How to Die Alone: The Foolproof Guide to Not Helping Yourself

 

How to Die Alone: The Foolproof Guide to Not Helping Yourself

 

Nothing wrong if you are a PASSIVE thinker

Bookstore never lacks of books with contents inspiring people to be positive or giving guideline of how to think positively. In this modern times, people are overwhelmed with too much, which may over their endurances. Therefore, people will seek for the solutions to get rid of the unbearable stresses. It is a book works the same with others, but in a way the other way around. It a guideline helping you NOT HELP yourself. Frankly, that sounds a bit depressing and also too passive for children to read. I will say it is not a book for everyone, but it is also for everyone, which depends on how people see this work in their eyes. More or less, it brings a bit negative energy and may affect its readers to think in a way escaping from all the difficulties. However, it is also a lifestyle that helps people get rid of the heaviness depriving their breath, like a temperate hut where they can curl themselves up in security. Sometimes, I somehow get in a condition that I want to hide from my friends, family and life, and I will put on headphone, sinking my mind into deep, deep water. I can hear nothing but my breath. 

Different from my experience, she shares somethings more daily, hilarious or I will say silly. It seems to me that Mo Welch doesn't see herself as a cynical girl, but she is always being honest to herself and all. And to mention more, the scenarios she provides in the book are most modern people will encounter. Instead of confronting it, she deals with awkward stuff in her own way in order to ground herself in this overwhelming world. Instad of telling you to cheer up, she tells you to GIVE UP-- to BE YOUR SELF. Her mindset doesn't work for every single one, but it's so novel of her to help people by teaching them not to help themselves. 

How to hide when you see someone you know in public

One of the chapter is teaching people how to hide from one they know in public. Not from their dear friends, sometimes people get awkward when meeting ones that can neither be categorized into  stranger nor friend. You must have experience that you work with people from other department, but you never talk to each other after conference or presentation. And when you accidentally meet up in public, will you greet to them with arms waving in the air and bright smile? No, least I  won't. I will take a sec to think whether I should say hi or not, for a brilliant reasons. Will them respond me? Do they want to say Hi to me? Do I mistake them for others? So many self-questioning pops up in my inside world, bombarding myself. Then, it usually ends up by a silent passing-by. There are steps  how you can play hide-and-seek in public when seeing familiar strangers and unfamiliar friends. 

• Jump into the middle of that clothing rack

• Lie down in that bush

• Blend into that tree

• Walk behind that server. (Keep the same pace.)

• Hold that baby. Look, you're just a passing mom now.

• Give back that baby. You're ready for that kind of responsibility

• Jump into that sewer. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were regular turtles before they saw Cerard, the friend they didn't want to talk to.

That's a bit exaggerating, but it's funny of her to avoid meeting people by borrowing other's baby :) Unwillingly or willingly, we have to do unpleasant things to match other's expectations OR fake self-expectation. She shows a sense of freedom and unlimited desire to GIVE UP the stress choking her. In a way GIVING UP life, she saves her life. It is suggested that you don't push yourself too much and have a life accepting the genuine self. Of course, if you oppose her mindset of ideal life, your thoughts may also be one of possible answer of WONDERFUL life, because-- there is no typical answer for reference. I have ambivert personality that cause me sometimes to feel stressed out with socializing stuff and sometimes lonely within disconnected world. Therefore, I am still on my way to my suitable lifestyle. And you? What personalities do you have?

Things that I wonder: 

1. Are you a cynic ?

2. Do you think her ideas of "Helping oneself by teaching them to not helping themselves." an acceptable concept?

3. What do you do when being overwhelmed by the tided-up life and never-ending works? Do you like your life now? 

I would like yo know your answers :))))))))) Please comment belowwwwwww ❤❤❤

That's all for this book. Hope you like it.

