[Waterfall] Poem

Waterfall is like a quiet rhythm that flows on a quiet railroad. It does not complain which way it flows. It just flows. The beautiful colour of water falls on the ground, it looks as if one angel is blessing the ground. It's beautiful, and I would want to go inside there and never go out. Yes, it is waterfall.

An article related to the theme of "The Pearl"

From CNN.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8356669.stm


A lottery win so you never work again

From the news article: "Answers ranged from £1m to £5m, with an average of £2.2m, but a fair sprinkling said they would continue in their jobs even if they won the jackpot.

"The more you work, the more you keep young," says the man behind the till in one hardware store. "And money never gives you happiness."

It is not a sentiment the winning Magnificent Seven from Liverpool seem to agree with.

In the words of one of them, 28-year-old James Bennett: "The best thing is knowing I can now support my children for the rest of their lives - there is simply no better feeling than that.""

So they said that even though you win the lottery, you will never gain the true happiness by having lots of money. It meant nothing but a greed and evil happiness.
The true love comes by taking care of our child by using that money and donating the money for the charity and that's the true happiness.

My Reflection about 'The Pearl'

“If this story is a parable, perhaps everyone takes his own meaning from it and reads his own life into it. In any case, they say in the town...”

My Reflection about 'The Pearl'

'The Pearl' is a novel, a short novel, describing the typical depravity, existing in every human's mind. This shows a gradual change of one man's mind, becoming depraved. The story is taking in La Paz, Mexico. So it gives basic idea about how poor or how rich they are. And as obviously, Kino, the main character, he's family is poor and lives in a brush house. And one day, he finds the origin of evil, the origin of depravity in human's mind, the pearl. And therefore, after Kino finds the pearl, all these bad things happened to him, he threw the pearl away for regretting what he had done to everyone and for himself. I think author is trying to distinctively implant on us, that money can bring bad luck, and evil. Lastly, the author was trying to make us decide carefully on what to do at every important problems.

Guess the Tone!

Laptop is a part of Rick's life. It is a invaluable to him, and it's like the water to him. Water is essential for us. It saves when we are thirsty.So as laptop saves Rick when his bored. If somebody kidnaps Rick's laptop. Rick's going to risk himself to save that laptop. It is a indispensable thing that Rick can never leave it alone, it is the essence of him...

Definition of Mood & Tone

M0od: Mood is what you feel about the story.
T0ne: Tone is the opinion (emotion), (feeling) by the author thorough the text, towards an object or subject.

For example, 'Arrogant', 'Loving', 'Disapproving', 'Regretful', 'Uncertain', 'Indecisive'.

The author can express these kinds of words naturally by writing the story...

Tone is harder...than....the....Mood.... :-)

Guess the Mood

Have you ever been to China? Well, if you haven't been there, you must go there...I once lived in Beijing for 4 years, I tried many different types of food and some of them were very...IMPRESSIVE... I loved especially the Snake Skewer. When you eat this snake skewer with hot Chinese traditional sauce, it will taste like eating a steak that has been in the trash can for 4 weeks. I also love the sound of chewing snake's skin inside of my mouth. It sounds like chewing gum. Also, there are scorpion skewer, monkey head skewer, cockroach skewer...I loved the cockroach skewer because, you can taste the juicy stuff coming out of the cockroach's body. YUMMY!! I love it!!!!!

Warm Up

Think of a song that has lyrics related to wealth and/or happiness. Add the lyrics to your blog. Describe what you believe the composer thinks about wealth and/or happiness.

- "Celebrity" composed by Brad Paisley. The lyrics are about one man dreaming to be a celebrity.
"Someday I'm gonna be famous
Do I have talent well no
These days you don’t really need it
Thanks to reality shows
Can't wait to date a supermodel
Can’t wait to sue my dad
Can't wait to wreck a Ferrari
On my way to Rehab

Cause when you’re a celebrity
It’s adios reality
You can act just like a fool
And people think you’re cool
Just cause your on T.V.
I can throw a major fit
When my latte isn't just how I like it
They say I've gone insane
I'll blame it on the fame
And the pressures that go with....
Being a Celebrity


[Break]


I'll get to cry to Barbara Walters
When things don't go my way
I'll get community service
No matter which law I break
I'll make the supermarket tabloids
They’ll write some awful stuff
But the more they run my name down
The more my price goes up!

Cause when you’re a celebrity
It’s adios reality
No matter what you do
People think you’re cool
Just cause your on T.V.
I can fall in and out of love
Have marriages that barely last a month
When they go down the drain
I'll blame it on the fame
And say it's just so tough...
Being a Celebrity

So let’s hitch up the wagons
And head out West
To the land of fun in the sun
We’ll be a real world bachelor
Jackass Millionaires hey hey Hollywood
Here we come!

Yeah when you're a Celebrity
It’s adios reality
No matter what you do
People think you’re cool
Just cause your on T.V.
Being a Celebrity...
Yeah Celebrity!"

