Comments on people's contents of their blogs
Choose five (5) links and write comments of 50-100 words about the content of the blogs. (not design/pictures/layout) You must identify yourself.
Juvena : http://lit-44-2010-juvena.blogspot.com/Her contents in the blog all linked perfectly to the questions given and is relatively easy to understand what she is talking about in her posts.They are all short and sweet which everyone would not mind reading as all the points are stright forward and they all makes sense.
Kerene: http://lit-44-2010-kerene.blogspot.com/Her posts are long as they are filled with answers to the questions with great details. One example is the story Lee in question 4. She shows the difference between the younger generation and the older generation and also gives many examples and evidence to support whatever she says.
Edmund: http://lit-44-2010-edmund.blogspot.com/
Points are all relavant to the stories and he also gives specific evidences from the stories that helps to answer the questions.He carefully explains the points that he states which makes it even more easier for us to understand what he means when he writes certain points to answer the questions.
Shu Min: http://lit-44-2010-claudia.blogspot.com/
Points weather short or long are all easily understood as they are all done neatly and makes alot of sense unlike other blogs which makes no sense at all. Points given includes detailed evidence and examples from the stories like Tanjong Ruh in the first post on 24 Jan.
Brennan: http://lit-44-2010-brennan.blogspot.com/
Points stated are all understandable whichever way you see it. They are all supported with evidence which are relavant to the points which makes it even more understandable. Points are done neatly and in an orderly maner due to the tables used to indicate points which links to people or situations.
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stories revealing the thinking of an older generation...
Choose two stories that reveal the thinking of an older generation of singaporeans. What new insights have you gained from such a revelation.1st story : Mid- AutumnIn the story Mid-Autumn, the author, who is the mother, is known as the older generation in the story and so is her husband. When her daughter was still a child, she worked hard to earn money to pay for her daughter's education as she wanted her daughter to be able to study at any university that she wanted.After her daughter graduated from medical school, she was very happy as her daughter could accomplish what she could not do which was to become a doctor and earn lots of money and find a good husband. Both she and her husband expected her to be a doctor and earn money but when she told them that she did not want to be a doctor but to be a missionary in Uganda instead, her husband scolded their child and said that she was ungrateful as she did not want to look after him but look after niggers instead, even though he did not do anything for her when she was a child. It goes to show that older generation of singaporeans in the story Mid-Autumn plan for their child's future without asking or even telling them in the first place and expects them to do what they want them to do. Thus, showing that they are expecting alot from the younger generation of singaporeans. I have gained new insights that the thinking of older generations and teenagers are very different as us younger generation as they expect alot from us while we only want to do waht ever pleases us.
2nd story : Evening Under FrangipaniIn the story, Evening Under Frangipani, the mother is known as the older generation in the story. The mother does not like the relationship betwen Elaine and Prakash just because Prakash is of a different class from her and the mother is of higher class. Its means that she wants her daughter to marry someone who is of their same class or higher and not someone who is as low class as Prakash. This shows the thinking the mother has as an older generation of Singaporeans. This also reveals the mindset of older generation of Singaporeans in Singapore. I've gained an insight that singaporeans from older generation, example our parents, have a different set of thinking from teengaers as they still have the mindset of older generation.
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Literature questions
3. How is motherhood presented in any two or three stories in the collection?
The 2 stories: Mid-Autumn and Tanjong Ruh
In Mid-Authum, motherhood is presented when she told her daughter that she will pay for her education so that she can study hard and go to any university that she wants. Eventhough she hated teaching at Yat Sen Primary, she stayed there so that she could afford the best education for her daughter. She even sent her to art, piano and ballet classes and chinese tuition and paid for all of them herself without the help of her husband.
