主题：【编辑】美国经济周报2010年8月第1期 -- 南方有嘉木

by goingconern (GoingConcern) at 2010.8.22 09:02 (#47224@41)

＜本文发表于: 相约加拿大:枫下论坛 www.rolia.net/forum ＞

最近恰巧有机会读了纽约女作家 ELIZABETH GILBERT 写的自传体小说 EAT PRAY LOVE。 我觉得书写的很好，充满了纽约风格的DRY HUMOUR, ELIZABETH GILBERT除了充满尖锐的思想和优秀的文字功夫外，还是一个典型的可爱美国妞，充满信仰，非常有爱意，风趣直接，但随着不一般的智慧和AFFECTION而来的也就是不一般的敏感和脆弱。见到太多的一流小说拍成三流的电影，真希望JULIAN ROBERTS 在正上演的同名电影里好好演绎。

言归正传，里面有一封GILBERT写给上帝的请求信，暂且"拿来" 擅自点评，希望在和大家讨论“在商业写作中言简意赅地请求”这个话题的同时，也顺便有点乐趣。

这封信的背景故事大概如是：GILBERT 时年32岁，在纽约生活，是个职业作家。成功地美国职业妇女该有的她都有了，但她却感到婚姻生活的挣扎，因此开始了一场长达两年噩梦般的离婚拉锯战。在她几乎要精神崩溃之时，她与一位女友开车作了一次旅行，途中在黎巴嫩战火中长大的信仰坚定的女友鼓励身为基督徒的GILBERT给上帝写一封请求信，祈求上帝的帮助。当然女友的用意并非强调宗教信仰，而是意在鼓励她在绝望中竖起信心。原信如下。

Dear God,

Please intervene and help end this divorce.My husband and I have failed at our marriage and now we are failing at our divorce. (开头This poinsoners process is brining suffering to us and to everyone who cares about us.

I recognize that you are busy with wars and tragedies and much larger conflicts than the ongoing dispute of one dysfunctional couple. But it is my understanding that the health of the planet is affected by the health of every individual on it. As long as even two souls are locked in conflict, the whole of the world is contaminated by it. Similarly, if even one or two souls can can be free from discord, this will increase the general health of the whole world the way a few healthy cells in a body can increase the general health of that body.

It is my most humble request, then, that you help us end this conflict, so that two more people can have the channce to become free and healthy, and so there will be just a litte bit less animosity and bitterness in a world is already far too troubled by suffering.

I thank you for your kind consideration.

Respectually,

Elizabeth M. Gilbert

且允许我“拿来”点评一下。

Please intervene and help end this divorce. (第一句话开门见山清晰表明意图，至关重要！) My husband and I have failed at our marriage and now we are failing at our divorce. (点明意图后，简要陈述一点背景消息）This poinsoners process is brining suffering to us and to everyone who cares about us.（接着点明，我为什么要作这个重要的请求，因为后果已经很严重）

I recognize that you are busy with wars and tragedies and much larger conflicts than the ongoing dispute of one dysfunctional couple. （这句话很重要，是个沟通中常用的技巧，给对方一个“理解万岁的CUSHION”，表示我也很理解你上帝的处境和别的更大的忙活事。提出自己的请求的同时，要让对方理解我也明白对方的原则，立场和局限）But （这个但书是关键） it is my understanding （用这样的表达方法充满坚定的人格和恰当的自信，也比较有礼貌） that the health of the planet is affected by the health of every individual on it （善于用对方的需求，观点，高度去找到说理的切入点）. As long as even two souls are locked in conflict, the whole of the world is contaminated by it.（抓住不放，进一步论证，用的的是反向论证） Similarly, if even one or two souls can can be free from discord, this will increase the general health of the whole world the way a few healthy cells in a body can increase the general health of that body.（前面是反向论证 IN GENERAL，现在是从面到点，循序引出，如果上帝答应了我的请求，将带来的效绩，还是从上帝的利益出发，告诉上帝这件小事，无论是对个人，还是对上帝的重大事业，意义都很重大。 用的是正向论证。总的来说，前后三句话，完美地运用了逻辑推理的基本功，三点紧密相扣相辅，没有一个字是跑题的）

It is my most humble request,（礼貌妥切的回到请求的主题） then,（这个字看似微小，力量强大，意思是说上帝您要是觉得我说的有理的话，那么你满足我的请求非我要求你背弃您的准则，而是顺应您的准则，做出非常自然的决定去帮助我） that you help us end this conflict （“help us ned this conflict"这就是我的请求，非常有必要的重复，意在重申）, so that two more people can have the channce to become free and healthy （对我个人的好处）, and so there will be just a litte bit less animosity and bitterness in a world is already far too troubled by suffering.（对您上帝的好处，这可是上帝的伟大事业的一个BOOT STRAP,意义可真是重大啊！:-))

I thank you for your kind consideration. （有没有觉得加了一个“Ｉ”之后，powerful了很多？同时也真诚了很多？）

Respectually,

Elizabeth M. Gilbert

事后如何呢？书中有一段及其精彩的描述，让小说在第３３页就有了一个小小的高潮，预兆了随后的情节的ＴＯＮＥ。随后ＧＩＬＢＥＲＴ的手机响了，她的离婚律师通知他，丈夫刚刚答应签署离婚书！这听起来好像很好莱坞，但是，不可否认，这样逻辑有力，充满为上帝考虑顺理成章的请求，上帝肯定点头。It is a win-win situation!!!