16 Week (!!!) Reflection

           The past 16 weeks have been both enlightening and frustrating. I’ve definitely learned a lot of new information on the different aspects of literature. The vocabulary lists are also useful (especially while reading Pride and Prejudice) when I wish to make my writing more refined. I enjoy reading independent reading books in class, something I have not done since middle school, so I definitely appreciate the opportunity to read in school.

           On the other hand, I’m not too fond of weekly blogs. Sure, it gets me writing something semi-creative every week as a useful practice tool, but it’s not the best during the first semester of senior year. During this time when I have a multitude of college essays to write, I really have no creative juice left over for these blogs to make them sound remotely interesting. Personally, I’d rather have blogs due on Friday or during the weekend so I won’t have to worry about other homework assignments due the next day.

I don’t know if we will be covering this next semester, but I’d like to look at poems as a possible unit. I also hope we have more time next semester to read our independent books. We seemed to have very little time to read our third book choice.

The Importance of Being Earnest...or the Lack Thereof

I was skeptical of watching a satirical movie. I understand satire, but it often takes me a while to realize a piece of writing is being sarcastic. I remember the first time I read Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”. I honestly believed it was some revolting man’s desire to eat babies. Of course, I later learned that Swift was just critiquing Ireland’s economic issues at the time.

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to catch on to the satire in The Importance of Being Earnest. Although the characters were completely serious in their acting, their words were full of sarcasm and exaggeration. The double identity of Jack/Ernest, and Algernon’s lie about being “Ernest”, definitely revealed that the two characters were far from being earnest people. After watching the movie, it was obvious that the title was being sarcastic since the whole movie was centered around a bundle of lies. The movie was being satirical all the way to the end, when Jack lied to Gwendolyn that his Christian name was “Ernest” when it was actually “John”. Overall, the movie was easy to understand, yet also enjoyable to watch. I liked the fact that the movie had light humor, and was not caustic like that of Swift’s writing.

Is Hamlet Overrated?

If people have heard of Shakespeare, then they have probably heard of Hamlet. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most well known plays, but I honestly feel as though the play is just like any other tragedy that Shakespeare has written. In Romeo and Juliet, two lovers at the top of the social ladder fall to their demise at the end of the play (in a rather disappointing manner, in my opinion). In Othello, the affluent hero dies once again with plenty of blood spilled at the end. This is the structure for all of Shakespeare’s tragedies, so I didn’t really find Hamlet unique in its plot.

I didn’t know the “skull scene” was a well known part of the play until after I watched it in class. However, I didn’t realize its significance on the first read. After a second look, there is symbolism that I didn’t notice before. Shakespeare plays require a lot of analytical reading, especially with the archaic words. Even so, I do acknowledge the literary value his work contains. When I first read The Winter’s Tale, classified as one of Shakespeare’s comedies, I had a sudden realization of Shakespeare’s genius. The way he had planned every little detail from the beginning of the play to create an unexpected ending (Hermione’s statue coming to life) really made me appreciate his writing. So, although I did not enjoy the plot of Hamlet, I won’t deny the literary value that came from the symbolism and meaningful soliloquies.   

What Happens in Tokyo After Midnight?

After Dark, by Haruki Murakami, was an overall easy read with the relatively simplistic sentence structure. However, I didn’t really enjoy the content of the book. The story took place in the exciting city of Tokyo, but chose to focus on the lonely hours between midnight and dawn. The point of view seems omniscient, but readers do not gain insight to the thoughts of the characters- only through their actions. The nighttime seemed to create a balance between reality and fantasy. Mari’s interactions with other characters are perfectly normal, while her sister Eri’s transport into a room of another dimension within her TV is completely surreal.

I think the only gripping scene for me was when Mari helped the injured Chinese prostitute at a love hotel. Maybe it was through the violence of it all, but the story seemed to progress much faster during that part of the plot. After that scene, the story just kept on getting more eerie. The man who abused the prostitute also turns out to be the man who stares at Eri Asai through a TV screen/weird transport portal. There also seemed to be random scenes interspersed throughout the story- characters buying milk, or a creepy man working alone in a dimly lit office, or shots of a soundly sleeping Eri and a flickering TV screen. Perhaps the scenes were symbolic, but in my opinion, these parts detracted from the underlying meaning of the story. I felt like I was reading about observations that had been made from surveillance cameras placed in very personal locations.

Banning "The Most Dangerous Game"

I’ve never really understood why people would want to ban books. Sure, some graphic or violent books may instill fear in young children, but they have to first be old enough to understand them. Banning books goes into the controversial area of censorship. Sarah Timme is a Colorado mom who wishes to remove “The Most Dangerous Game” from her son’s reading list. She believes that the concepts in the story results in more violence in those that read it. However, banning books or stories such as “The Most Dangerous Game” does not solve the issue of violence. The solution to violence is for people to be educated about the consequences of their actions, not to be censored from those ideas.

