The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

It's a historical fiction published in 2015. The book is about two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, and their paths with struggles to survive and resistance against the German occupation during World War II in France.

The story begins in first-person narration with an elderly woman, whose name is not given, with her son, Julien, in 1995. Later, it goes with a flashback to France in 1939, which is around WWII. Starts from here, the story is told in third-person, unveiling the life of the two sisters.

I was highly recommended to the book by my friend in high school, so I bought the book last year. However, I haven't started the book until now, or to say, I only took a look on few pages after I bought it. At first, I thought the book would be difficult for me to understand, since the background and the story are mainly about WWII. I had no knowledge about the topic. Besides, as I said in last log, I seldom read novels. It's hard for me to get into the story and the meaning behind even though I understand each word. It usually takes me quite a time to repeat the lines before stepping on. Although the condition haven't improved, I find myself enjoying the atmosphere and the experience with the book. The author really has a talent for detailing and fulfilling the story by the five senses. It allows readers to better relate and imagine the characters' emotions, feelings, and the background settings with the description. With the scenes created in my mind, it's also easier for me to digest loads of words.

Nevertheless, I am inspired and intrigued by the beginning of the book. The line goes with, "If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are. Today’s young people want to know everything about everyone. They think talking about a problem will solve it. I come from a quieter generation. We understand the value of forgetting, the lure of reinvention."

I think it's profound and worth-thinking though I don't quite understand the idea the author tries to convey yet, especially the last sentence. I think the author tries to tell the reader the differences between idealization and reality, which resembles love and war in the story. We all know that war is cruel and can cause various irreparable harm to every family. No one wants it to happen in real life. However, if it does happen, we should prepare ourselves and fight against the obstacles to survive, at least. 

Since I haven't finished the book, I can only guess from the words. Thus, I'm excited to find out the answers through the rest of the story and ready to indulge myself in the emotions with the author!

Me and Novel

 I am Fanny❤️ a student who has a passion for education and plans to be a teacher for my future career. Given the importance of reading, I know reading novels is not for the reflection assignments. It has many to do with personal growth. :)))

Reading novels is something expending boundary the of people's mindsets, something overturning our perceptions. I started to read books until my fifth grade, and my first reading caused an unstoppable storm sweeping my world. 

The first novel I read was a Chinese novel about a boy learning how to get along with his cousin who has down syndrome. Without memorizing the novel's name, the content was still stored in my memory, stacked in the bottom of my childhood memory that is wonderful but blurred. It wasn't a page-turning novel, but a story with a few characters, a simple outline, and no big words, guiding me through the growth of the two protagonists. Reading through their growth path, the author used easy-understanding words to describe the plot that he or she wanted the reader to know, the occasion, weather, environment, movement, emotion, and personal concepts. Sometimes some statements were controversial with mine, and there would be collisions of thoughts that polished my skill to think critically.  

Besides, I also learned to feel emotions by comprehending vivid conversations or implicit writing. The author chose words precisely to animate their creatures with various emotions. Before diving into their story, I never learned that words could bring emotions and influence readers. When it came to their conflicts, I experienced the heartrending feeling for the first time by reading the sharp words they say to hurt each other.  

Although I don't consider myself a regular reader since I read novels only when finding ones that I am fond of, I have to say that reading is the window brightening the inner of me. Without them, I won't have been as complete as I am right now. 

what I know about Little Women

 I read "Little Women" in the freezing winter for the first time when I was a freshman; one year passed by, and the joy gained from reading the life of four lovely little women is still completely stored in my memory. Surprisingly, I found one character that is similar with what I used to be, along with the interesting discoveries. 

It's nothing like a life-frightening adventure that gets people excited or vigorous romantic journey that belongs to the couple, but a peaceful life story documented from the perspectives of four naive sisters. With humorous tone and unique way of describing the rich emotions and lively movements, I felt that I could share parts of their happiness and saw, through the window, the glorious smiles of Marmme (the mother of four sisters) that gives energy to the girls to get through the working day. From the first page, it immediately drags me into their dialogue about preparing a Christmas gift. Every single word they say is so adorable that it reminds me of the ones I had with my dear sister.

Jo March, the second sister and my favorite character, makes me think of my struggling adolescence. In my teens, insisting on thoughts as complicated as an astronomical number, I refused to be a lady-like girl, was sick of girlish topics like clothing, hair and makeup, and was so eager to act like a wild boy without considering what other thought of me. Not knowing the reason that I was reluctant to be an ordinary girl back then, I guess that I was covered with boyish appearance to be different from my peers and to announce "I am distinguished among all of you.", "We are far different." Doing so kept me from getting a sense of inferiority, but my true self was buried deep underground. Fortunately, by grabbing the hands reaching from my beloved people, I find other proper ways to comfort my insecurity. However, Jo loves and hates the same as I did, but she holds a different reason. 

Josephine, or we should call her by Jo. Jo tells Laurie, who lives in a neighborhood, that she feels that the name "Josephine" sounds too sensitive so she prefers people call her "Jo." She is one of the protagonists in the story and never likes to comply with rules that are set for girls. She runs fast, jumps high, and talks slang like a cowboy because that's her true self, and in her opinion, she doesn't need to be ashamed of her unique personality and habits. In terms of the novel, she is the first character I take as my model. Although she makes compromises sometime after she is old enough to think realistically, she never gives up on her dreams. This amazing, charming character symbolizes the rights that women should be given to study, to work, to be themselves. 

Louisa May Alcott, the eminent female novelist in the late nineteenth century, portraited herself as Jo (a gifted novelist) and mentioned the issue of feminism by her existence, which shed the light on the issue that she cared about. Besides feminism, gender equality (about Lourie), romance (Jo, Lourie, and Amy), and death (Beth) are the discussion topics that Louis hid in the story and inevitable issues that people have to face and overcome. 

