The Parable of the Prodigal Son

   The characterization technique used in this parable is allegory, in which the characters, settings, and events stand for abstract or moral concepts. Thus, the techniques are particularly well suited to teaching a moral lesson because characters represent ideas such as forgiveness and sin.

Guiding Lights

    The fairy tale “Three Little Pigs” is an example of a story that gives guidance for people’s lives. The two older brothers’ houses were blown and they were eaten by the wolf because they only put little effort into building their homes. The eldest brother only used straw, which was the easiest thing to do; the second brother used sticks, which was a little bit stronger than the straw house. However, the youngest pig survived because he built his house out of bricks, which was too solid for the wolf to blow. Thus, the wolf failed to enter the house and eat the pig. This story tells us that one has to work in order to achieve one’s goal. Moreover, we have to put into effort to earn our success.

Donne/Johnson Comparison

     In John Donne’s Death be not proud, he personified death. He was trying to send a message telling people that Death is nothing to be afraid of. He said Death wasn’t mighty and dreadful, and people could overthrow him. Thus, there was no reason for Death to be proud, and Death should be the one who died. Death only resembled a long sleep, and an opening for people entering the other world.

     In Ben Johnson’s On My First Son, he mourned about a father’s lost for his first son. After his son’s death, Ben Johnson decided to not treat people with so much love because if they past away, there would be a strong sense of great loss.

     The themes of the two poems are different in ways that one was saying that Death shouldn’t be arrogant, and the other one was talking about the melancholy feeling a father had toward losing a family member. The poem by John Donne created an upbeat and inspiring atmosphere, whereas Ben Johnson had a mournfully sad one. However, they were similar in ways that there was element of death involved in both poems.

Language of Love

   The poem by Sheelagh Lennon titled A Special World is similar to the shepherd and

his love in ways that both are love poems. Both poems are about expressing the

emotion of passionate love, the desire of being together in a relationship. However,

there are some differences between the two. In A Special World, it talks about the

unbreakable bond that last forever between the couples; in the shepherd and his love,

it talks about how strongly the shepherd wants to be with the women.

Lovey Dovey

   The song “Nothin’ on You” by B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars describes the love that the man has toward the woman. The emotion of love is expressed strongly throughout the whole song. The lyrics “Beautiful girls all over the world, I could be chasing/ But my time would be wasted, they got nothing on you, baby” show that this girl he likes is the best among the world. Also, lines “Because your style, I ‘aint got nothing’ on/ Baby you the whole package/ You’re my Wonder Woman, call me Mr. Fantastic” show to the audience that the woman is too perfect, and no other women can compare with her. The man has been playing around and chasing girls just for fun, however he falls in love crazily with this woman. The reason the man has such a strong affection for the woman is she is so idealized, so flawless.

Carpe diem p287 question 10

  The advice the speakers give reflect the carpe diem theme in ways that women should get marry or been through a love relationship deeply when they’re still young. Youth is no different from rose or sun, which they can’t compete against time, so they can’t last forever. Humans, too, can’t live for eternity. As we died, we can’t bring love with us. Thus, we should seize the time and do crazy things while we’re still young, so we wouldn’t be regretted even in after life.

Why do people write journals or diaries? Think of famous people you know who write them? What is it about a diary or a journal that makes people want to read them?

   People write journals or diaries because they want to record down everything they see, they hear, they smell, they taste, they experience, and how they feel. Also, when other people read the journals or diaries, they can feel that they are traveling in the countries even though they are not presented. A famous people I know who write diaries or journals would be Marco Polo. He wrote about his journey in China, which gave the Europeans an idea about what was China like at that time.

   The reason why people want to read a diary or a journal is they can understand the feelings of the author, while enjoying in the world of vivid description of another countries.

Grendel description

  I think Grendel is a huge monster that has big and bright eyes. It's hot and buring mind is inside the furry skin of its body. In addition, it has sharp claws and teeth to rip and tear off human flesh and to drink blood. In order to move quickly, its feet won't easily get stuck in swampland and they are covered with fur so it can move silently.