In Tanjong Ruh, motherhood is presented
by ah-ma helping Mr Li to hold onto his past when he was a little kid in Tanjong Ruh. When Mr Li bought the binoculars for ah-ma, She said "Things you can buy, I do not need" & " I know I have everything I need". As Mr Li got irritated, he started to retreat when suddenly, ah-ma told him that if the binoculars could see Tanjong Rhu, she would try them from his office.4. Select the 2 stories in which there is conflict between parent & child, and show how far there is some resolution of these differences at the end of the story.Stories : Mid-Autumn & The move.In Mid Autumn, threre is conflict between the mother and child, and the father and child. Back when the daughter lost the Mickey Mouse lantern which was bought on that same day, the mother scolded her 'Idiot' & said that she felt 'gek sim'. Despite all the mother's hard work in hopes for her daughter to become a GP, the daughter refused & instead, wanted to be a missionary in Uganda.When the father heard her saying that she wanted to be a Missionary, he said " I worked all those night shifts, drive taxi until I get night Blindness, so you can study to be a doctor. You so ungrateful, don't want to stay in Singapore & take care of me, want to go take care of Niggers." He even said that if she goes to Uganda, that would be the last meal they're having together. In the move, there is conflict between the mother and her sons. When they were all packing their things that they wanted to bring to their new house, there were many things that Madam Teo, the mother, could not bring with her even if she wanted. She had wanted to bring along her plants to the new flat but she could not as there were no big corridors to lay out her potted plants. She had espically wanted to bring her pomegranet plant with her but it had grown too big to place at the corridor so her sons did not allow her to bring it along so in the end, she had to seceretly break off a branch of the plant without her sons knowing about it.6. With reference to suitable stories, discuss how far for change is shown to be either welcomed or feared.
Stories: Corridor
In corridor, Mak's family brought her out for a holiday , but all she wanted was to stay in the hotel to spend some quality time with herself , to relax , to take things off her mind . A man was murdered at her corridoor , but after she came back , she wished that she was there when the man had been killed as at least he wouldn't had been alone when he died. She tried to recall what could she be doing at that point of time if she didnt went for the holiday . This shows that she is very compassionate .
12. How are young people and their ideals presented in two or three stories in the collection? How far do you identify with these young people?
Stories: A History of Tea & Lee
In the story A History of Tea, it is about TienYee and Beverly, it differentiates the high class from the middle class. TienYee's cousin Beverly, is someone who is very high class. She has a discerning taste for tea. She drinks her tea in a pot, trimmed at the top and base in a blue and gold pattern - Japanese imitating Royal Doulton, with matching cup, saucer, tiny jug of milk, a plated spoon and tea strainer on its own base, all produced on a gleaming tray with roses and briars worked onto the handles. Compared to TienYee, he drinks tea in a tall mug with only blue on bamboo patterns and a cover to help it brew, beaded on its underside with water. TienYee is very simple minded as he treats tea like any other normal tea while Beverly is very complex as she treats tea very importantly, which had to be served properly every single time.
In the story Lee, young people play an important role. Lee is an example. Young people this days do not really care how they act in front of their parents. From this story, you can see that Li Wen speaks very harshly to her father. Evidence can be found in page 87 and page 90 of the book. This shows that the way they present themselves is totally rude and wrong.
Besides that, young people nowadays also dress inappropriately. In the story Lee, dressing inappropriately means dressing 'skimpily'. Evidence found in page 91. Lee went out wearing extremely short shorts. Nowadays, it is common to see ladies on the streets dressing inappropriately. In my own opinion, it is not proper. But it is entirely up to individuals. That's the matter today. Young people, teenagers, do not care at all abot how they talk, act or dress.
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Lit Dec Holiday hw...
Story: Evening Under Frangipani
Conflicts
Prakash is having intense fear about the interview and showing physical sighs (pg 47)
Elaine is talking about an issue of marriage imposed by the society (pg 49)
Elaine cursed her foolishness at allowing literature to interfere so discordantly in the moment of romantic fulfilment. (pg 58)
Climax
When Prakash joked about Elaine’s father’s hands being like beetles (pg 62)
Resolution
Open ending
Characters
1)Prakash
He is a nervous-wreck (during job interview , pg 47)
He is competent (pg 48-49)
2)Elaine
She is a feminist (pg49-50)
She is caring (pg 53)
3)Elaine’s father
He is not judgemental (pg )
He is passionate about insects (pg 55)
The most interesting segment is when…
Prakash went for the interview as he should not get too nervous that he sweat so much and his armpits were circled in sweat and should have more confidence in himself.