The life of these little women may be poor, but with a contented mind, they live so happy just to have family around; this warmth of March's family can easily move the readers via the words. And within their simple life, many issues are hidden, and I do dig deeper into the ones that are still going on in presence. Do you get stressed out by the burdens on your shoulders? It's a stress-releasing book related to a life journey. 

 

Modern Love by Daniel Jones

 

What is love ?” as being a human, we all have an experience of facing this unanswerable question. The best poet William Shakespeare said, “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is wing'd cupid painted blind.” And many people trust that. However, love is more complicated than one sentence to be described. Some of my friends say they can love from boys' backgrounds such from their income. One of my close friends even said that he can quit loving the girl in one week since he notices that the girl isn't interested in him. In this diverse world, there are multiple ways to describe what love is. The book I chose is called “Modern Lovewas ” edited by Daniel Jones and published on September 3rd, 2019. This book collects approximately 30 unforgettable and memorable stories that run in the New York Times “Modern Love” column. The goal of this book is “telling the true stories of love, loss, and redemption.” I hope that I will find the best description of LOVE for me by reading these true love stories. 

Btw the biggest reason why I chose this book is because the cover was attractive (^^)

Srory

The first story starts with a protagonist who is thirty-seven, single, unemployed, and depressed because she did achieve nothing g but spend most of the time in her apartment. She later met and fell in love with a guy who is next to her room and living with roommates who frequently have weekend parties. In the end, kept their relationship as friends. One night, she was out drinking vodka sodas with her friend called Diana, and matched with that guy on Diana’s Tinder. They asked him to join them back at her house. Right after Diana left, they started kissing and hooking up. The protagonist had anxiety about showing her best part and hiding her weakness which is her age and occupation to the boys who she dated, however for that guy, she could be natural, she could show all of her weaknesses. However, eventually, the guy rejected her to be in a relationship and she realized that when she is truly looking for love, the actual thing she is thinking about is the future not being herself.

Reflection 

I liked this story a lot since the story setting is contemporary and real. It very showed the reality of how people are struggling with their lives and love. And why I said thing story is realistic is because the guy eventually didn't date her. I strongly believe that he got laid with losing himself a moment. In the story, it seemed like it's because she pressured him and complained about their fairness, however, I strongly think it was just a trigger, he was waiting the time for breaking up. Think normally, who would want to date someone who is nearly forty but doesn't have a job and confidence ok herself? (I'm not saying that people around forty can't have a partner) .

Moreover, there is one phrase I liked the most in this story. It's when the guy said to the protagonist “ we get so fixated on the job we want or the person we're saying because we don't think there will be another. But there's always another.” it a critical hit on me. When people are having a job, their coworkers or bosses manipulate them that no one can cover your position, but there is always someone who can cover it up. It's is a sad but also a good thing because if I think there is always someone who can cover my job, I can just find a new job if I don't like it and find a better one. And also, when we are in love with someone, we frequently think that there is no one else who is better than that person. However, it is only because we are having an illusion on that guy because of love magic and there’s always another. Different from other love stories that always have a mirage, this story tells how fleeting and fragile love is and how difficult to keep love. 

"The Selection" chapter 1-6

I think everyone must have heard of Cinderella, but what if Cinderella has an unforgettable ex-boyfriend and a loving family? 

With a beautiful, talented but poor girl and a Prince Charming, "The Selection" is evidently another Cinderella story. After adding a love triangle, it becomes "The Selection", which I consider as the realistic version of Cinderella.

Summary

"The Selection" is a young adult novel written by Kiera Cass. Being the first in a five-book series, it set its background in a country named Illéa, which practices a strict caste system under absolute monarchy.

Through the narrating of the main protagonist, America Singer, the life of different castes are largely portrayed between the everyday conversation with her family. Being a Five, which is only three castes higher than the lowest caste, America lives a lower-class life. The only chance for a girl to raise her social status is to enter the Selection, which is held to choose the prince's wife. Every province will select one girl to be the candidate for the princess. A few days before the announcement of the thirty-five girls being selected, America broke up with Aspen, her secret boyfriend and a Six, because of Aspen's inferiority complex about his caste, but then America turns out to be one of the Selected.

Reflection

When I was reading the first six chapters, I was actually a little disappointed about the slowness and blandness of the plots. I thought it would be more exciting and interesting from its brief introduction on the back cover of the book. However, as I continued reading, I found myself in a peaceful mood, not as impatient as I started reading.

Apart from being a love story, there's much more information hidden behind the romance and is worth discussing. The problem that caused America and Aspen to separate is always a controversial issue.

Which will you choose, love or bread?

Aspen obviously chose bread, but it's hard for me to blame him for giving up his love when he actually starved most of the time. He simply wanted America to live a better life since he wasn't able to provide for her. America, on the other hand, chose love. She did whatever she could to try to help Aspen relieve his load, but instead of receiving his appreciation, she was dumped.

As for me, I will choose bread if I have to make a decision. Love will fade as time goes by while money won't. Having a comfortable life definitely needs money, but doesn't necessarily need love.

PS: The first six chapters are about the time before America goes to the palace and meets Prince Maxon and the other girls, so if you are more interested in the competition of the thirty-five girls, you can start from chapter 7.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I'm currently reading "Little Woman" by Louisa May Alcott. The reason why I chose this book is that I have heard many good things about this book, and I knew that there were a lot of adaptations of this piece. Additionally, I did a little research beforehand, and some people call it one of the most important works of American literacy. Therefore, I thought I should give it a shot!

It is a sweet story about the daily life of the March family with the four sisters living with their mother and their father away fighting the Civil War. Since I haven't finished reading the book, only reached one-third of the book. I would only be talking about the first part.