What would you change about what you do to be more successful this time around? What course material did you like or not like? What was favorite activity? What did you like the least? What’s one thing that you would like to see in your English class?

In order to be more successful this time around, I should read more carefully whenever Mr. Dahl assign us to read materials in the Holt Reader or the Elements of Literature. If I didn’t understand what passages are talking about, I should read for more times, discuss with classmates, or ask the teacher.

   In the British Literature class, the course material I didn’t like was reading. The readings were generally hard and difficult to understand because of their language, their writing style. Despite the fact that I didn’t like reading, we needed to read a lot in this class. Other than reading, I liked most of the course material. The acting and the ballad were really fun, and we were able to remember the stuff we should learn more easily.

   Among all activities that we had done in this class, my favorite was making video. Through videoing, we got to know other classmates better and our acting skills could improve. As I had mentioned before, the activity that I liked the least was reading. 

   In my English class, I hope there could be less work load or easier because senior life is so busy. However, this is impossible. So, I think I need to learn how to manage my time wisely and finish every task on time.

Connection between the Pardoner and Lindsay Lohan

   The main reason I choose Lindsay Lohan as the best example to represent the Pardoner is they are both untrustworthy. Lindsay Lohan fails to keep her promise of not getting drunk every time, and the Pardoner did things controversy to his career. He sold indulgences and fake relics. Using his honey tongue, the Pardoner was able to make lots of money in a short time. Moreover, he kept the money he earned in his pocket rather than giving it to the church. Both Lindsay Lohan and the Pardoner are somewhat alike, in which they lie to people constantly.

Lindsay Lohan used to be one of the most popular Hollywood movie stars. However, her movie career is going downwards because of all her negative news. She is addicted to drug and alcohol. Once, she was drunk on whiskey while doing the drug tests! It’s hard for the public to give her one more chance because one day she might be saying under oath that she wouldn’t be drunk again, but photos of wild partying and drinking are seen at the newspaper on the next day. Because she was reluctant to change her unruly behavior, the judge declared her to go into the jail for 180 days.

    I think it is really sarcastic hearing her quote stating that she wants to have a healthy life, yet she still smokes, drinks, and taking drugs a lot. Thus, she is just destroying her body and ruining her bright future.

What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor? Create a simile and a metaphor to describe the following: your hair, this school, anger, love, forgiveness, the sun, a flower, school lunches, and Mr. Dahl.)

    Both a simile and a metaphor are methods used to help passages seem livelier. However, there is a difference between the two. A simile involves using words such as “like” or “as” whereas a metaphor is without these words. A metaphor directly states something is something else.

   Simile: My hair is like a shaved apple. This school is like my second home. Anger is like a catalyst that further distant relationship with others. Love is like an angel that helps to fix our interactions with others. Forgiveness is like a sweet cake that pulls people closer to each other. The sun is like a moon cake because it’s round. A flower is like perfume because it smells good. School lunches are like World Cuisine Competition because there are various kinds of food. Mr. Dahl is like a poet because he can come up with any poem all the time.   

  Metaphor: My hair is so short that it can’t help to keep me warm in winter. This school is small that everyone knows each other. Anger is poison that makes people addicted to revenge. Love is a journey which full of excitement. Forgiveness is smile that sends people the message of happiness. The sun is heater that warms people. A flower is like color plate because it’s colorful. School lunches are sea because they taste salty. Mr. Dahl is wind that makes decisions promptly.

Think about a ballad, or a song you think qualifies as a ballad, and describe its qualities (theme, meter rhyme, subject matter)

   Ballads are songs or poem like songs that tell stories in simple, rhythmic language. I think the song “Baby” sang by Justin Bieber qualifies as a ballad because the theme of the song can be clearly recognized. In a simple way, the song delivers the message of a boy wanting to ask a girl he likes out. This girl is the subject matter, the main soul of the whole song. Also, there is a part in the song where Justin Bieber keeps repeating the word “baby.” The use of repetition not only makes the song rhymes perfectly, but also leaves strong impression in people’s minds. The technique of repeating the same word for many times allows people to stick the song in their brains and wouldn’t easily forget it.

