Lesson 3: Analyzing & Composing poem

1) I feel that this poem shows that the author had a very eventful primary school life.
The author used "Free verse" in his poem as only by doing can he experiment with the shapes and sounds of the poem and truly express his inner feelings.

The second last stanza, there is an important quote about the author; "Pushing a wheelchair". This could mean the author either had an accident and broke his leg or suffered from a disease like polio. However, since his classmates "are smiling", I can assume that they do not mistreat or ostracize him because of that. Hence, I feel that the poet may have a happy memory of his primary school days.

The poet seems to enjoys school, judging that he does not defame his teachers or complain

The Son is in Secondary School by Affran Sa'at

My badge has a Latin motto
Hope for the future
The future is hope -->
Or something The author reveals that he does not understand the significance of his badge. He seems unsure of whether the motto is
"Hope for the future" or "The future is hope". This could also symbolize that the author hopes for a better future in secondary school.

At times black crows try to interrupt
When we sing the National Anthem

It is difficult to maintain
The whiteness of my shoes
Especially on Wednesdays --> Author may have Physical Education and soil his shoes

I must admit there is something quite special --> I feel the author is rather childish as About the bare thighs of hardworking scouts he admires and may even be jealous of the scouts not for helping others but for their muscular thighs. The Malay chauffeurs
Who wait for my schoolmates --> The author may come from a poor family unlike his Sit on the car park kerb classmates and cannot afford a chauffeur
Telling jokes to one another

Seven to the power of five is unreasonable

On Chinese New Year
Mrs Lee dressed up --> The author may feel that this is amusing as a Chinese teacher In a sarong kebaya dresses up as a Malay on Chinese New Year and sings Bengawan Solo
And sang Bengawan Solo

The capital of Singapore is Singapore --> This is elementary.

My best friend did a heroic thing once
Shaded all A's --> I feel this shows how childish the author and his friends were For his Chinese Language during primary school as they regard shading "all A's" Multiple-choice paper as"heroic".

In our annual yearbook
There is a photograph of me

Pushing a wheelchair and smiling
They caught me
At the exact moment

When my eyes were actually closed

2) I share the sentiments with the author about primary school. Though I undoubtedly had more homework and tests to worry about than the author, I too had an happy memories of primary school.

School

I still recall primary school,
when life was fun and never blue.

All day long we played in the sun,
leaving our homework undone.

The teachers were great and witty,
Tests and exams never a-plenty.

But then, in Primary 6, came hell,
when I had to bid them farewell.

Now I pine for primary school,
Primary school oh how I miss you!

IT Emergency Lesson 2:Favourite poet

My favorite poet is an American known as Robert Frost(March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963). I find him interesting and intriguing. I admire him very much, not just for what he achieved, but what he overcame to achieve it.

Robert Frost has an iron will and does not give up easily. His personal life was plagued with grief and loss, his father having died of tuberculosis in 1885 when Frost was 11, leaving the family with just $8. Frost's mother died of cancer in 1900. Out of his 6 children, 4 of them died before he. However, in spite of his tragic losses and setbacks, Robert Frost continued to write outstanding poems and proses, eventually becoming America's most celebrated poet of his time. Hence, I admire him for having the courage to pick himself up each time he fell and never throwing in the towel.

Robert Frost writes deep and insightful poems. For example, one of his most famous poems, The Road Not Taken, tells of how the speaker came upon two yellow roads diverging in the forest and how he took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference. This poem actually symbolizes how the small decisions one makes now can affect your future life greatly. Hence, I feel that his poems are meaningful.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Nothing gold can stay
Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold
Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_Not_Taken_(poem)

IT Emergency Lesson 1: Figurative Language

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost (1874–1963)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Hyperbole:

Robert Frost exaggerates his grief by stating "I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence".

Personification:

The poem suggests that the road "wanted wear". This is impossible as roads are inanimate and cannot yearn for anything. Only people can. Thus, Robert Frost personifies the road by giving it this human trait.

Symbolism:

Robert Frost uses symbolism to show how the speaker’s choice impacts his life.In the beginning, Frost says that “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” . He links a decision to two diverging roads. Travelers who face two diverging roads represent the people who have to make a decision in life.