The March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy, are the main characters in this novel. One of the interesting methods that writer Louisa employed is that she didn't describe the personalities of the sisters at once. Instead, she used the twists and turns of the plot to slowly reveal each of their personalities. When I was first reading the book, I didn't quite enjoy it, but as I kept on reading, I discover the appealing side of the four sisters. Through their interactions, their affection and care for one another are truly splendid, and would easily make readers like me be envious, jealous, and desirous of their bond.

In addition, though the March family was struggling financially, the father, or "bread-winner," was away at war. However, the four sisters never complained about anything. Another incident is that before Christmas, all the girls were dreaming of the presents they would like to receive. They knew that with the current condition of the family, they weren't getting presents from Marmee, (a nickname for their mother) so they were planning on buying themselves the gifts they desired. Then, something dawned on Meg, "who is going to get Marmee her present?" It was at that moment they decided to use the money they were going to use on themselves to buy all kinds of presents for Marmee. In my humble opinion, these two incidents mentioned above showed that the girls in the March family are all equipped with a sense of compassion. 

In the middle of digging into the story of the March family, it made me want to become a person like them: strong, resilient, hard-working, and uncomplaining. It is certainly a motivational book for me, and I can't wait to read more!

 

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

 The first book I choose to read is "Oliver Twist". (孤雛淚)  

Book intro

It's written by Charles Dickens, and it's his second novel. Dickens is a British author and critic. He usually uses his novel to express his view about the society. This book revealed the miserable life of orphans in London that time. The story is about an orphan called Oliver Twist, his tragic life story. Fortunately, he still had a good ending in the book.

Reflection

Actually, I've read it before when I'm in the high school. But I like the story very much, so I decide to read it again. Also the deadline this time is short, I don't have much time to think about what to read. There's a famous line in the story which is "Please, sir. I want some more.", as you can see the cover page of the book. Oliver and other kids in the workhouse are always starving because they don't have enough food to eat. They only have a bowl of thin soup and a piece of bread on Sundays. After three months of slow starvation, the kids decide to ask for more food, and Oliver was chosen. The famous line is what he said to the master. Of course, hearing the request from Oliver, the master fly into a rage. He punished Oliver by hitting him. When I read this, I can even imagine the face and tone when Oliver was asking. He must be very terrified of it. How pitiful those little kids are! From this, I can realize that orphans were under such unfair treatment then. And they don't have any rights, I think this is a big problem. Until today, there are also lots of orphan and child abuse problem exists. 

In the middle of the story, Oliver escaped from the undertaker, and went to London alone. His journey was very hard; I was wondering how can a little boy go to London on foot? It is seventy miles away from his place. I admire his courage and independence. Reading the book makes me try to think about what should I do when these happened? If I were Oliver, I may choose to end my life rather than suffering for a long time. I don't have the perseverance like Oliver. I tend to give up when I encounter these things, even though I know it's a wrong decision. While I was reading this book, my thought is gradually become negative. XD Why there are always unfortunate events occurred on Oliver? Although there are lots of sad events happened on him, an old gentleman called Mr. Brownlow, took him home and take care of him in the end. I feel very happy and satisfied with this ending. I think "poor" is the main topic author wanted to discuss in the novel, Dickens described it in detail. Also wanted the readers know that how the social status impacted a person's whole life. The author satirized the upper class people and make it a big contrast to the lower class people.

The Book of Moods: How I Turned My Worst Emotions Into My Best Life

First of all, big thanks to my dear Jade, who has been sharing and recommending this book to me since the first day she started reading it. I would never have had the chance to know more about my hidden, unspoken memories and emotions if she did not lend me this book. I love you, my babe, even though I know you will not see this 🥰

This book, obviously, discusses types of moods. For example, the author takes her real-life experience to elaborate on why people always face different moods and how to make ourselves feel better when haunted by these moods. Her words are simple yet profound; with detailed scenarios are described, readers can quickly get into the mood and the situation she portrayed. After explaining how things affected our moods, the author would share how she and other outstanding people (maybe a singer, a writer, a filmmaker, etc.) deal with it. Solid solutions and tips are listed, but let’s be honest, we all know the principles: face the problem, escape doesn’t help, blaming others is useless. What’s difficult is to carry all this stuff out, and it is a huge challenge to us human beings. I love the author did not fake it, saying changing isn’t that hard. Instead, she frankly speaks out that she just cannot make it sometimes, she is still an ordinary person like we do, after all. As a result, she would try other ways to reconcile with her negative thoughts, which may shed light on her readers like me.

Apparently, I chose this book not only because my friend kept saying how it blew her mind but also because I wanted to clarify my messy, intertwined thoughts regarding moods. Like I said in log 1, I write to release my stress. When writing my own stories, expressing what I feel, what I think, and what I want to say becomes relatively essential. If I cannot organize my thoughts and turn them into words precisely, no one can understand me and why I wrote. In my opinion, this book could be the perfect example of illustrating invisible feelings and raising readers’ resonance.

My favorite part of this week’s reading was when she wrote about her writing anxiety. Numerous questions popped out in her head continuously: What-if no one buys it? What-if I cannot finish it? What-if people don’t like it? The past writing failures caught her in chains, and she was too afraid yet too excited to write. So she tried each time only focused on one word, and to her and my surprise, it worked. “One word at a time. One sentence. One book. It mimicked the structure of life. One moment. One day. One life. As books were written in words, life was lived in moments. The word I was paying attention to would lead to the next. The moment I was living in now would roll into my future.” It dawned on me that writing is actually not that hard as long as I put my whole effort and do my best in every word. Then everything would be okay. No matter writing or life, they will just be alright.

"Summer of Soul": Rescuing a historic Harlem music festival

Recommended by your classmate! Love it!