Story: Lee
Conflicts
lee and her father argue about her walkman matter (pg 87)
Lee asked her father why he never wrote (pg 91)
External conflict between lee and her father (pg 91)
Climax
When lee’s father found lee and Holden Mankiewicz in his bedroom (pg 103)
Resolution
Complete resolution
Characters
1)lee
she likes music a lot ( listens to music wherever she goes, pg 87)
she is a sarcastic person( the way she talks to he father, pg 87)
2)lee’s father
· Does not like attention (pg 98)
· he easily gets jealous (got jealous when lee talked about Piscopo, pg88)
3)Alan
he dresses like a trucker(pg 89)
he sometimes get a bit of a pretentious creep(pg 89)
The most interesting segment is when…
Lee visited her grandmother during the family reunion. Her grandmother was very happy to see her and lee talked about everything she does in her country.
Story: A History of Tea
Conflicts
When grandmother did not want to see aunt sherrie even at her death bed (pg 115)
When grandmother felt that she had made a mistake towards her parents (pg 117)
Climax
It is when grandmother was ashamed when what she had done is repeated to her (pg 117)
Resolution
The revelation (pg 122)
Characters
1)Beverly
she is assured (knows what she likes and what she hates, pg 109)
she is
2)Grandmother
she is hot headed (pg 115)
she holds onto her past (pg 120)
3)Tien Yee
he is calm (he told Beverly the story without evoking any hatred, pity or revulsion, pg 110)
he is dedicated (pg 112)
The most interesting segment is when…
The grandfather helped those involved in the war when he was a merchant and gave food and tea to them.
Story: Release
Conflicts
It is when the new neighbours were moving in. (pg 139)
When the new neighbour shouted at Eileen. (pg 139)
When the neighbour said the Eileen was like her dog. (pg 140)
Climax
It is when the puppies started whining and whimper in the night (pg 143)
Resolution
Ironic resolution (pg 148)
Characters
1)Eileen
She is helpful (volunteers to get suit, pg 140 & 141)
She is forgetful (forgot to get the suit, pg 140)
2)Philip
He cares only about himself (his meeting more important than garden, pg 143)
He finds work more important than Eileen (being away more than he was home , pg 145)
3)Neighbours
They are rude (she waved her hands to stop Eileen from talking any further, pg 140)
They act without thinking(she cuts down the guava tree without asking others first, pg 141)
The most interesting segment is when…
Eileen told the man to move the kennel to another side so that she and her baby can finally get some sleep but the man mistook what she said and killed the puppies instead.
Story: An Orbituary for Fifth Aunt Come Late
Conflicts
It is during the war and the writer did not know much about the fifth aunt. (pg 156)
Climax
When she was sent to live with ah ting’s family who will tack care of her bronchitis. (pg 160)
Resolution
Complete resolution (pg 161)
Characters
1)Aunt
She is clumsy (pg 149)
She is hardworking (160)
2)Mother
She is loving (pg 161)
She is caring (pg 153)
3)Author
She is able to grow fast in terms of height. (some day her aunt was tall, some days she was short, pg 149)
She is a little bit forgetful. (“I can’t confirm that she wasn’t good- looking or smart or careful. Because I don’t know. Or don’t remember.”, pg 149)
The most interesting segment is when…
The author came back from staying with her neighbour after many years while doing odd jobs to earn money.
Story: Pastime
Conflicts
When Tai Poh made up the different stories(pg 213)
When Mr Lee said that everything he said earlier was just a story(pg 220)
Climax
When the man with the limp saw the girl in the MRT who looked like the person in the sepia coloured photo. (pg 215)
Resolution
The revelation (pg 220)
Characters
1)Tai Poh
He is very creative when telling stories (he manages to mix both happy and sad emotions in a story, pg 213)
He looks out for his friends (when mr lee told tai poh that they should help each other and he nodded his head, pg 217 )
2)Mr Lee
He think things through carefully (he considers when is the best time to do what they need to do illegally to earn lots of money, pg 217-218)
He is smart (he knows what to do with the CCTV in the factory, pg 218)
3)The man with a limp
He is persistent (he did not agree to appear on television after years of torture, pg 214)
He is loyal (he would not confess anything even when freedom is offered, pg 213)
The most interesting segment is when…
Mr Lee told his story and made it seem like he was offering something to Tai Poh.
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