Something unexpected that change the way you look at things, change the direction you’re traveling in life

    Ten years ago, a tragedy happened that affected the way I look at things. September 21^st, 2000, a big earthquake happened that was unexpected by every Taiwanese. That day, lots of people died, many houses were damaged, infrastructures were destroyed. Everything just didn’t look the same as it did before. To me, I think 921 was just like the 911 attack of the United States. I remembered it was midnight, when everyone was sleeping soundlessly, without any prepare. At that time, I slept with my father because I was afraid to be alone. Suddenly, I felt the bad was shaking, and the level was increasing. Then, I saw the clock hanging above the television fell down to the floor and broke into pieces. Although my father was beside me, I felt a sense of helplessness. I cried out loudly and was afraid that I wouldn’t see my family again. Since then, I learned a lesson. You never know what’s going to happen in the next moment, so you should treat your friends, your family, and everyone you meet well at the time you see them. Or else, you would be regretted because nobody can predict what will happen in the future. You should enjoy and cherish every moment of your life to make living meaningful.

If I could live anywhere in the world, I would live in ...... Because

     If I could live anywhere in the world, I would live in California because there are lots of beaches, and the weather is always sunny. I like to play activities related to water, so California seems like a suitable place for me. When I’m not in a good mood, I can look at the beautiful beaches and soothe myself. Moreover, sunny day can make me feel happy. Also, there would definitely be lots of beach parties, so my life wouldn’t be boring at all. There are lots of fruits produced in California, and I like to eat various kinds of food. To sum up, California is like a paradise for me to live.

Which character do you think Chaucer likes the most? Which one does he like the least? What values does he (Chaucer) seem to value?

      I think Chaucer likes the Host the most because he uses positive descriptions to characterize the Host. As for the character Chaucer likes the least, I think is the Pardoner because he portrays the Pardoner in a negative way. Words Chaucer uses give me an impression that the Pardoner doesn’t talk truthfully. This character is merely a flatterer who tells prevarications in order to make money and win silver from the crowd. After reading “The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales,” I think Chaucer seems to value qualities such as being a leader, satisfying everyone’s need, and having high social status.

Why do people go on pilgrimages? What problems and surprises might they encounter? (unusual people who may help or hinder for example) What different types of characters might go on such a journey?

     People go on pilgrimages in order to worship idols. There are different idols for different religion. In general, Christians worship Jesus, and Muslims worship Mohammed. Problems people might encounter are that they might be hindered at some places. Sometimes, there are just barriers people couldn’t get through. Instead, they are stuck there. However, people might be surprised that they could see or feel unusual people, such as God, is around them. Whenever they have such sense, they feel their souls are relieved. Thus, they wouldn’t worry a lot about their future. Sadness, troublesome, happiness, relieved, are different types of characters might go on such a journey.

Unit 1 section 6, heroic archetype

   Batman is an example of the epic hero from comic book. Batman endured hardships of the human condition by witnessing his parents murdered when he was a child. However, Batman had joys of human condition by displaying great wealth. He was a billionaire industrialist, playboy, and philanthropist. He showed his courage and bravery by fighting against enemies, such as the Joker, the Penguin, the two-faced, Poision Ivy, and Catwoman in Gotham city. Although Batman had no superpowers, he was viewed as a godlike figure for establishing justice and defeating crime in Gotham city. For all these heroic qualities being displayed, Batman is an archetype of the epic hero.

Rippy the Gator quickwrite

   Rippy the Gator is a vehemently or violently alligator. It is infalliable in capturing all kinds of prey. It never fails or goes wrong in finding food. Because of this excellent attibute in hunting, Rippy the Gator is extolled by other alligators. Its fellows praise Rippy and ask it to be the highest leader of the alligator group. Rippy's parents put a lot of emphasis on how important it was to observe your environment carefully when it was little. Rippy was trained since then, so it could easily detect slight changes around it. The talent might be innate, but due to Rippy's working on the ability allows Rippy to become the greatest and the most talented alligator in capturing prey.