The Labyrinth of the Spirit

 

The Labyrinth of the Spirit was the fourth installment of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Carlos, born in Barcelona, was a famous Spanish novelist, gaining fame from his popular works such as The Shadow of the Wind (the first book in the series).  Set in 1945, Barcelona, the book follows Daniel who is still haunted by the mysterious death of his parent, having repeating dreams of the solace separation with his mother. It began when he discovered the Shadow of the Wind, a book by Jullian Carax that would change the course of his life, and began a journey to unravel mysteries, love, and deaths. As he seemingly put behind his determination in reaching new discoveries, Daniel can't put aside the death of his innocent mother. Only when finding Alicia Gris will he find out the truth of his family background. 

Right from the gecko, you will be as enrapture by Carlos's descriptive and beautifully-written illustrative style. I could not be as happy as a sandboy when I discover the fascinating world of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. How did I come across with such a treasure? Well, I was strolling around the library when the 800-page book caught my attention. Once I opened the book, I was unable to put it back down. It was love at first sight. 

As I mentioned, the book was the last installment of the series created by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. It may be confusing for me to read the book without prior knowledge of the first few books. This greatly concerned me, too. However, at the beginning of the book, it stated that each work follows an independent storyline. You can read the books separately in any order without ruining the plot. This sparked an interest within me as I wonder how such a random sequence can be established in a series, giving me more reason to pick up the book and never let it go. 

Lately, I have had a growing fear of growing up. Two more years and I will set on to face adulthood and make my own history. But, it also means I am away from the safe haven of being a child. People will start to hold accountability for every action you take, and every decision could drastically alter your life. I guess this is a reason why Carlos Ruiz Zafón made the adult fantasy novel, to escape the daily task and responsibilities of being a grown-up, to be completely immersed in a world full of possibilities. Even though I am still in my sophomore year of college, I can't help but feel a sense of burden as each day goes by. Maybe I could enjoy my adolescent life even more by entering the world of the Labyrint of the Spirits. 

YOU by Caroline Kepnes

 Reflexion One

          Just start reading this book last Saturday, the book named "YOU", and is written by Caroline Kepnes. Let me just jump right into the story.                         Chapter 1~4, 02/22/2022 update.

               The story is written in first-person point of view, Joe's. The protagonist was named Joe, he works in a bookstore, it seems like he is the only employee in the store. Just like every day, Joe's dealing with a random harsh customer, while a girl came in, suddenly caught Joe's attention. As the written words in the novel, the way Joe described the external beauty of the girl was spectacularly romantic, from the dress to the guess of her personality, the story was filled with the essence of literature between the lines, and I have to admit, it requires tons of readings and movie watching to thoroughly taste the meanings and have further imagination. The girl's named Beck, another main character. Joe and beck had a nice talk about the harsh customer and the book she has chosen, where chemicals kicked in. They exchanged names, and this is how everything begins.          

         Joe's obsessed with Beck, he just wants to know more about this girl. He searched her social media, read every single post, every single hashtag. He speculated about her life, her friends, and her family. Moreover, he found the place she lives. Now, this is where I sniffed some creepiness. He went around the street blocks where she lives with disguised, dressed up different every day to not draw attention from the near neighbor. Joe is very smart, he managed to get in to Beck's place, but he didn't do nothing harmful, just chilling in her house and checking out every detail abouther in the house. And then got out without being discovered, even Beck was already step in to her house. He actually jumped out of window. This is not his first time doing this, he has the experience, he did this because of the previous relationship (bad experience). He did this just to learn about them more. What a psychopath.

         He's now stalking Beck. One day Beck's with her friends in a club, you know, girl's night. Joe was there, too. He listened to the chat with a safe enough distance, and learned a new important piece of imformation. A guy named Benji, seemed well F-trained in the lines, anyway I really started to worried about this Benji. End of chapter4

Wrapping things up, even the fact in the story tends to be creepy, the author
really giving this peaceful vibe, makes me want to believe that this is a pure love story, but the behavior of Joe is giving me this uncertainty. Can't wait to share further update with you next week.

The stranger in the lifeboat by Mitch Albom

Recently, I started to read a book called “a stranger in a lifeboat.” In this novel, a spectacular and fancy yacht, “Galaxy,” exploded during its voyage; nothing was founded after the rescue team came, not even the debris of the yacht. It soon became breaking news, for it was the billionaire named Jason Lambert who built up this breath-taking and great stuff, where he held something like a global summit on it. Leading figures and big names in different fields are invited to this vessel to spark new invention ideas or the well-being of human society. People guessed it might be a conspiracy intended to shake the world economically and politically. However, nobody would know. The gigantic thing disappeared entirely for people on the land, with no clues or hints. While there was an adrift raft, lost direction in the boundless Pacific Ocean, ten people escaped from that deadly explosion struggled to survive, including Jason Lambert, guests and crews from the yacht, and a strange man called himself “Lord.” 

 

   

Why is this novel so intriguing? The accident made everything people originally have, wealth, talent, fame, and social status vanish. After the explosion, nothing worldly was left behind; they were all stuck in a life raft, feeling starving, thirsty, physically and mentally suffering. They are the same creature that is eager to survive. While the strange man appeared, called himself “Lord,” and said until all people on the boat believed him could he save them. It might sound ridiculous initially, while things that happened at sequence gradually suggested that the man was not average at all. He could stop the bumpy waves and even roused a seriously injured woman from the explosion. While is that man truly Lord? It still hasn’t been unraveled.

 

Initially, I considered it a typical motivational book, while the more I am in the story, the more I start to contemplate what the story wants to convey. The stranger in the vessel told the victims he could save them. Some of them scoffed at what he said, regarding he was just insane. Others start to doubt he might be the god here to save them from torture. What these plots enlighten me is when we are all under a matter of life and death, will we still believe in belief and faith? Belief is untouchable and obscure, unlike money and other material stuff. The capriciousness of fate might disperse all the savings of a frugal life at once, while something deeply rooted in our heart and thoughts eventually become clear and vital to support us. The belief might be not only our religion but also the pursuit, the insistence, and prospect. The explosion is probably the metaphor of any predicament we encounter in life. The strange man, the Lord, might suggest the belief of ourselves. The awful survival situation put people of the same height, which has nothing to do with fame and gain. 

