Reflection upon blogging

I love the way of sharing your work with everybody by blogging, it not only gives you an idea what others are writing about, it also make you think and improve on your own writing. And somehow i like writing much more when i know that i will have an audience who will read my writings and think upon it. It is like if i take the time to cook a good meal, and nobody will enjoy it, then what is the point? Another reason i think blogging is such an innovative way to do my homework on is that blogging allows people to become more open and more expressive about their opinions and ideas, somehow i think people try to come up with interesting ideas when they know that the whole world can see it. Again, that might be just what i think. I think making good use of modern technology is essential for a child to be sufficient in the future modern world, and kids can learn how to write something that is not offending anyone, yet it comes out naturally. I would love it if students can be much more involved in group editing or group work of any kind, or any work that one would like to share, for example: pictures, videos, articles, or even music and speeches. I support homework online!

Mark Twain- The Story Of The Good Little Boy

The tone of language of American Romanticism is comparably much more romantic and nice than the tone and structure of an American Realism work. Romanticism focuses on achieving beauty and perfection when writing, and making give the audience a sense of joy and happiness. American Romanticism evolved as a reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature and society, and many people accomplished great works based on that.

American Realism was there for people as an exact opposition to Romanticism. American realists believed that humanity's freedom of choice was limited only by the power of external forces. Realism is often viewed as a realization of true democracy, and it is when relation between people and society or between people and mind are explored. And their purpose of writing is to instruct and entertain, no matter of any rules or conventions. For example: detailed description of how blood is gushing from the soldier's wound, or the the detail description or death or love.

Mark Twain was a outspoken anti-imperialist and anti- capitalist. He envision world peace, abolition, emancipation, and anti-racism. Through writing, one can tell the dream of a perfect world. Twain seemed very optimistic about humanity's future, and he hoped for the better and the best. But somehow, by reading his story “The Story Of The Good Little Boy” I also sensed a little bit of insecurity in his writing, as if he is not sure about his optimism. Mark Twain's work are for the common folk who wish to do good, and who wish to be inspired. And Twain also uses common folks as his characters. When you read his stories, you will feel certain sereneness and plainness. Purity is his goal, and he did achieve it.

Mark Twain's works inspired me to realize that the world can be very “plain”, even though from what I've experienced, the world is rather cruel and complicated. People's emotions are just little tricks that the devil is playing on you, trying to get you confused, trying to get you close to sin. I am attracted to simplicity and natural beauty and that is why I like Mark Twain.

Protest Writing

Writing and speech can be very powerful to enact social change or any kind of revolution, from the speeches of Adolf Hitler to Gandhi's famous “Quit India” speech, from Bob Dylan's songs to Chopin's Nocturnes.

The word protest and revolution can sound very harsh and often related to violence and chaos. Although most protests and revolutions are done in the old fashioned way- fight or flight. Many important protests are done in writing. Interestingly writing can be a tool to fight for the better, it also can be slave for evil. For example, Hitler's “Final Resolution” was used to gather up Nazi German people to openly discriminate and hate against anyone who is not Christian and White. A good protest writer knows how to stir up people's emotions, and knows how to use the art of language to cover up the sins and cruelty by making the audience feel sorry for themselves. A good piece of protest writing can be acted as a magnet, just imagine people are like tiny little pieces of metal, and one powerful magnet can soon suck and attach all the little pieces of metal onto its dark surface.

At the same time, writing have done enormous good in the world. For example, the Civil Rights speeches and Gettysburg Address have gathered people to fight for good. Interestingly, when people say that guns are better than words, they are wrong. Guns kills fast but little, words kills slow but massive. So words are the ultimate weapon for mass revolution or destruction. Just remember one little sentence, or one little can have the whole world turn up side down.

The Price Of A Child

What is the price of a child?
What is the price for freedom?
Is it selfish?
Is it mad?
Am I a bad mother?
Am I so stupid?
What other choices do I have?
What other people might think of me?
Would I be forgiven by?
Would I survive?

Escape.

My child is worth the whole world.
My child is my heart.
My child loves me.
My child doesn't want me to go.

Escape.

I want to take care of him.
I want to shade him from the heat.
I want to wash his little hands.
I want to cook for him.
I want to stroke his shiny black hair.
I want him to love me.

Escape.

Tears, joy.
Blood, love.
Fear, courage.
Hate, strength.

Escape.

Until he grows up.
Until the sun's up.
Until he stops crying.
Until he is happy.

Escape.

I will love.
I will hate.
I will kill.
I will Run.

