire for “going home”, where such good old
values are to be found again.
2) Introduction to the Text
This is a moving story. Yellow ribbons are still
sometimes used to welcome someone home.
Ribbons are also sometimes worn to symbolize
support for a cause.
The plot follows three stages:
The 1st stage (para. 1-4) Introduction to the
setting and the characters
The 2nd stage (para. 5-9) Where Vingo is going
and what for, and how the young people get
interested in what is going to happen.
The 3rd stage (para. 10-12) The conclusion: Vingo
is forgiven and welcomed home.
3. Detailed Discussion of the Text
1) They were dreaming of golden beaches and tides of
the sea as the grey, cold spring of New York
vanished behind them. (para. 1)
★ to dream of/about (doing sth): to imagine and
think about sth. that you would like to happen,
e.g.
a) On the way to school the boy dreamed about
that afternoon’s football match.
b) The girl dreamed of becoming a movie star.
2) He sat in front of the young people, his dusty face
masking his age, dressed in a plain brown suit that
did not fit him.
↓
nominative absolute construction
e.g.
a) The old man stood up, tears running down his
face.
b) She gave Bob a letter, her hands trembling.
The types of absolute construction:
a) to-infinitive
A number of officials followed the emperor, some
to hold his robe, others to adjust his girdle, and
b) —the present participle phrase
c) — the past participle phrase
d) verbless structure
3) Deep into the night, the bus pulled into a Howard
Johnson’s restaurant and everybody got off the bus
except Vingo.
Paraphrase:
→ Late at night the bus stopped at one of the
Howard Johnson fast food chain restaurants. Every
passenger on the bus got off to eat, but Vingo
didn’t.
★ to pull in (to sth): (of a train or bus) to enter a
station and stop.
4) … one of the girls became so curious that she
decided to engage him in conversation. → …one of
the girls became very interested in Vingo, and she
decided to get him to talk.
★ to engage sb. in conversation: to start talking to
sb. and involve him/her in a conversation
★ to engage sb. in sth. : to make sb. take part in
sth., e.g.
She tried to engage her roommate in a
philosophical discussion.
5) . … as Vingo nodded in sleep.→ … as Vingo fell
asleep.
“in” → It is often used to show a state or condition.
“into”→It is used to show a change in state.
E.g.
He sat in complete silence.
But then some boys began to glance at me in
curiosity.
He thanked her and retreated into his silence.
Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the
ex-con’s mask…
6) The girl insisted that he join them.
↓
subjunctive mood
★ to insist that sb. do sth. or sth. be done: to
demand that sth. should happen and refuse to let
anyone say no, e.g.
The teacher insisted that the students (should) turn
in their homework on time.
Other words:
command, order, move(提议）， advocate, advise,
suggestions etc.
7). … when I was sure the parole was coming through
I wrote her again.
Paraphrase:
… when I knew for sure that I would be released on
parole I again wrote her a letter.
★ parole: permission for early release that is given to
a prisoner before the end of his sentence on
condition that he behaves well.
to come through: to arrive.
8) Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the
ex-con’s mask, as if fortifying himself against still
another disappointment.
→Vingo moved his eyes away from the window, and
his face again became expressionless as if he was
trying to find the courage to face another possible
blow, another disappointment in his life.
★the ex-con’s mask: the expression of a former
prisoner(ex-convict) trying to hide his true feelings.
★to fortify oneself (against sb. / sth.) : to make
oneself feel stronger or braver.
9)Then suddenly all of the young people were up out
of their seats, screaming and shouting and crying,
doing small dances, shaking clenched fists in
triumph and exaltation. All except Vingo.
→Then all of sudden, all the young people left their
seats and began doing all sorts of things to express
their happiness and excitement. Vingo alone
remained still.
4. Class Activity
Please turn the story into a play and
act it out.