 

Since I haven’t finished the book, I cannot tell who is the strange man exactly is. While I do wonder what my belief is now, what supports me to work hard and pick up new challenges? And What if I don’t have any belief as Lambert? 

 

Things to do on 02/23

Dear all,

I'll begin talking about the first essay we'll be working on, the descriptive essay, this week. We will read sample essays, from both student writers and professional writers. The structures may be different, but we will see how and why professional writers structure their content differently, yet still very logically. 

You can start spinning your mind about what you may want to 'describe' about, an event, a person, an object, etc. The key is: it or that person, must be significant enough for you to describe and unique enough for your potential readers to read. 

I'll also share some videos with you not only as good material to think about and talk about but also as examples for video making. I believe what you have learned last semester, the text-image relationship, will make your video creation so much more appealing!

Please bring your book to class. I shall say bring it everywhere you go, so you'll have the materials at hand every leisure moment you get. 

See you all tomorrow morning!

One of the Greatest Speeches Ever | Steve Jobs

 

Even most of you may have heard speeches from Steve Job, this is still a good one. This talk, at Standford University, 2005, has been edited and condensed into 10 mins with additional image design. Compared to the original one, what differences can you find? More appealing, easier to understand? 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc)

《小王子》全集 (上) (英文版)

 

This is another good way to do reading~ by listening!

There are also excellent resources for you to read and view so that all four skills of the English language can be strengthened, e.g., TED, Learning English through Stories on YouTube, like this one. Stories of Sherlock Holmes are still exciting to listening at my age. Want to try? (The patient, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjb337UnMUk)

Normal People

Normal People

Author: Sally Rooney

Publication: 30 August 2018

The biggest attraction between Marianne and Connell is a significant difference. Marianne has a wealthy family but less emotional connection; meanwhile, Connell's mother works as a janitor in Marianne but treats Connell well and raises him carefully. Connell's personality appeals to Marianne and extracurricular performance, and Connell envies Marianne's family, which can provide her with a quality education. The plot setting is similar to Titanic and other famous works.

It is hard for me to befriend someone who is literally different or even contrasting because the gap might result in an unbalanced status in the relationship. In the novel, the meaning of scholarship is different between them. For Marianne, it is proof of efforts and hard work, but for Connell, fortune can support him to be educated and live. Having a satisfying conversation with people with different values or thoughts is hard for me, but sometimes I will be inspired by the difference. For example, I would suddenly realize the aspect I had never thought of before during the conversation with whom I classify as a different social circle. 

Based on my experience, I have usually been friends who share similar backgrounds or hobbies. When I step into a new environment, I will find people who seem to have similar personalities. I will try to be close with those people sharing different features, but there are many difficulties adapting to each other. If I want to keep the original personality and not concede in the future, the best way is not to have too much emotional connection with them. In many works, the adaptions between two people are appealing and fascinating. The public prefers to see the conflict and collision, yet the process is harsh—the collision results in a colorful splash or broken remains.

As for me, I will be attracted by someone who has the feature that I don't have. For example, I would observe one of my classmates in elementary school because she is full of imagination and art. However, I would not try to be close to her. It is hard for us to have a harmonious relationship. Rather than being intimate with her, I want the feature she owns. We will always try to hold the stuff we don't own, like personalities or abilities.

Connell and Marianne have been on and off for years, which reminds me of One Day. Nevertheless, it is hard for people to do so under reality's concern. It took time to figure out the explanation of relationships among people, so most people will decide to end the relationship that makes them suffer. Instead of being damaged, most people will choose to on the way, which is not their first choice but the smooth one.

In my opinion, that is the reason why people enjoy drama or noel works; the plot fulfills the imagination that they can't easily reach in real life. The way that the character chooses comforts the pity of people under the restriction of concerns and the society.

 

Pride and Prejudice Reflection

Pride and Prejudice is an 1813 novel of manners written by Jane Austen. It has consistently appeared near the top of lists of "most-loved books" among literary scholars and the reading public. It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, with over 20 million copies sold, and has inspired many derivatives in modern literature. For more than a century, dramatic adaptations, reprints, unofficial sequels, films, and TV versions of Pride and Prejudice have portrayed the memorable characters and themes of the novel, reaching mass audiences.

 

When I first saw this book, the name on it confused me a lot. The name represents the general characters in humanity, which is quite passive to describe a person. We can even see them in ourselves when we think we are superior to others. But I still wonder about the story behind pride and prejudice. Is it a political story or a war story? Just when I opened page 1, the first sentence says, “It’s truth acknowledged, that a single man in a possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”. Obviously, this book is a love story encompassed by wealth.

 

After finishing Chapter 1 to Chapter 8, I have found that women’s daily talk is nothing but marriage. For instance, Mrs. Bennet worries about her five daughter’s marriage and urges Mr. Bennet to visit Mr. Bingley who is a handsome and rich man in their neighborhood. Indeed, the ideal partner should be beautiful and wealthy for both woman and man, which I view as prejudice. While pride is depicted in Mr. Darcy primarily, there is no one who can fit his appetite. When everyone is dancing at the ball, he stands in the corner and ignores others except Mr. Bingley. It seems that he will never find his true love because of his personality. However, it is him that has a crush on Elizabeth who is the youngest daughter of Mr. Bennet. And now, I begin to doubt Mr. Darcy’s pride. As far as I know, there is no possibility for pride existing in a relationship. That is, either side should be equal. Therefore, I am wondering about the conflicts between his desire and his own nature. On the other hand, Elizabeth seems to have something unique and different from other women. She only observes the bright side of people and puts her family as the priority instead of her marriage. I haven’t seen any components of pride and prejudice from her yet, which is opposite from the name of this book. As a result, I am intrigued to keep reading the following chapters once again.