What qualities do you think a hero should possess? Does Beowulf have those qualities?

     I think the qualities a hero should possess are bravery, willlingness to sacrifice ownself for others' benefits, strong mentally and physically. In addition, hero is always considered by others as good justice side. Beowulf has these qualities because he fights face to face to Grendel rather than hiding away, even though he doesn't have a weapon. He is willing to sacrifice his life for people in Denmark. He shows his strength by tearing off Grendel's arms. People are joyous about Grendel's death, and they view Beowulf as the greatest warrior on Eath.

Hancock Quickwrite

     Hancock, a non human being who possesses super power. Although he is a super hero, his demeanor doesn't always seem helpful to people. He often breaks into people's houses, pops open the refrigerator, and eats all the food inside because of ravenous. Moreover, he can't control his temper. When he's wretched, he just uses his super power to destroy things that block his way. As for result, everything is ruined after he left. Another reason that people couldn't stand him is that he likes to gloat about his only victory for saving an old woman by throwing the train to the sky. Desolation results into all of Hancock's uncontrolled behaviors. He doesn't have any friend or family who can encourage him while his sad or share his emotion. So, he just uses his beyond natural power as a form to unleash his feelings, but in an misused way.
  

Beowulf vocab quiz correction

l   Reparation: David gave the woman $2000 as reparation for breaking her bike.

l   Extolled: The Geats extolled Beowulf’s victory by having a feast in his honor.

l   Vehemently: The murderer’s killing is so vehemently cruel that I couldn’t believe a human actually committed the crime.

l   Infallible: The boss thinks he is infallible, and everything he said must be correct.

l   Emphasis: Our school puts an emphasis on developing diverse personalities.

l   Attribute: Beowulf showed one of his strongest attributes, bravery, by fighting against the monster face to face.

l   Concept: I am currently learning about the concept of the history of sustainable development in the Environmental Science class.

l   Diverse: Having diverse knowledge enable one to talk about many topics.

l   Reprisal: Grendel’s mother attacked Herot in reprisal for Grendel’s death.

l   Loathsome: Cannibalism is a loathsome idea that disgusts me.

Beowulf vocab quiz

l   Reparation: David gave the woman $2000 as reparation for her broken bike.

l   Extolled: The Geats extolled Beowulf’s victory by having a feast.

l   Vehemently: The murderer’s killing is vehemently cruel that I couldn’t believe he actually committed the crime.

l   Infallible: The boss thinks he is infallible, and everything he said must be correct.

l   Emphasis: Our school puts emphasis on developing diverse personalities.

l   Attribute: Beowulf showed his attribute of bravery by fighting against the monster face to face.

l   Concept: I am currently learning about the concept of sustainable development in the Environmental Science class.

l   Diverse: Having diverse knowledge enable one to talk about many topics.

l   Reprisal: Grendel’s mother attacked Herot as reprisal for Grendel’s death.

l   Reparation: David gave the woman $2000 as reparation for breaking her bike.

l   Extolled: The Geats extolled Beowulf’s victory by having a feast in his honor.

l   Vehemently: The murderer’s killing is so vehemently cruel that I couldn’t believe a human actually committed the crime.

l   Infallible: The boss thinks he is infallible, and everything he said must be correct.

l   Emphasis: Our school puts an emphasis on developing diverse personalities.

l   Attribute: Beowulf showed one of his strongest attributes, bravery, by fighting against the monster face to face.

l   Concept: I am currently learning about the concept of the history of sustainable development in the Environmental Science class.

l   Diverse: Having diverse knowledge enable one to talk about many topics.

l   Reprisal: Grendel’s mother attacked Herot in reprisal for Grendel’s death.

l   Loathsome: Cannibalism is a loathsome idea that disgusts me.

What is difference in tone between an elegy and a riggle? When do you think you'd hear one of these? Example. At a wedding?

