How does the text relate to the theme of a journey?
Breaking the silence and the cycle of abuse in a society which condones sexual discrimination against women is a Herculean task. One’s struggle to break away from this bondage needs courage, will and determination. The one initiating change and searching for justice and truth is always labelled as an outcast. Without the support of others this struggle is not possible.
What is the main issue in the text?
The ignorance of the Somalia society as they are deprived of education and the way women are oppressed without speaking up or fighting for their rights. They still hold the belief that women must subservient to the husband for the sake of the family. However, change is possible.
What quality do you admire or dislike in a character?
I definitely marvel at the stupendous perseverance and strength that Waris Dirie possess ever since she grew up as a nomad in the Somalia desert until she struggles her way to become a famous face in the modeling world and also a United Nations Ambassador who stands up for those women around the world who have been circumcised and also those who are yet to undergo this dehumanizing ritual.
How does the text develop your understanding of the world?
From Desert Flower, Somalia men treat their wives or daughters selfishly and unequally. Just for the sake of the thought to “preserve” these young girls and women, they made them suffer the cruel way, which is by circumcising them. Also, when majority of the people in Africa are deprived of almost everything in life, even the most basic of all that a person can ask for, there are so many people in other corners of the world who take things for granted and simply just do not cherish their possessions and blessings. People living in developed countries differ from them in the sense that they appreciate everything as they had nothing but most of us don’t because everyone’s perception of what’s a perfect life differs among individuals.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
FALLING LEAVES by Adeline Yen Mah
How does the text relate to the theme of a journey?
It is a story that relates to the theme of a journey in the sense that throughout Adeline Yen Mah’s life, she underwent a string of downpours. Although the sun eventually shone on her, there are still some occasional drizzles but she was able to cope well at the end.
What is the main issue in the text?
The way Adeline Yen Mah who was deprived of love and was treated with meanness survived through the hardships in life and finally found herself a wave of repose after all those ordeals.
What quality do you admire or dislike in a character?
The optimism in Adeline Yen that brought her through the most difficult times when hopes seem to fade. She made herself strong enough mentally and not to be defeated by the unfair treatment she has been given ever since she was a kid and even after she had grown into an adult.
How does the text develop your understanding of the world?
From the Falling Leaves, it obviously shows that females and males do not get the equal treatment especially during the older days in China. Even most women themselves prefer males over females. Also, it is saddening to note that people are capable of all sorts of cruelty, meanness and pretences in many ways. As time goes on, there are people who change and there are still some who remain as they are. The text reminds me of Carl Gustav Jung’s quotation “Where love rules, there is no will to love; and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other”. It also implies that one’s trust towards another is indeed like an investment for at any instance one is capable of losing all of it and left with nothing.
It is a story that relates to the theme of a journey in the sense that throughout Adeline Yen Mah’s life, she underwent a string of downpours. Although the sun eventually shone on her, there are still some occasional drizzles but she was able to cope well at the end.
What is the main issue in the text?
The way Adeline Yen Mah who was deprived of love and was treated with meanness survived through the hardships in life and finally found herself a wave of repose after all those ordeals.
What quality do you admire or dislike in a character?
The optimism in Adeline Yen that brought her through the most difficult times when hopes seem to fade. She made herself strong enough mentally and not to be defeated by the unfair treatment she has been given ever since she was a kid and even after she had grown into an adult.
How does the text develop your understanding of the world?
From the Falling Leaves, it obviously shows that females and males do not get the equal treatment especially during the older days in China. Even most women themselves prefer males over females. Also, it is saddening to note that people are capable of all sorts of cruelty, meanness and pretences in many ways. As time goes on, there are people who change and there are still some who remain as they are. The text reminds me of Carl Gustav Jung’s quotation “Where love rules, there is no will to love; and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other”. It also implies that one’s trust towards another is indeed like an investment for at any instance one is capable of losing all of it and left with nothing.
BOY: TALES OF CHILDHOOD by Roald Dahl
How does the text relate to the theme of a journey?
The text shows the uniqueness of one's life experiences from young to adulthood. The significant people, including the authority figures imprint positive as well as negative impressions and experiences a we encounter them in different developmental stages of our life. It also narrates the different stages, the successes and failures and how we move on from there. All these life experiences shape us into who and what we are now.
What is the main issue of the text?