Reflection: Three Sisters (1)

The book I pick is “Three Sisters” written by Heather Morris. This week, I read the book from the prologue to chapter 5 for my log 2 reflection. 

I bought this book a few days ago. While I was walking around and trying to find the book for this semester, the cover and the name, “Three Sisters”, drew my attention. Although I knew that was the one for me, I yet read the blurb in order to reassure my guess about this novel. It seems like I’m looking for a girlfriend. However, for someone who seldom purchases and reads books, it’s a tough decision, and I do have to spend some time with it. But how on earth did the novel attract me? Well, it was all because of the relationships among the three siblings that would be told in the inspiring story.

The novel tells a true story about why the three sisters were separated from one another and at last reunited again. Their story surrounds with the promises they made; courage and love which pushed them to fight against the cruel era together.

 

Every week, I would like to provide a summary for you to understand what I’m writing about. Follow my lead to learn more in my unique way and feel the emotion.

Summary for this week:

 

Cibi, the eldest sister. Magda, the middle. Livi, the youngest. Menachem, sisters’ father. Chaya, sisters’ mother. Yitzchak, sisters’ grandfather.

 

    Tomorrow will be a hard day for the family, especially for Menachem, the life-and-death surgery must be operated. Menachem gathers his three little daughters in the backyard, asking them to make a promise, “Always be there for one another, no matter what.”

    A few years later… Magda lay in bed due to fever with Chaya and Livi’s care. Yitzchak has been there assisting them since the operation day. That is, Menachem didn’t make it. Cibi had another plan, to create a homeland for Jewish, so she left for life skills training.

    The doctor asked to bring Magda to the hospital for the other reason, that the Nazis were taking away children over 15 to work for them. Chaya and Yitzchak permitted. One day, Livi was announced to be taken away even if she was only 14. Cibi came back before the day Livi would depart, and she decided to go with her. Magda didn’t know her sisters were leaving…

 

 

Reflection

    I do not have any siblings; my childhood was not interesting as most of my friends’. I could remember the time I spent playing Nerf guns and the huge differences between SpongeBob and Squidward, all these memories, all alone without a friend at the same age. Both of my parents were working hard for my tuition. I was raised up by my grandparents, with their company, I still got a lot of fun. Still, I couldn’t share my childlike joy with them, and a young boy wouldn’t understand that the precious time he had will never happen again as well.

    I never had the chance to experience the company and love from any siblings, therefore, I long for having one. When I read an article or watch a movie, I always put myself into the character’s situation. I love to imagine how I would feel or what I would do if I were in the story. For example, when Cibi determined to go with her little sister, I felt a strong connection between them. The unbreakable spirit of kinship they hold can help them overcome with all kinds of difficulties, like the unexpected works they would be asked to do. How brave was Cibi could she volunteer to follow without a question? Although I wish to have a sibling, I ask myself, “If I were her, would I be supposed to begin a journey full of unknowns?”

 

    Most importantly, the promise requested by their father was the most powerful thing that kept them together. People often make a promise, but they hardly carry it out. According to some experiences, I know it’s extremely hard to fulfill a promise, so I never or rarely made one. To me, trust is everything among humans. I still regard that a relationship lacking reliance is not worth maintaining. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before was written by Jenny Han and published in 2014. This novel is about a girl, Lara Jean, who writes love letters to her crushes, five in all, but she never sends those letters out. At the beginning of the school day, those love letters are mailed without Lara Jean's knowledge, and suddenly, her love life goes from imaginary to out of control. The inspiration to write this novel is based on Jenny Han's habit of writing love letters to boys she had crushes on as a teenager. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before was adapted to a Netflix film in 2018. I first watched the film; then I read the novel. The plot doesn't change a lot. The novel focuses more on detailed things, such as family issues and other characters' backgrounds. I can understand the characters' personalities better in the novel because of the detailed description. I think that's an advantage of the novel. 

I've done that before. I mean writing a love letter. It was a way to express my feeling toward that boy in my childhood. I wrote what I remembered from that boy and why I liked him in the letter like Lara Jean did. The only difference was that I sent the letter out when I finished. I wanted to know what that boy thought about me and whether he would reply to me or not. But what I want to say is that writing down something is much better than just remembering something in mind. When there's something that means a lot to you, you definitely want to record it in the form of photos, videos, or a diary. For me, all the things I write down will be what I remember forever. They're imprinted on my mind. I vividly remember what I wrote down in my diary, even something that happened long time ago without looking at it. Writing has its magic. Maybe the love letter I sent out will come back to me one day because my words touch that boy. I'm just kidding.

Beowulf

Beowulf is an Old English epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, but According to my high school English teacher, It is possibly the oldest surviving long poem in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature.  It was written in England around the 8th and the early 11th centuries. The author was an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, referred to by scholars as to the “Beowulf Poet.” Therefore, it comes with different versions, the one I choose is translated by Stephen Mitchell, and the reason I choose her work is because the spare, sinuous, vigorous in its narration, and translucent in its poetry really catch my eyes.

I actually read some part of the story when I was in high school, and It’s odd, from what I know, Beowulf was never widely read until after it was mass-printed in the 1800s, and no other literary works allude to it or appear to be directly influenced by it. It’s now considered one of the most important canonical works in English, but none of the characters are Anglo-Saxon, it's actually all focusing on the Danes and Geats, and its setting is in Denmark rather than Britain.