In high school, I really don’t see the point of banning books at all. I feel like by then, most people would have matured enough to understand the controversial topics that are often banned. Besides, I’m sure the internet contains much more debatable content than the words in a book. Also, many of the banned books actually teach morals- the more repulsive the content, the more people are repelled by the concepts in the book (especially in books with more violent themes).

A Review of "Salem"

I’ll admit that a play containing puppets did not sound very appealing at first. However, I’m glad puppets were included because I now appreciate the entertainment that came with the expressive hand movements. I thoroughly enjoyed all the well-placed comedic elements. I don’t know if this was intentional, but I liked how the shadows of the puppets created a show of their own when people went on the podium.

After the play ended, the Q&A session made me realize just how challenging acting with puppets can be. Puppets can only have one facial expression, so the movement of the head and body has to be exaggerated for the audience to understand the emotions. The top of the hand also has to stay still and only the thumb can move the mouth. I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to act expressively vocally and physically while constantly matching the words with the puppet’s mouth.

There were some parts that I found confusing or random. For one, the janitor (I forget his name) just suddenly decides he wants to commit suicide. I thought that was thrown in rather abruptly. Also, the vortex seemed like a weak idea to resolve all the conflicts and tie up all loose ends. However, the humor made up for these slight flaws.

Inevitable Fate?

As we all know, in “Oedipus Rex”, Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother. However, could the oracle’s prophecy ever be avoided if the right actions were taken from the beginning? Fate is all about the timing, and in this play, Oedipus finds out about his parents at the end. Keeping Oedipus would have actually been the better decision for the parents because it would have been unlikely for him to kill his father or marry his mother with the truth being known from the beginning. Of course, fate in this case does not work that way because the parents would not have even thought about this choice in the first place. Sending Oedipus away was thought to be a way to avoid the prophecy, but his parents was just following fate instead. Therefore, Oedipus could only play into the hands of the oracle.

I am also curious about Jokasta’s view on her new marriage. It seems like she already knew about marrying her son before Oedipus confirmed his suspicions with the messenger. It was also mentioned that there were scars on Oedipus’ feet from being pinned as a baby. Those scars are unique enough for Jokasta to possibly recognize as the result of pinned feet. Her early knowledge of Oedipus’ identity would also explain why she wanted to elude all the suspicions surrounding him.  

Fear of Thesis Statements

When writing an essay, people usually fear the thesis statement the most. It is the main focus of the paper and is the over encompassing idea that guides the essay. Personally, it’s the most difficult part of the essay for me because of the intricacies. It can’t be too specific, but it can’t be too general and sound cliché. The thesis can’t have a didactic tone, nor can it be a moral. On top of those rules, the thesis actually has to sound coherent and be strong enough to be able to represent the whole essay.

Writing a thesis used to be easier when using a template to organize all the parts of a thesis, but the technique is obvious and becomes overused. So now, the thesis should be arranged in an original way but still retain all the elements that make up a thesis. I think the difficulties with writing a thesis also comes from phrasing it in a way that answers the question and contains the overall theme. Sometimes, the thesis can limit the examples I have because they only answer the question, but don’t tie in the theme, or the other way around. For now, I can only practice and hope that writing theses will soon come with ease. But for now, even when abiding by all the thesis-writing rules, I always seem to have some awkward phrasing that detracts from my thesis.

Into the Lives of "Las Mariposas"

After reading In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, I was so enraptured with what the Mirabal sisters had done that I wanted to figure out if they actually existed. After a quick Google search and a handful of clicks later, I was stunned by the results. The Mirabal sisters were actual people that did in fact die in the hands of dictator Trujillo. And more amazingly, the sole survivor of the “car accident”, Dedé, is still alive today. This realization made the death of the three passionate sisters even more profound.

Trujillo, although the central antagonist of the novel, did not have many detailed descriptions of his corrupt actions. All I was able to understand from the story was that he was a womanizer, had murdered numerous people, was extremely sneaky and cunning, and had forced people to treat him as a god. I learned that he even had the support of the U.S. for a time. Of course, this was before the actions of Trujillo were revealed, but to know that the U.S. was patting Trujillo’s back while he executed protesters left and right was nonetheless disturbing.

