It was a festival, like any festival actually. The sunshine was dazzling, the music deafening, and the people teasing each other. Almost everywhere were those who had relieved them selves from the routine work, expecting for a new start.
Except one a small man, whose age was hard to tell. He was huddled up in the corner, a few metres from the happy holiday crowds who were hurrying to and from. He was covered in a piece of pale blue cloth. For quite a long time, he was still with out even a slight motion, nor did he make any gestures. Begging for money? Or weeping over his misfortune? Neither. He was just sitting there, alone and silent. His hair was grey, much like the withered grass, fluttering on a frosted autumn morning. A bird might well have perched on his head for such a cozy nest, if it were not so dirty. His face was pale and twisted. The nose and the mouth were squeezed to one side. His eyes were frosted, looking inward like the windows of a snowbound cottage. Was he blind? Sometimes, he moved his mouth, murmuring as if to say something. But who cared to listen, on so brilliant and joyful a day?
簡 評
本文細致地描寫了蜷縮在牆角的一個可憐的人。文章開頭是一群人在狂歡：眩目的陽光、震耳欲聾的音樂、嬉鬧的人群，襯托出不遠處有一個人孤零零地蜷縮在牆角。作者對這個可憐的人進行了細致入微的描寫：一塊舊布裹住他的身體，亂草堆似的頭發，臉呈褐色，臉型扭曲而不對稱，眼睛內陷，也許已失明，有時動動嘴巴，也許在訴說著什麽。作者的描寫由遠及近，從衣著到眼睛，越來越細致。而且運用了一系列生動的比喻，如：A bird might well have perched On his head for such a cozy nest，if it were not so dirty;His eyes were frosted，looking inward 1ike the windows of a snowbound cottage等，表現出作者細致的觀察力和豐富的想像力。整篇文章中，作者都沒有指明他的身份，隻是在猜測：他一動不動地坐在那兒，是在乞討呢?還是在為自己的不幸遭遇而哭泣?愈加令人同情。
文章的最後一句再次將這個人的孤苦伶仃和周圍人的快樂放在一起進行對照，進一步渲染了他的悲慘境遇。如果作者能夠進一步加強兩者之間的對照，效果則更佳。可以引起讀者的思考：這個可憐的人究竟可憐在何處?髒?病?無家可歸?最可怕的是人與人之間的冷漠。