Roald Dahl's life experiences with the significant people in his life throughout his early days beginning from his childhood up till his teenage years. Life is not always fun, it can be painful and unpleasant at times. All these memories add to the meaning of life.
What quality do you admire or dislike in a character?
Love of a mother toward her children despite all odds and obstacles she faces in life. Roald Dahl's mother doesn't obviously show it on her face, it can be felt by the way she cares for him and every other things that she had done for him.
How does the text develop your understanding of the world?
From the incidents that Roald Dahl undergoes in the schools he attends, I learnt that there are so many people out there who shut themselves from the truth and live their lives in dispute, refusing to give others chance to make clarification regardless if they are right or wrong. they hold on to the perception that they are the supreme ones.
The text shows the uniqueness of one's life experiences from young to adulthood. The significant people, including the authority figures imprint positive as well as negative impressions and experiences a we encounter them in different developmental stages of our life. It also narrates the different stages, the successes and failures and how we move on from there. All these life experiences shape us into who and what we are now.
What is the main issue of the text?
Roald Dahl's life experiences with the significant people in his life throughout his early days beginning from his childhood up till his teenage years. Life is not always fun, it can be painful and unpleasant at times. All these memories add to the meaning of life.
What quality do you admire or dislike in a character?
Love of a mother toward her children despite all odds and obstacles she faces in life. Roald Dahl's mother doesn't obviously show it on her face, it can be felt by the way she cares for him and every other things that she had done for him.
How does the text develop your understanding of the world?
From the incidents that Roald Dahl undergoes in the schools he attends, I learnt that there are so many people out there who shut themselves from the truth and live their lives in dispute, refusing to give others chance to make clarification regardless if they are right or wrong. they hold on to the perception that they are the supreme ones.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Viewing Log: Australia
How does the text relate to the theme of a journey?
The film shows the discrimination faced by the aborigines and the "creamies". It shows how they are being treated inhumanely, excluding them from the mainstream, excluding them in the mainstream of the society when they are the true inhabitants of the country. They are pushed away to make way to civilisation and their resources taken away from them. However, a person's worth is seen in times of need, regardless of skin colour. It takes a group of concerned people to make this perception change. With their concerted efforts, they can make a difference and help create awareness in society.
What is the main issue in the text?
The film focuses on how the aborigines are discriminated and looked down by the so called "white fellows". This extends to how their resources are taken away from them due to human greed. It shoes how the main characters break the barriers and shows that regardless of skin colour, all human beings have dignity and deserve to be respected. It also exemplifies that love knows no boundaries.
What quality do you admire or dislike in a character?
I admire Lady Sarah Ashley. She is someone who loves Nullah unconditionally without reservation. She showers Nullah with love and does whatever she could to save and protect him. Although she loves him so much and will never wish to part with him, she is willing to let him go so he can return to "his country" with his grandfather.
How does the text develop your understanding of the world?
By viewing this movie, it dawned upon me that social discrimination and class distinction are something that is inevitable in every single corner of the world. The stolen Generation has been taken by force from their family and oppressed by the "white fellows". To them, the Stolen Generation are so worthless that they are deserted in the Mission Island as seen during the evacuation effort to rescue Australians from the war unleashed by the Japanese. Besides, Neil Fletcher symbolizes the false values, hypocrisy and mercilessness in the society. Consumed by his greed, he is capable of killing and creating plots to round things up in order to gain advantages he desires. Nevertheless,it touches my heart that there are still people out there who are willing to sacrifice their own lives to benefit the majority. Therefore, I learnt from this movie that it is an undisputed fact that life is full of both positive and negative values. It really depends on the individual themselves which of these values they opt to practice and adhere to in their journey of life.
Friday, January 15, 2010
she
Sweeping back the cobwebs of time, she recalls the moments when she was oblivious of anything else but her ballet teacher beckoning her to take her Grade 8 ballet examination certificate. Her heart grew a little flutter each time her breath grew ragged as she peeked at her grade. The next moment, she was euphoric when she saw the word “Distinction” printed in bold on the certificate! Never was she so elated in her entire lifetime and she had a grin plastered across her face for that entire day. So many years had gone into that moment and it was her perseverance that kept her moving all the way through. That real life example of the fruitful rewards of being persevere in whatever she does did have a marked impact on her indeed. That was quite some time ago, approximately two years past and she is now persistently progressing forward in life.
