영어로 읽는 고전 _ 싱클레어 루이스의 이노선트_사랑하는 연인들을 위한 이야기
“순수한 사람들: 사랑하는 이들을 위한 이야기”는 싱클레어 루이스가 20세기 초에 집필한 소설이다. 이 작품은 노년의 부부인 세스 애플비와 그의 아내가 젊은 시절의 사랑을 회상하며, 케이프코드에서 찻집을 운영하며 새로운 삶을 시작하려는 도전을 중심으로 전개된다. 두 사람은 사랑과 동반자 관계가 지닌 소박한 행복을 다시금 발견하는 한편, 사회적 기대와 개인적인 꿈 사이에서 자신의 이상을 실현하기 위해 여러 시련과 어려움을 헤쳐 나간다. 이야기의 시작에서 애플비 부부는 뉴욕에서의 일상을 살아가는 모습으로 등장한다. 오랜 세월을 함께한 부부답게 서로를 아끼고 장난을 주고받는 다정한 관계가 그려진다. 평범하지만 따뜻한 일상은 휴가를 떠나고 새로운 사업을 시작하려는 열망과 대비를 이룬다. 남편은 여름철 찻집을 운영하자는 계획을 세우고, 부부는 케이프코드에서 맞이할 자유롭고 새로운 모험을 기대하며 설렘에 빠진다. 그러나 그들이 겪게 되는 크고 작은 해프닝과 주변 환경이 안겨주는 여러 도전은 이야기를 더욱 풍성하게 만든다. 작품의 초반부는 이러한 사건들을 통해 정체성, 사랑, 그리고 꿈을 좇는 사람들이 마주하게 되는 현실의 어려움을 깊이 있게 탐구할 것임을 예고한다.
Classics Read in English _ The Innocents: A Story for Lovers by Sinclair Lewis
The Innocents: A Story for Lovers is an early twentieth-century novel by Sinclair Lewis that tells the heartwarming story of Mr. and Mrs. Seth Appleby, an aging couple who look back on their youthful romance while setting out on a new chapter of life by opening a summer tea room on Cape Cod.
As they embrace the simple joys of love, companionship, and shared purpose, they encounter both the delights and disappointments that accompany the pursuit of long-held dreams. Their journey unfolds against the backdrop of social expectations and personal aspirations, revealing how hope can endure even in later life.
At the beginning of the novel, the Applebys are introduced in their comfortable but ordinary life in New York City. Their affectionate marriage, filled with gentle humor and playful conversation, reflects the warmth built through many years together. Yet beneath the familiarity of everyday life lies a longing for change and adventure.
Inspired by the idea of escaping routine, Mr. Appleby proposes opening a seasonal tea room on Cape Cod. As the couple eagerly prepares for this new venture, they dream of the freedom, independence, and fresh experiences that await them.
The opening chapters blend lighthearted misadventures with genuine emotional insight, laying the foundation for a touching exploration of identity, enduring love, and the realities that often accompany the pursuit of one's dreams.
Among the contents
MR. AND MRS. SETH APPLEBY were almost old. They called each other “Father” and “Mother.” But frequently they were guilty of holding hands, or of cuddling together in corners, and Father was a person of stubborn youthfulness. For something over forty years Mother had been trying to make him stop smoking, yet every time her back was turned he would sneak out his amber cigarette-holder and puff a cheap cigarette, winking at the shocked crochet tidy on the patent rocker. Mother sniffed at him and said that he acted like a young smart Aleck, but he would merely grin in answer and coax her out for a walk.
As they paraded, the sun shone through the fuzzy, silver hair that puffed out round Father’s crab-apple face, and an echo of delicate silver was on Mother’s rose-leaf cheeks.