The Book Thief My Favorite Chapter: The Joy of Cigarettes

 The Joy of Cigarettes

Exchanging books with Cigarettes:

Lisel's foster papa, Hans Hubermann, is the one who steps into Lisel's heart and caress her pain of the loss of dear brother and mother. When arriving Hubermann's household, Lisel resembles a bird losing her wings that fly her to the sky and holds no beliefs to anyone. Hans bends his back, stretch his head into the car, and reaches hand to the dazed girl with eyes covered with sorrows. Hans treats Lisel in a way that all the fathers do to their daughters, even better. To make Lisel talk, Hans talks about the book when finding her holding it in hands on the bed. It is a book belonging to her brother. Naturally, Hans reads the book to Lisel and teachers her the meanings of every words she doesn't comprehend. Sitting by her bed, he reads from chapter to chapter in a voice fatigue, desire to sleep, but never tiredness. Sometimes, Hans can't resist the heaviness of eyelids and falls into dream beside Lisel's bed. Lisel will wake him up with excitement to know the following story. Then Hans will take in a deep breath to refresh his mind, opens up his eyes and read "Chapter Twelve, Respecting the Graveyard." By the end of the night, he stretches his back and invites his highness to the breakfast. 

The last passage of that book goes like this:

We at the Bayern Cemetery Association hope that we have informed and entertained you in workings, safety measures, and duties of grave digging. We wish you every success with your career in the funerary arts and hope this book has helped in some way. 

(I will fall asleep in the very beginning of it if I were Lisel. It is amazing of her to be awake the whole night and focus on story-telling huh?)

On first Christmas Lisel has with Hubermann's family, she doesn't expect to get gifts from foster parents, clearly knowing that she is lucky enough if she has good food on Christmas' Eve with bad financial condition of the family. To her surprise, she finds a newspaper-wrapped present in the bright snowing morning. Book small books are in there. She hugged both of her foster parents in joy and thrills. Another morning, she pops out the questions bothering her for long when all are eating soup. "I just wanted to know how you found the money to buy my books." she asked. Then Hans took out the tabacco ration to roll a cigarette. "Are going to tell me or not?" she asked impatiently. Hans laughs and tells her that he is telling her. He makes cigarettes to exchanges books. Eight cigarettes for one book. It sounds strange right? People take education through the help of thing we are told not to touch. Except for books, he exchanges some dresses that Rosa in desperate needs and sometimes eggs. There is no denying that cigarettes bring them joy.

Questions:

Who was the first person teaching you to read and write?

Who accompanied you through out the night with sleepy face?

Who always thought of what you needed and wanted?

My answer to all questions above is my grandpa who left me 9 years ago. He was a wise old gentleman with strong body figure and passion for game-playing. There was nothing that I didn't count on him. By the time night forcing people to go to bed, I couldn't get in my dream so often with insecure of being lost in there or meeting human-eating monsters. Whenever that happened to me, he hugged me into his arms that could protect me from every harm, telling me stories of him being carpenter, fighting with gangsters, being haunted by the ghosts and et. It was so mean of him telling me a frightening story during bedtime, but I was never frighten because he always ended the stories by telling me how he kills those ghosts and monsters so bravely. 

As my grandpa, He rarely turned my requirements down, almost never. Candies, pinky bags, princess dresses and gigantic dolls, would all appear on my birthday, piped up like a mountain. Despite his few salary from being a school guard, he tried his best to satisfy a willful and difficult girl. However, I was spoiled because he taught me to be granted when I became a third grader by taking me to do some volunteering works. Instead of telling me how lucky I was to have those sources, he showed me people with almost nothing. in the process of helping others, I gained tremendous feedback from the people I helped and acknowledged that I should cherish what I had. Like what I said, he was a wise man, just like Hans to Lisel. 

You must have people like my grandfather to me:) And I would like to know~~~You comment below and share your story with me. 