The novel contained the perspectives of all four sisters: Patria, Dedé, Minerva, and María Teresa (aka Mate). Patria was the devout Christian and the last of the three sisters to join the revolution, Dedé was loyal but stuck between her devotion to her husband and to her sisters, Minerva was the first Mariposa and the most stubborn, and Mate was sensitive yet brave. The three that were murdered by Trujillo fought for their families and their country’s safety until their dying breaths. And Dedé, although held back by her cautious husband, was the one that lived to tell her sisters’ stories and to fill the hole left by remorse for not being supportive in the past. It’s definitely fascinating to know that there were such people in the world that were willing to jeopardize their lives to better others’. Although parts of the story are fabricated, the reality of the Mirabal sisters’ actions is unquestionable. Slapping the dictator’s face is definitely revolutionary.

¡Vivan las Mariposas!

 

Word Abuse

After reading the article, “I Am Not Amazed: The Shocking, Stunning, Mind-Blowing Rise of ‘Amazing’” on the usage of the word “amazing,” I could easily think of several other words that are now ambiguous in their meanings from over usage. First of all, the title hints at the actual meaning of the word “amazing”- an adjective that describes something as surprising. Honestly, I have never given a second thought to the definition of amazing. From the time I learned English to now, I’ve always heard and used it as a word to describe something positive or something that brings joy- without the connotation of surprise. Of course, the root word “amaze” is usually used correctly because it only has one commonly used meaning and it’s a verb. Adjectives are more likely to be misused because they’re sometimes used to describe nouns in a creative way. Creativity in the use of adjectives can often pass the boundaries of coherency.

I understand that we do have to be careful about the words that we choose in more refined writing, but I’m unlikely to change how I misuse “amazing”. Perhaps I’ll try to avoid the word, but it’s difficult to use the word correctly at all times when an abundance of people still misuse the word. I’m also confused about the use of the word true. If we are to avoid “true” or “truly”, why is using “genuine” or genuinely” acceptable if they are synonymous? Does “true power” ≠ “genuine power”?

Front Door Phobia

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” draws a parallel to the dangers experienced in our world. In a place known for an abundance of freedoms, teenage girls are especially prone to meeting extremely creepy people on the streets. When adolescent girls try to dress past their age in provocative clothing on a daily basis, it’s pretty much screaming “easy target” for predators.

In this story, Connie is just another girl covering her insecurities and innocence with her outward appearance. This draws the attention of a middle-aged man who covers his age by trying to fit in with the younger crowd. He also seems to know everything about Connie and her family. When he arrived outside her home and she was all alone, I knew Connie was in trouble. As I continued to read, I became more disturbed by Arnold Friend’s actions. My fear came partly from what Arnold was saying, but I think I was more personally jarred because it was all too similar to reality. I believe that was the motive of the author in making the situation familiar to the stories we hear in the news or what is portrayed in the media.

I’ve always lived in apartments, so when I moved to Kentucky, living in a house was a first. After two years, I’ve gotten a bit used to it, but when I’m home alone and it’s pitch black outside, I’ll feel a fear rising in my throat. (Maybe it’s because there was once a shirtless man running around the neighborhood ringing people’s doorbells- that was definitely creepy on many levels). I’m always wary of answering the door when I’m alone because of stories such as these. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” takes a hold of these fears that I and other readers may have and twists our stomachs in a way that makes us sick. Connie is just another materialistic girl, while Arnold (our very close Friend), is just another rapist that we unfortunately have in our society. These similarities make Connie’s experience all too real and familiar to us.

Even the title, in my opinion, sounds like a predator asking a bit too inquisitively about his or her victim’s life and whereabouts…in a very stalker-like way.

An Outsider

There was extremely little insight into the characters of "Hills Like White Elephants." The names were relatively unknown, and the topic of the conversation was vague and confusing to deconstruct. I felt like I was eavesdropping on a couple talking about very personal matters (and indeed they were). This style of portraying a conversation left the reader uncomfortable with the story: it didn't seem right to continue to listen. I'll admit that I was bored in the beginning- a story with no known subject was like a book without its binding. It was loose and there wasn't anything to hook the reader in other than sheer confusion. To add on to the objective point of view, quotation marks were completely left out. This choice was most likely done to mask further the identity of the characters. It was difficult to pull apart who was speaking and I had to infer that the dialogue was going back and forth between the couple. Usually when dialogue is included in a story, the indication of the characters talking and the quotation marks give clues to the readers that they are listening to the conversation on a more personal level. Leaving out these cues distanced the readers and made the readers feel out of focus. For me, it felt like viewing the world half-blind.

The True Lesson

Some people take for granted what others could never have. The poor and the wealthy are in two completely different worlds. Those in poverty cherish every single penny, hoping loose change will add up to the cost of their next meal. On the other hand, affluent people indulge themselves often, usually buying things that are unnecessary. The middle class is the only group of people that could possibly begin to understand the lives of these opposing people. The middle class understands what it's like not being able to afford something, or always having to save money. They also know what it's like to have a couple splurges in life. Now, if only those at the very top of the mountain could take a look at those at the bottom and help them, and those at the bottom could find the motivation to climb to the top.

