¶ Today, I want to talk something about the bridge: Roseman Bridge.Roseman Bridge is a covered bridge（廊桥）in Madison County.
¶ And it’s the matchmaker in the novel The Bridges of Madison County.
Washington Post once commented that :“Vividly romantic...Waller is an amazing storyteller.It’s remarkable when a first novel does well, but what was more remarkable about The Bridges of Madison County was how paionately people responded to it.People would buy the book and be back the next day saying they’d stayed up all night reading and sobbing and becoming enraptured by a story so wonderful they wanted buy more copies to give to their friends...Robert Waller’s Bridges has the nation believing in romance.”
I don’t know whether these words stimulate your desire to read the book, but I hope after my presentation, some of you will like it. ¶ Now ,let’s go into the details.The Bridges of Madison County is a novel by Robert James Waller.It was originally published in the UK under the title Love in Black and White.It’s a 1992 best-selling book and in the New York Times Best Seller List for three years.It tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman living in 1960s Madison County, Iowa.She engages in an affair with a National Geographic photographer from Bellingham, Washington, who is visiting Madison County to create a photographic eay on the covered bridges in the area.
¶ The novel is in fact entirely fictional, but the bridge really exists.Because of the novel, the bridge becomes world famous.
¶ Robert James Waller was born in August 1, 1939, in Iowa.He is an American author a photographer and musician.¶ He wrote 7 novels, including The covered Bridges trilogy (廊桥三部曲).ppt And High Plains Tango was considered as the peak.¶ These are the other works.Collections, Non-fiction, Music.Now let’s enjoy one of his music and continue.¶ The diaries were found by Francesca’s children after the lawyer was going over her will and a romantic love story unfolded.While Francesca\'s husband and children were away at the Illinois state fair in the summer of 1965, Robert Kincaid happened to turn into the Francesca\'s farm and asked her for directions to Roseman Bridge.
Francesca later learned that he was in Iowa on aignment from National Geographic magazine.She agreed to show him to the bridges.Gradually she talked about her life . They eventually fell in love.They are, like Romeo and Juliet, star-croed lovers who will only remain in each other\'s hearts and minds for all of their life, though they only shared four days.The agony that she felt when choosing whether to go with Kincaid or stay with her family almost kills her.Painfully, she made her decision: stay with her family.Robert writes to Francesca.But she never write back.
After going through all the stuffs, they understand their mother\'s final wishes.The meage they take from the diaries is to to be happy in life.
¶ The reason why I love the novel is not only because of the love story, but also for the lyrical words.
This is the scene when Robert first met Francesca, pay attention to last two words: faintly attracted.¶ And this is the inviting note Francesca left on the Roseman Bridge.
¶ She quoted from The Song of Wandering Aengus, written by Yeats.I believe Francesca left the note also because of the fire in her mind.¶ And this is a part of letter that Robert writes to Francesca.
¶ “More than a romance novel...It carries strength, wisdom, and trust——all in a stunning spirit.” The sentence tells my feelings.
¶ I appreciate the novel very much especially the ration when they facing the reality.And that’s the thought-provoking point: Should we choose to restart if we confronted with once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? In my age, it is pretty hard for me to give my answer.The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is the rainbow which colors our life rather than changing our life.It is unforgettable and reminds us of cherishing our life.