When I received this book, I was afraid that I couldn’t understand, but after reading some pages, I noticed it has clever uses of the alliterative verse variation, dramatic reversal, and kennings. Like, two of kennings from Beowulf are "whale-road" in line 10 and "sea-wood" in line 208, and two examples of alliteration are "Then as dawn brightened and the day broke" in line 126 and "the storied leader, sat stricken and helpless" in line 130.

The summary from chapters 1 to 3, is basically talking about where a king named Hrothgar has a splendid mead hall known as “Heorot” A place of celebration and much merriment. However, the joyous noise angers the evil monster named Grendel, It lives in a nearby swamp. For 12 years the creature terrorizes Heorot with nightly visits in which he carries off Hrothgar’s warriors and devours them. And the fun part about Grendel is that, in the story, it didn’t specify whether Grendel is a male or female, although the story made Grendel sound something like a man, by having two arms (or claws), two legs, and one head, but he is much larger and can defeat dozens of men at a time. And I think he is probably the most interesting character so far, not only he is a mix of man and beast; his fury is based on very human feelings of resentment and jealousy.

Log 2, Flipped

Hello, this is Carolyn. Here comes my second log for you all. This week, the book I will share with you is "Flipped," which mainly describes the intriguing story between two children.

Before sharing my reflection and experiences, there are two reasons that I want to tell why I choose it. As I said in my first log, I have less interest in reading books or novels; thus, I have tried so hard to select the most suitable book for me to read, which not only need to suit my taste but also require the ability to inspire me to complete the whole book. Thus, I came up with an effective way to find the appropriate book for me -- Choose the novel-based film that I've seen, and then I could pick up the book to read, which will let me reduce the burden on understanding the brand new plot. On that note, I have started to go through what I have watched on Netflix. This time, "Flipped" has completely caught my attention!

Due to time constraints, I read this book in the form of an e-book. Many people will regard this as just a depiction of two young and ignorant children's emotional stories after watching this movie adapted from a novel. Like many people, I watched the film as a pastime before. However, with the age and the knowledge broadened, the first few chapters have already given me a different level of insight when I read the plots this time. This book mainly describes events from the two protagonists' perspectives, expressing their respective psychological activities and thoughts, explicitly showing the characters and storylines and making the book more attractive. From my point of view, this story could be discussed in different aspects, including family, friendship, love, and even self-growth. As follows, I'll share my reflections and connections to my life from the chapters I've read so far.

When I watched this film in the past, I felt crazy and absurd about Julie Baker's expression of love to the hero. Moreover, I couldn't understand the authenticity of the so-called "love at first sight" and whether its influence was so powerful, letting Juli do many ridiculous behaviors, such as chasing behind Bryce all the time no matter what Bryce's response gave her. Therefore, I regard Juli's behavior as an exaggeration used by the author in the story. As I grow older, I realize that seemingly ridiculous behaviors in the past are often the spice of life we need. In these chapters, Julie Baker presents the little girl's love for the little boy, but, love aside, those bold behaviors allow us to exist in our lives to some extent.

Why would I say that? Back in my life experience, Juli's behavior reminds me of the truth, "Bravery never goes out of fashion. "As I said above, although the theme of this novel is a love story, I comprehend from Juli's behavior is why I always lost my chance because of cowardice. Juli's courage and perseverance in pursuing Bryce are just like those trying to pursue their dreams. Although Juli doesn't know where the endpoint is, she seems to be immersed in this process.

On the contrary, I am always afraid, hesitant, and helpless about things that do not know the end. Also, I often doubt and shrink from useless questions such as "Can it be completed?" and "Can it be done?" For now, I have encountered such a problem with my career planning. In retrospect, I began to explore a lot of knowledge about psychology from the junior high school period, and I also like to study some books about psychology. When I came to college, I even took relevant courses and gradually immersed myself in psychology. However, I'm still hesitant about my future and can't recognize the development direction I truly want. The most struggling thing is that I'm always thinking about studying psychology again or settling for the status quo. Even though I am still in a state of indecision, I clearly know that this state will only make me spin helplessly in circles and unable to progress. This mental contradiction does drive me CRAZY all the time!

Nevertheless, Julie's brave spirit and persistence woke me up and made me seriously face what I needed and wanted again. In my perspective, everyone should try to pursue their dreams, no matter how hard the road will be or what kind of outcome they will gain. Sometimes innocent rampage may be the spirit that people need, and also, there's no doubt that having the courage to face difficulties like Juli's in our lives is the key to reaching our goals.

Everything I Never told you_1st reflection

      

   

    “Everything I Never told you” was written by Celeste Ng, a female Asian American writer. The novel is 2014 debut and topped Amazon’s Best Books of the Year list for 2014. Similarly, it was a New York Times bestseller and champion of the Massachusetts Book Award. The story is about a teenage lass, Lydia, who drowned in a nearby lake of a mixed-race Chinese-American household.

    The rationale why I determined this novel, as I cited in my introduction blog. I got used to selecting a reader that could uplift my soul mind. The relationship is material in every temporary position in the world. I consistently inquire about creating an APPROPRIATE relationship because individuals have various personalities and family surroundings. A listener may perceive an unintended meaning in what is said, particularly in casual conversations. “Everything I Never told you,” as if a touch divulges the explanation behind every single movement between humans. Next, I will convey what I have read so far.

    “Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet,” an unexpected paragraph of the curtain is open. The story begins with a racial difference—a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lee’s family has five members, including James (father), Marilyn (mother), Nathan (older brother), Hannah (younger sister). Last but not least, Lydia Elizabeth Lee, parents’ favorite teenage daughter, will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. In the first chapter, this family is confused about Lydia’s death. How come an outstanding Harvard daughter secretly passed away. “On the stairs, Lydia’s brother yawns still twined in the tail end of his dream. And in her chair in the corner of the kitchen, Lydia’s sister hunches moon-eyed over her corn flakes waiting for Lydia to appear.” This setting is just an ordinary day as every family’s morning. Unfortunately, a flowered halter-neck dress is found as if a faded Jasmine is floating on the glitter water surface. A series of delicate balancing behaviors keep tearing the Lee family apart.