     The tone of an elegy is sad, mourful, and lament. Elegy usually includes the concept of loss. In contrast, tone of a riddle has more fun elements than that of an elegy. I think I'd hear an elegy mostly in sad situations, such as a funeral when everyone is mourning for the person whose dead. As for riddle, which is a question or puzzle that people need to solve, might appear at a wedding because the atmosphere is happier.  When new students go to first class, the teacher might also give them riddles to solve because solving them makes people closer thus we meet new friends easier.

Injustice Quickwrite

     People act againt injustice becasue they don't agree with it and they want to establish the righteousness. I remembered the experience when I was being cut in line in the convenience store. Everybody lined up in order, but two students suddenly appeared and stood in front of me. They just cut my line publicly, with so many eyes watching them! At that time, I was really angry because I felt my right was violated and I was treated unfairly. I could never tolerate this kind of situation, so I told them to line up like others did, in a sarcastic and impolite tone. I also said some mean words because I was too furious at the moment. I think the reason that people want the wrong to be righted is fairness can be set so orders can exist in the world.

Riddle Quickwrite

     A riddle is a question or puzzle that  people need to solve and find the right answer.
Example:
    A man was swimming in the river with scuba-diving suit on originally, and he was found dead in the forest where there was fire. Why did the man die?

Beowulf paraphrase section 1~5

Section 1
  The jubilant warriors gathered at the mead hall to feast, listen to poet's clear songs, and recall beginnings of earth. The men were happy, but convivial moments wouldn't last long because down in the darkness lived a monster, Grendel. Grendel, the son of Cain, would turn the gayish place into hell. Cain was banished by God because of murdering his brother, Abel. From then on, Cain's descendants were in thousand forms of evil trying to oppose Lord's Will, but they never succeed.
Section 2
  At night, Grendel slipped in the hall and found out that the warriors slept soundly. In an instant, it grabbed thirty men and ran out with their bodies. In the morning, the other warriors and Hrothgar saw what Grendel had done. Hrothgar was melancholy mourning for the loss. The only way to escape from Grendel's claws was to sleep at beds that were far away. Although Hrothgar was the king, but Grendel was the one that ruled Herot. There was nothing Hrothgar could to stop the bloody killings done by Grendel. The council could only hope for Hell's support to lead to peace.
Section 3
  Far from where Hrothgar lived were Beowulf and the Geats, who were the greatest and strongest among all men on Earth. When Beowulf heard about Grendel's perpetual killing in Herot, he decided to sail to Hrothgar. Everyone in Beowulf's country supported him. As for result, Beowulf chose fourteen bravest men of the Geats and led them directly to Denmark to visit Hrothgar.
Section 4
  Hrothgar sent Wulfgar to welcome Beowulf and the fourteen Geats. Wulfgar said to them that they could visit the king but they had to leave their shields and spears. Beowulf told some of his men to stay and watch the weapons, and he led others to see Hrothgar. Beowulf asked Hrothgar to approve the request of killing Grendel and protecting Herot, the best mead hall of all. Beowulf proved to Hrothgar his strength by saying that he drove five great giants into chains, and he killed monsters in the ocean one by one while swimming the darkness. Beowulf told Hrothgar that if he die in the battle, no one had to mourn for him. Hrothgar just need to send Beowulf's armored garment back to Higlac, Beowulf's uncle and feudal lord.
Section 5
  Hrothgar told Beowulf that Beowulf's father had helped him to and Edgetho's killing of the Wulfings in Denmark. Beowulf's father couldn't return to where he was from because people in his country turned away from him. So, he sailed across the sea and landed at Denmark. Hrothgar sent treasures to the Wulfings to end Edgetho's quarrel, and Beowulf's father promised to keep the peace. Hrothgar said that Grendel not only caused fatal loss in soldiers, but also diminished the rank of the Danes. After Hrothgar's speech, Beowulf and the fourteen Geats were invited to drink and feast together with the Danes to celebrate victories.