The composer Bran Paisley is describing how cool or how awesome would it be when you are celebrity. The lyrics contain some bad words but most teenage songs contain words that are inappropriate. However, the main idea of this lyrics is being a celebrity and what are some cool things that I can do it when I'm celebrity. I think composer is thinking that having wealthiness will be so cool and full of excitement. In my general opinion, having full of excitement will have some bad consequences too...

Warm Up

Think about a person who you met who left an impression on you (much like Effie left an impression on Neil). Tell a story about this person on your blog. Try to use a combination of direct and indirect characterization. Please also use figurative language at least three times.

- When I was in Kenya for volunteer service, I met lots of college students. They were all mature and they were all very organized and knew how to self-control and self-management. I was really impressed of their laborious working. They never said it's hard and they showed love toward Orman villagers (they live in Orma Village). It really gave me big impression which I can never explain through words. They didn't complain and they are my role model. People who always work and never complains a bit. I think God has given me a chance to meet people who are new to me and to learn from them.

Clue #5

Pondering "About Effie" and the truth it reveals...

1. Who is Effie waiting for?
- Effie in this story is a maid who's working for Neil. Effie is waiting for somebody who will come to him when the weather is gloomy and pretty big thunder with lightning. Also when you hear a music. This person who Effie's waiting is the God. God who cares all of us and protect us from the evil. So Effie always waits him to come and take him. God is who people admire and worshipping. People always worship him and always pray for God. Effie so waits him and never give up his hope towards God.

2. Write down three separate sentences from the story that might symbolize Jesus and explain why Timothy Findley might have written these into his story.
- "On a cloud," she whispered. "A big black cloud. That's a rule."
- "Besides, it's not just me he's after." That really got me I thought he was after Effie.
- Why, if I went to Timbuctoo he'd just as soon find me there. Or in Madagascar even. I don't have to wait around in any old Toronto."

For the first sentence, it describes that Jesus is almighty and he lives in heaven where it located in sky.
For the second sentence, it describes that Jesus wants to make him to be one of his followers to learn God's words.
For the third sentence, it describes that Jesus is in everywhere. Wherever he goes Jesus can find him and watch him.

3. Can non-Christian authors reveal truth about God's world?
- In my opinion, it's no but also yes because people non-Christian can easily exaggerate the truth about God's world so they may descirbe the God as a mighty evil or mighty God. However, they can also say that God's world is a land we are living on and the God is in our heart. Actually, God is in our heart and we pray to our God to protect and lead our way to the right way. So the conclusion is non-Christian authors can reveal the truth about God's world but only by imaginary. Non-Christian authors can tell their opinion about how God's world is like but not exactly how it's like.

The Magnifying Lens

1. What is the theme of "About Effie"?
- The theme of "About Effie" is how people wait for their God or Jesus in different ways. In this case, Effie was waiting for him when there was a big thunder with lightening. So many people can wait for Jesus in different ways. So the theme is Could he (Effie) meet God? God is non-existing person but God exists in our heart or in our imaginary and we wait for him to guide or way to live for him.

2. Find a verse from the Bible that relates to the theme of "About Effie" and include it in your written responses.
- I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God. Psalm 38:15

Clue #4

What clues do setting and characterization offer?

1. What specific clues can setting reveal about the theme of a story?
- Settings can tell readers the idea of where the characters are and can give you more idea of the place and their characteristic. For example, Paul lives in Africa. It tells readers that Paul likes hot places. It can tell the the characteristic of the specific character. Paul likes living in a big house and he doesn't like people who are poor. That tells readers that Paul likes something luxurious and an expensive stuff.

2. How does an author drop clues about characters and how their actions lead you to the theme of a story?
- Authors usually describe characters' personal characteristic by using an indirect way. This way readers can catch the idea or a clue of what the character looks like or is. The characters actions lead us to the theme of a story. For example, Paul killed all the villagers and police are trying to track his trace. It basically makes us think that the story is based on criminal investigating and is a type of detective story.

3. What is the strongest setting you have ever encountered in your own life.
Describe this place and ponder if God revealed anything about himself or his truth in this place.
- I think the strongest setting I've ever encountered in my life is China. This country was the only place I went to study in a foreign country. I had lived for 4 years in China and I learned many things from this place. For example, how to make more friends and be more socialized. Also, I have learned to how to adapt in different places. I guess God has given me a chance to live abroad and learn things I couldn't learn in my home country.

Setting & Characterization

1. Who is a "character" in your life (a real-life person) you admire?
Why do you admire this person? (be specific and name the traits you admire)
- My mom because she's the creator who brought me into the existence. She's my creator and also she's my problem counselor who helps me to cope problems. She's very kindhearted. She listens to every words I say, try to respond to what I said to her. She's always smiling, she rarely gets angry but she frowns often. I think she's a bit impatient. She likes to decorate rooms or even entire house by herself. She has mysophbia, she likes to clean the room everyday and she does not allow any dirt in her house, which is our house too.
She's really tall and pretty too.