    In chapter one, Nathan’s most prominent siblings are confident that the neighborhood bad boy was involved in Lydia’s death. Her younger sister, Hannah, displays the observer and knows more than anyone realizes. In chapter two, individuals could comprehend Lydia’s parents’ marriage—Asian and American, was not blessed by society. “You’ll regret it later,” said Marilyn’s mother to Marilyn, who’s looking for crystal-like love with James. Moreover, this chapter combined the social stereotype of racial discrimination and gender equality. Americans consistently have an intolerance to Asians. For instance, Lydia has difficulties making a friend in school. And her mother, Marilyn, is regarded as too vulnerable to study chemistry or be a physician.

    “Everything I have never told you” is a story as if it reflects the shadow of my proper lifestyle. I’m from a mixed-race family. My father is Hakka, and my mother is Hokkien. I also have two siblings in my family. During spare time, my family would rather dwell in the bedroom than chat with each other. Body language has evolved the primarily connected underpass with family relationships. For instance, I lived with my grandmother, who speaks Hakka, but I genuinely don’t know what she’s talking about. Ever since I remember, I have seldom chatted with her. Television, cellphones, and computers have become the entertainment we most spend time on. As I gradually get older, this pebble barricade becomes higher and higher. Sometimes, I am more familiar with my friend rather than family. The family relationship is an exquisite confection wrapping with bitter flavor chocolate. We don’t want to open up and taste those heartbroken remembrances.

    

    This fiction also reminded me about “Confessions,” a 2010 Japanese detective movie describing the seamy side of humanity in various Japanese families. Those revenge incidents’ motivations all initiate with the character’s family background. “Humans are greedy by nature. It is human nature to love and hate,” the film quote indicated the sophisticated relationship. I undoubtedly considered this quote after watching “Confession.” However, behavior is the combination of vibrancy, education, etc. I wonder what the dissimilarity is between my life and this Western fiction. In other words, Western and Eastern education is distinct. 

    Through the author’s close-to-life writing style, this mystery circumstance of sixteen-year-old Lydia Lee’s tragic death exactly leaps before the eyes. In every conceivable manner, the family links our past, the bridge to our future. Family is stage one, the basis of the core that affects the ego.

    As you can see on the book’s cover, deep blue and an afloat lassie, the book’s tone is depressing. It is a blue-pill treatment of my snowflake; hence, I suppose a family relationship couldn’t choose. I have the same sensibility as my mother and my father’s same sense. In my perspective, Lydia’s death is the mixing of her parents’ hereditary. Hence, the children usually unintentionally step the same road as their parents. Nevertheless, I believe the uncovering secrets hide or reveal poignant answers.

The Birds

Introduction

"The Birds" is a horror story written by British writer Daphne du Maurier. The story happens in Cornwall, a small country in the UK. As the weather suddenly turned cold, thousands and thousands of birds flew into the town and attacked people. The birds were hungry and furious, and the main character Nat Hocken did everything he could do to protect his family from getting hurt by the birds. At first, they thought the weird behavior of birds was because of the weather, but they gradually realized the thing was not that easy. The story mainly talks about how Nat deals with the birds and a series of weird situations.

Feedback

When I finished this book, I actually didn't have any feelings at first because the author spent a lot of pages talking about how brutal these birds attack people, and she never gave an explanation about what made these birds so furious. However, the more I think about this story, the more I love it. In my opinion, there are some implications hidden behind this story, and they all can be interpreted differently by the readers.

The most ironic plot in the story is that Nat's boss Mr.Trigg asked Nat if he wanted to join him in shooting the birds for fun, and Nat turned him down because he thought it didn't feel safe. As expected, a few days after the birds' fierce attack, Nat came to Mr.Trigg's house asking for some supplement; he only found Mr. and Mrs. Trigg's bodies lying down on the floor with blood covering all their faces, and their eyes got peaked out. This plot made me think about the sentence "Man's determination can not conquer nature." No matter how powerful or intelligent people are, we all are the tiniest creatures when facing nature. The global warming issue has existed for a long time, and there are many people working their tails off to protect the environment. Nevertheless, there are still some people who haven't realized everything they do will affect the Earth, and they think they can fight back if anything happens, just like Mr.Trigg.

Another plot that is worth discussing is that when the birds started to hurt people, the radio(in the story it was BBC)called everybody to keep calm and stay at home. The government didn't know what caused the situation as well; however, it was still a relief for Nat's family to hear something from the outside. Unfortunately, at the end of the story, maybe it was because the attack from the birds was too harsh, the radio didn't have any sound anymore. In the whole story, the government didn't do anything to help people, or they actually did but in vain? The readers didn't know. However, from my perspective, I think it is vital to have the ability for independent thinking. If Nat listened to the radio and did nothing, the whole family would die from starving, but at the time Nat realized the government couldn't give any help, he started to observe the situation, and he began to observe when the birds would stop attacking. As a result, Nat could grab the time when those birds were relaxing to get some food. 

When I researched this book, I found that the author implied the British government during the Second World War since they also failed to protect people. "The Birds" was published in 1952, but it had so many similarities with today's society. When COVID-19 first erupted, the governments from nearly all over the world also told people don't panic and stay at home. However, many governments still did nothing but let the pandemic spread, as we can see. At that time, it was important to have the ability for independent thinking to know if the pandemic was real or conspiracy. Should we wear the mask or just take it off and pretend nothing happened?

All in all, I love "The Birds" after giving it a second thought. I think it reflects the society no matter it was 70 years ago or now. The author Daphne du Maurier used a form of horror story to talk about the sickness of this world.