In "The Lesson", by Toni Cade Bambara, Miss Moore hopes to instill some determination into the kids. She brings them to Fifth Avenue- home of the high-end stores- and the children are eager to look around. They see many items they would love to have, but one look at the price tag both shocks and confuses them. Why would anyone ever buy a toy sailboat for over $1000? This, in my opinion, is exactly Miss Moore's point. There are so many items that the children want but can't afford, so the only option is to work harder and earn a position that allows such indulgences. Silvia, the narrator of the story, is visibly angered by the trip, but she misunderstands the purpose of it. She thinks that Miss Moore brought them there to remind them of their impoverished states. However, the purpose was more likely to give them a drive to climb up the social ladder.

College

It's a subject that we fear, yet sends tingling feelings of excitement when we think about it. During our "rebellious" stage, college is the greatest step towards independence. But personally, all the little steps we've taken are overwhelming. It seems like once we stepped into the realm of school, beginning with preschool, our primary focus had been on academics.

At least for me, that is how my school years have been. Trips to the bookstore were always for practice books in the core subjects, and always a grade or two above the current level. To my parents, short stories were a waste of time- non-fiction books, especially those in the sciences, were far greater than the fantasy books I wished to read. This probably later hindered my creative abilities in writing. My writing tends to be straightforward and I tend to rack my brains hopelessly for sentences that come off as somewhat creative.

Starting from third grade, my parents placed me in prep classes that I would go to on Saturdays after Chinese school. I started dreading the one day that others found to be the most relaxing day of the week. Interestingly, but probably not surprisingly, the classes were mostly full of Asian kids...I wonder why -.-. I'll admit that the classes were helpful, but it just added to the work being put into school. I still believe academics should be the first priority, but I always wonder how my life would be different without all those classes.

All of this just places an even greater amount of stress on the college process. To think that all the work I've done in and outside of school to come down to a couple applications is downright scary. Really scary. Let's just hope I survive :)

The Infatuation with Violence

Why must a story always have a somewhat violent theme for it to be engaging? In our daily lives, we tend to stray away from danger and always root for world peace. On the other hand, when we’re reclining in our favorite chair, the book we have in our hands is almost always jarringly disturbing.

“The Child by Tiger,” by Thomas Wolfe, is no exception. I must admit, the imagery fluff characteristic of prose fiction pieces bored me in the beginning. It was so ordinary and banal that I skimmed the pages for a while. The relationship between Dick Prosser and the kids seemed cordial; nothing suggested that there was anything amiss. Then the tone of the story took a drastic turn and soon people were dying one after the other. It was definitely creepy when Dick was able to shoot so accurately- it almost seemed like he was undefeatable. When the actions of Dick were detailed, I suddenly gave the story my full attention. Perhaps it was for the mystery of it all. The man seemed sane in the beginning of the story, and also very religious. It was so unexpected for him to have an emotional breakdown and take out a rifle. The reasons are unclear and the way he surrendered even more mysterious.

Overall, I think violence breaks the dullness of a piece that can seem, in the beginning, much too similar to our lives. Reality, unfortunately, is boring to live through. It may seem odd, but violence is sometimes our form of entertainment.

The Yixia Roll

Wasabi is mashed Japanese horseradish. It adds a powerful spice when mixed with sushi. It's also the perfect condiment to all seafood...really, all seafood. I've seen wasabi chips, wasabi seaweed, and even wasabi filet-o-fish at an Asian McDonald's. But I digress. I hope my future blog posts will be similar to the effect of wasabi: powerful, yet meaningful. Wasabi also often clears a stuffy nose, and I want my thoughts to be just as refreshing.

 

Of course, wasabi can’t work its charm without some sushi. If I was a sushi roll, it would be called The Yixia Roll. Yes, I know, not very creative, but it’s all about the content. A sushi roll is meticulously made- the ingredients carefully thought out to create the perfect combination. All that rolled into the complimentary rice and seaweed. Likewise, my blog will strive to include an eclectic mix of ideas, a mix that may change as I grow, but will always be diverse. The rice and seaweed can group my thoughts into a hopefully coherent manner so that I will always be understood.

 

It may be odd as to why I chose sushi and wasabi to represent my blog. The simple answer is that they are both things that I like that also happen to complement each other. Choosing a salad bowl would be a bit cliché and choosing a melting pot would make me a conformist. I want my ideas to be fresh and organized, yet provide some spice. J