Escape.

Until
the golden light of freedom shines on my child, my heart, and my soul.

That is the price of a child.

my writing demons

I love writing. For me, writing is much more than telling a story or a task we have to deal with because we're in school. To me, writing is like composing music, after every word, every idea there is more and more to write about to elaborate and to express. Depending on my current emotions, and the time of the day, my writing can be different. I like developing a style in my writing, and I also like to keep surprises in my writing. But overall, I think style and beauty is the most important thing in writing.

At the same time, I have trouble expanding ideas. Ideas come to be like ocean waves, one wave after another, just as I had one idea, the next one is already present. Sometimes I even try to control myself not to come up with so many idea, instead just focusing on one topic or idea. Another one of my writing demon is grammar use. English is a very hard language to learn, especially for someone who's native language is chinese. The thing that is almost impossible for me to acquire is the usage of verb tenses. For example: he has, she has, I have, and you have. I always gets them mixed up since there are no verb tenses in chinese. To me, English is a totally different kind of language.

Actually my writing demons are also present in my musical playing. For example: I often cut a melody into several pieces, and sometimes I catch myself making the music sound rather broken. I have trouble expanding and extending my ideas. Ideas and imaginations strike me constantly, I really need to find a way to control myself, and focus on one topic at a time.

The Great Gatsby 3-23

The Great Gatsby reflected the so called “the american way” perfectly. People come to New York City from all over the world, to find opportunities, thrills, and sometimes love. But they don't always get what they want, and sometimes human nature defeats people's moral values, therefore, New York City has been portrayed as a place filled with sins, greed, and cynicism.

The main character of this book, Nick. He resembles a uncontaminated soul, hoping to search for pleasure and opportunity. And the people Nick met in New York City resembles a deadly cancer. When people are dazed by all the wild parties and all the sins they do, they become affected. At the same time, they fear that their sins might cost them greatly. But the unrestrained desire for money and pleasure overcomes and surpassed more stately goals. People would do anything, absolutely anything to get want they want, and sometimes it can get bloody, not just with money, love can also be dangerous.

Another major topic in this story is the separation and class, ad the sociology of wealth. The clash is between the “new rich” and the “old rich.” Gatsby is the victim of the “new riches.” He forgets where he came from, and wealth made him more and more influential but farther and farther away from the old human values. Brand names and elaborate house and stories are him main way of getting connected with other people.

I was find very interesting when Nick finds out about all the cheating thats going around his friends, instead of leading his friends to the right, he went along with it, and actually thought it was alright. This cynical observation made me to think that people are all the same, and good and bad distinction do not really exist. The bad people are capable of doing very good things, and yet the good people are also capable of doing some really bad things.

The Great Gatsby 3-15

The Great Gatsby

Nick Carraway, the narrator of the story who also cast himself as the book's author began the story by describing his own personality and moral standards. He describes himself to be highly moral and highly tolerant, but he appears to me to be quiet ambiguous and compulsive. Nick seems to be a sensitive and emotional guy, especially when he stated the his hero, Gatsby's personality was “nothing short of gorgeous.”

Nick had just arrived in New York, where he stayed at a interesting neighborhood, West Egg. He describes West Egg as a place for the new rich people, those who are self made and are enjoying the thrill of money by investing the money into shallow things, without any real sophistication. He also described East Egg of being sophisticated, privileged, and aristocratic. West Egg, where Nick stays is quiet different from Nick himself, Nick comes from a privileged family, graduated from Yale, and had many connections on East Egg. Despite of all the sophistication of the East Egg, Nick found otherwise when he met his cousin Daisy. Tom, Daisy's husband is a arrogant, dishonest and a racist, he openly carried out a outside relationship with another woman. Not to my surprise, Daisy turns out to be quiet shallow, and dumb. To me Daisy tries to hard to be wise and sophisticated, and self-loved, she think women live best as beautiful fools. Tom and Daisy are a perfect example of the rich Americans who are too bored, too selfish, and too rich.

To contrast with the Eggs, the Valley Of Ashes symbolizes the horrible, and the poverty. The valley is half way between West Egg and New York, made up of industrial dumping and symbolizes the by-product of modern industrialization and capitalism. New York City, where Nick prepares to do bond business in is described by him as loud, glamorous, and fascinating. All the dazzling of the most amazing surfacy things seem to lack a strong moral system. Even to Nick's surprise, Tom's affair with his mistress doesn't seem to bother him very much.

The Great Gatsby so far has given me a feeling of cynicalness, and a very raw picture of human nature.