First, the original text
For our nation, every part of this land is sacred.
every beach, every arable land, every mountain range, every river, every shining pine needle, every buzzing insect, the mist in the dense jungle and the white clouds in the blue sky are all holy in the memory and experience of our nation.
we are a part of the earth, and the earth is also a part of us. Grass, green leaves and flowers are our sisters, while elk, steed and eagle are our brothers. Sap flows through the trunk, just as blood flows through our blood vessels. We belong to the same home as the mountains, rivers, animals and plants on the earth.
It is not only water that shines in streams and rivers, but also the blood of our ancestors. Every reflection in the clear lake reflects our experiences and memories; The gurgling sound of running water echoed the cordial call of our ancestors. The river quenches our thirst, nourishes our hearts and nurtures our children and grandchildren.
The river carries our wooden boat, which runs through the endless river and is full of our hopes. If we give up this land and transfer it to you, you must remember that this land is sacred. The river is our brother and your brother. You should treat our river like your brothers.
Indians love the smell of the breeze after the rain, the sound of it brushing the water, and the fragrance of rosin floating in the wind. Air is also precious to us, because all life needs it.
if we give up this land and transfer it to you, you must remember that this land is sacred. Air is integrated with the life it nourishes. The breeze gave our ancestors their first breath and sent away their last sigh. Similarly, air will give life to our children and all living things. You should take good care of it so that you can also taste the sweet taste of the wind after passing through the grass.
if we give up this land and transfer it to you, you must remember that this land is sacred. You must take good care of the animals in this land. What will happen to human beings without animals? If all the animals die, so will mankind. What befalls animals will eventually befall human beings.
Tell your children that the land under their feet is the ashes of their ancestors, and the land holds the lives of our loved ones. Tell your children that the earth is our mother, just as we teach our children. Anything that befalls the earth will eventually befall the children of the earth.
We love the earth, just as a newborn baby is attached to its mother's warm arms. You should love it and take care of it as much as we do. For future generations, you should devote all your strength and emotion to protect the earth. We know that the earth does not belong to human beings, but human beings belong to the earth.
Second, the main content
The main content of this text is: Indian chiefs think this land is sacred, and the chiefs want to transfer this land in Seattle to American whites, and demand that American whites remember that this land is sacred. The earth is the mother of human beings, and human beings belong to the earth, but the earth does not belong to human beings. We should take care of the earth and everything that grows on it.
This article vividly describes the flesh-and-blood relationship between human beings and rivers, air, animals, etc., and strongly expresses the Indian's incomparable nostalgia and sincere feelings for this land.
Third, the central idea
This paper vividly describes the close relationship between human beings and rivers, air, animals and plants on the earth, and strongly expresses the sincere feelings of Indians' incomparable attachment and love for this land.
Beautiful language, rich connotation and abundant emotion are the most important features of the text. On the one hand, the text uses a lot of personification, metaphor and other expressions, treating everything on the land as their brothers and sisters, and between the lines is full of cherish and love for this land, expressing their incomparable attachment to them.
It also enhances the sense of the article. The phrase "If we give up this land and transfer it to you, you must remember that this land is sacred" appears repeatedly, resulting in the expression effect of singing and sighing, which not only deepens the theme, but also strengthens the emotion that the author wants to express-the sincere emotion of incomparable attachment and love for this land! Extended information
1. Creative background
In the 195s, it was the Native American Indians who faced the invasion from European whites and loyal opposition invaders. After a series of conflicts, the US government decided to buy 2 million acres of Indian land for $15,.
The chief of Seattle knows that his tribe can't compete with the guns of white people. In order to protect his tribe from harm, he agreed to the demands of white people. Later, in a reply to the white man, he delivered a speech that shocked the world. This is the famous Seattle Declaration.
Second, the author's brief introduction
Indian Chief Seattle, (Chief Seattle, 1786-June 7, 1866) Indian, yellow race, the oldest resident in America. Is the leader of the Indian tribe in Washington State, USA, believes in Catholicism, and is willing to establish personal friendship with white immigrants and one of Seattle's founders, David Swainson Maynard.