The Book Thief: The intense PASSION of reading

The intense PASSION of reading  

Reflection: Liesel Meminger, a girl with pure mind and desire for literacy

I started to read novels when turning into third grader because I had gotten enough words stored in mind. I could have own comprehensions on twisted plots and imagination on protagonists that are depicted to have flawless appearances and personalities. It wasn't my choice to learn how to read, but without those knowledges, I would have lost the access to joy brought by the worlds constructed by creative thoughts and free-spirited minds. Perceiving it or not, most of students or modern people take the privilege receiving education granted because there are no barriers stopping people from being educated; instead, most are forced to. Not like us having some many freedom making decisions,  Liesel and the kids in the era of The Book Thief are deprived of rights to read books, not even owning ones. Either throwing books into fire or throwing themselves into fire, they choose live. Remember the times you saying that you gonna burn all of your textbooks once the graduation date comes? Not every being has unstoppable passion to literacy like Liesel, but we should be aware of the privileges we have and be grateful. 

Liesel learns to read books from Hens, her her affectionate stepfather, which starts her path exploring the unknowns, walking on the spacing between lines. Initially, she is a piece of paper without a single color on it. Pure, innocent, but tedious and hollow. Therefore, she can't help but fell in love with the feelings indulging herself inputting words in mind because that saves her by refilling the hollows that kills her–the loss of her family. Besides, in the era without high-tech, reading books spices her daily up, like a child receive a set of colorful crayons. we phubbers give all attention to phones and can stop scrolling. Isn't that similar to Liesel just can stop turning pages. A Book Addiction waters her withered spirit, but poisons her life. Despite the risk being sentenced, she tries to keep on reading at all costs. It is really fool of her doing so, for she put people around in danger. Meanwhile, it is brave of her being a thief stealing her rights back from Nazi authorities. She fights as  the rep for a group of people who are willing to devote themselves to what they love. She is the exact model that I would like to become. 

 Why do people read books or become life-long readers? 

☑︎To learn how to read so they acquire the ability to write

☑︎To entertain themselves

☑︎To seek a sense of recognition 

☑︎What's your?

Reasons of people opening books can vary form people to people, and for many, books are necessary to exist because it frightens them out by only imaging life without papers documented incredible stories. To think about it, many master pieces affects our life in art, movie-filming, romance, profound thoughts an so on. If literacy doesn't exist and no writers compose, pieces that we value in modern time would have been created. If people don't read, there would be no motivation to compose. 

I don't know about others, but I know my propose of reading. Sometimes when I find the figures in novels or authors hold same beliefs,  I somehow feel recognized by those I have never met and they later  become mentors that I can turn to. For instance, from time to time, I need space to be alone to collect myself and they help me go through the whole process. 

 It seems to me that having same mind sets with eminent authors  is thing worthy to be proud of. Although I don't write, someone gifted with writing  talents will, which is why I admire them, respect them and appreciate them. 

So what's your REASONS reading books? I really wanna know!  😆😆😆

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Book Thief

 The Book Thief : The Reaper narrator 

 

Summary of The Book Thief:

 

Who is the thief stealing books? It seems to me it’s not only the Reaper, not only the protagonist but all the characters who desire to read and hope to learn from the world built up by words. In the beginning, the Reaper will show up and talks to the readers whoever open this book. Either delightful or desperate, he will company you through the events happening around a German girl, Liesel Meminger in WW 2. Liesel loses her family. First her mother, then her brother dies on the way to their new family. Fortunately, such a miserable girl is adopted by a nice couple, a gentle father reading books with her, and a nice mother, though most of her words is not nice. After settling down, Liesel finds books to hold lots of wonderful stuff, something cheerful filling up her hollow mind. To satisfy her thirst for knowledge, she can immerse herself in the books composed with many words unfamiliar to her. However, under the Nazi government, books bring her pleasure as well as troubles. Despite the blazing fire burning on the cover, she still goes back to the square where a bunch of books become ashes and pick up book like stealing priceless diamond. Liesel loves her family, friends, but her favorite books could do them harm because of the policy. Whatever the author ends her story, either good or bad, her growing path with her beloved people and life spiced up by the strength of books are something readers can’t miss. 