When she was a kid, it has been her dream to become a ballerina ever since. It all started when she saw her mother sending her “big” sister to the ballet academy and the sight of her sister dressed in the pink tutu was what enlivened her the most. Aside from ballet, there were a whole bunch of things that caught her attention and at one moment, simply anything and everything just seemed to be so fun and appealing to her. She soon picked up organ, drawing and athletics, all of which were something that she never regretted picking up. In fact she was thankful of her parents for granting her wishes to ascertain whichever of all these that she asked for. These had certainly enriched her life and she could not bring herself to imagine what would her life be like if, she never did all these to fill up her free time as she is someone who enjoys nothing more but to to keep herself occupied with things she finds tempting. Perhaps she might not turn out to be the same person as she is today.
There’s one thing that she particularly takes pleasure in doing the most and something that she anticipates towards every year. And that something which seems to be so special to her is actually to vacate in the neighbouring country- the Philippines. Having said that, people might whirl about what made that so special for her and they might not even understand why she picked the Philippines out of so many destinations out there. However, the place meant a whole lot for her as it was where her mother came from. There are so many things about the Philippines that she loves about. What tops the list is the fact she gets to meet her grandmother, followed by the people, the food, the beaches, the amazing shopping malls and this list is endless! Nevertheless, her grandmother departs this life three years ago. Her family once doubted if their trip back there still beholds any meaning with the demise of their beloved. At that instant, she was quick to convince her mother that there are and in fact, there are loads of them. Somehow she never fails to see something unique about that place, maybe because a part of her belongs to there.
She prefer not to write up everything on her face and for that particular reason, most people decipher her as cold and numb to her surroundings. In times, there are things that she cared for but some who don’t actually know her assume that she does not and perchance that explains why she has few bosom buddies. Also, she doubts her ability and is unsure of herself. Too often, she is not bold enough to do what her inner self tells her to for she always qualm. She tries to trounce this side of her, alas, this needs time. She strongly believes that for everything she has missed, she has gained something else and for everything she has gain, she losses something else.
Everyone has their very own version of her but one thing for sure she herself wouldn’t trade hers for anything else in the world. She simply knows why.
When she was a kid, it has been her dream to become a ballerina ever since. It all started when she saw her mother sending her “big” sister to the ballet academy and the sight of her sister dressed in the pink tutu was what enlivened her the most. Aside from ballet, there were a whole bunch of things that caught her attention and at one moment, simply anything and everything just seemed to be so fun and appealing to her. She soon picked up organ, drawing and athletics, all of which were something that she never regretted picking up. In fact she was thankful of her parents for granting her wishes to ascertain whichever of all these that she asked for. These had certainly enriched her life and she could not bring herself to imagine what would her life be like if, she never did all these to fill up her free time as she is someone who enjoys nothing more but to to keep herself occupied with things she finds tempting. Perhaps she might not turn out to be the same person as she is today.
There’s one thing that she particularly takes pleasure in doing the most and something that she anticipates towards every year. And that something which seems to be so special to her is actually to vacate in the neighbouring country- the Philippines. Having said that, people might whirl about what made that so special for her and they might not even understand why she picked the Philippines out of so many destinations out there. However, the place meant a whole lot for her as it was where her mother came from. There are so many things about the Philippines that she loves about. What tops the list is the fact she gets to meet her grandmother, followed by the people, the food, the beaches, the amazing shopping malls and this list is endless! Nevertheless, her grandmother departs this life three years ago. Her family once doubted if their trip back there still beholds any meaning with the demise of their beloved. At that instant, she was quick to convince her mother that there are and in fact, there are loads of them. Somehow she never fails to see something unique about that place, maybe because a part of her belongs to there.
She prefer not to write up everything on her face and for that particular reason, most people decipher her as cold and numb to her surroundings. In times, there are things that she cared for but some who don’t actually know her assume that she does not and perchance that explains why she has few bosom buddies. Also, she doubts her ability and is unsure of herself. Too often, she is not bold enough to do what her inner self tells her to for she always qualm. She tries to trounce this side of her, alas, this needs time. She strongly believes that for everything she has missed, she has gained something else and for everything she has gain, she losses something else.
Everyone has their very own version of her but one thing for sure she herself wouldn’t trade hers for anything else in the world. She simply knows why.
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