 

Reflection on the Reaper:

I am not a fan for reading novels; instead, I prefer to listen to an emotional storyteller telling twisted stories with a variety of intonations. Lucky enough, I used to have many intelligent storytellers around, lulling me by telling me their stories, romantic encounter, brave adventure, and life-risking moments. My grandpa, mother, father even sis is all good at creating senses grabbing people’s attention. How about a reaper? The cold reaper, being in charge of collecting lives, tells stories with happiness, sadness and desperation. What is a reaper in your mind? A white skeleton face, bone hands waving scythe and a black bloody hoodie are all terrifying. No fresh, no blood, he tells me a story about a clever girl, Liesel Meminger, in 20 century, wrenching my soul and heart. I can feel that the cruel reaper is working on the air in which delight comes to girl’s life and put smiles on her face. I see the sorrow words the emotionless reaper put to illustrate the sadness when someone’s gone, book’s burn, war’s come. It overturns my impression on so-called the Reaper. 

 

 

Chains tied both men and women: Gender Stereotype

In part one, I briefly introduced what Little Women is about and my favorite protagonist, Jo. By illustrating their daily lives, the author pointed out many social issues people confront in reality. This still but page-turning novel is an adaption based on the author's real experience back in 19 century, which means that she might have been limited by absurd principles herself or witnessed the torturing of unfair treatment. She observed unreasonable or ridiculous phenomena and had them down with her gifted writing hand. One of the issues that I care about the most is the stereotype about sexes. In the late 19 century, gender shackles had already existed to chain the hands of both men and women. Women couldn't compose as they wished, and men were supposed to hold paper instead of putting hands on piano keys. Those were what happened to Joe and her best friend, Lourie. 

 

 Women's Typical Life in 19 century 

From what I observed, Joe is a girl born to an eminent writer because she is sensitive to her environment and people. She can see, tell and feel more than her sisters, although she doesn’t act like a fine lady and loves to speak with slang. Most importantly, reading is all she wants to do the most once there is space in tons of house chores. While reading books, her mind will no longer stay in her body but in the world of books' setting background. Knowing the irresistible charm of a novel, she knows how to compose, which I can hardly do. There is once that Amy threw Jo's manuscript into fire because she is not allowed to watch the play with Jo and Meg. When Jo found out her script went missing, those paper have burned into ashes. Her anger is a lifted fire in the forest that will only burn more and more. Overwhelmed by her anger, she even shouted that she won't forgive Amy as ling as she lives. Although she is reasonable when saying that, it shows the importance of writing inside her heart. After she works officially as a writer, things happen. Not being the trending topic, her works are rejected so many times until she compromise (Thankfully, she changed her style back and eventually publishes a best seller.) Other reason is her gender. Ignored as a female writer, her writing career doesn’t go well in the starting line because male writers were the majority in that area. In her era, many limitations blocked women from getting well-paid jobs or higher positions. The stereotypes chained them in houses as “proper” wives, and men were also deprived of their rights. 

Men were not the absolute Winners

Lourie will be considered a considerate man with the finest manner if he is born in my time. I can tell that by reading his sweet assistants for Jo and Meg, his gentle behaviors in interactions with others and his uttering. He is the exact Mr. Charming for girls who want a caring bf ❤️. Within his times, his personality seemed too weak and girly by the social impression that men should be rugged and masculine. Even the dream of being a pianist is rejected firmly by his grandfather, Mr. Lourie. In his expectation, Lourie ought to engage in business as his grandson and heir so his future is promising. Men weren’t totally those who benefited from the gender stereotype, at least not in Lourie boy’s case.

The issue of gender equality never cools down because people won't give up until they make it. After entering college, I have heard countless addresses and events related to gender equality, which may be why the comparison between Jo and Lourie relates to me a lot. In the process of reaching the balance, both women and men are valued.

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.