The last two lines of the poem “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference” tells us that the road the speaker chose has made a large impact on his life. This symbolizes that taking the less desirable or uncommon decision in life can make a huge difference.

I couldn't find any metaphors or similes in this poem. Sorry.

I liked this poem as it encourages me to go for the "road less traveled" in life, meaning taking the harder but more rewarding journey instead of a comfortable and meaningless one. For example, instead of simply going on to university and becoming an ordinary office worker, I could follow my dream to be an artist and opt for an overseas art course. This would be far more meaningful to me as I would have achieved my ambition in life and would have no regrets when I pass on.

Book Review- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

11 June 2009

A Different Childhood

Book Read: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Yes, I feel that this book has made me think different of my lifestyle. When I compare my lifestyle with that of Tom Sawyer's, I feel that I lead a very boring and unadventurous life. In this novel, the characters always seem to be full of exciting ideas and schemes for adventures. I envy them for living such a care-free life. They play truant, run away from home, explore caves and go fishing as and when they like. As for me, I have to study almost everyday and if I ever tried to escape school, I would be slapped with a suspension and grounded forever in addition to being severely punished. Instead of going fishing or cave-exploring, I would normally just hang out at the mall, watch a movie or go to a restaurant. Thus, I could only hope to enjoy such a happy-go-lucky life as Tom Sawyer's.

This story originated from the South on the Mississippi River, in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, a state in America. America and Singapore are different in many aspects.

Besides the obvious difference in size and population between the two countries, America is a powerful country. The US Army is unanimously recognized as the most powerful army in the world and it's one of the few countries with nuclear arms. On the other hand, Singapore's arm forces are very weak compared to America. To compensate for this, Singapore has to implement mandatory National Service, where young men of 18 years old are drafted into the army, navy and air force. Furthermore, Singapore has established good bilateral relationships between neighboring countries and superpowers like Britain and America. Thus, it can enjoy the protection and defense provided by them in the event of war.

However, Singaporeans are generally more prosperous than Americans. According to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita (person), the US ranks 6th while Singapore ranks 4th. This could be as Singapore progresses as a whole because of its small population and the income gap isn't as great as in the US, where the poor become poorer and the rich become richer.

I would change the part where Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer and Joe Parker agreed to wait till their "funeral" to reveal that they are still indeed alive. By doing so, not only does it cause unnecessary worry to their loved ones and friends, it is also rather too dramatic for my liking. If they had simply come back earlier or even not run away to Jackson's Island at all, all the anxiety could have been avoided. They could have sorted the family matters that were troubling them instead of running away from them and none of these would have happened.

I think the most exciting part of the story was when Tom and Becky Thatcher were trapped in the cave.

It seemed like they were going to be trapped in the cave forever and "starve to death of hunger" . They had eaten "their last piece of cake" and "hunger and fatigue set in". Furthermore, "Becky's legs refused to carry her another inch" and their candle "finally flickered and went out". Thus, things were looking very depressing for them as they had no food and were tired. Hence, it was the most exciting part of the story.

They managed to find their way out of the cave in the nick of time. Tom had followed three passages "to the fullest stretch of of the kite string" and was about to turn back when he "glimpsed a far-off speck" of daylight. Becky was "going to die" at that time from hunger, thus, it was very fortunate that Tom had found an exit then. Thus, its was really exciting.

Tom saw his deadly enemy, Injun Joe in the cave. He had previously told the court in a murder case that the latter had been the real murderer of Dr. Robinson and not Muff Porter. Thus, Injun Joe "bore a grudge " against him and swore to take revenge on him. Tom had even called out to him accidentally in the cave and was "paralyzed with fear when he recognized Injun Joe". Hence, it was extremely exciting as Tom was stuck with Injun Joe inside the cave and was at his mercy .

Book Review- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

10 June 2009

A Different World

Book Read:Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

When I compare my childhood with Harry's, I feel that I lead a very dull and uninteresting life. In this novel, the characters always seem to be involved in sticky situations but always manage to triumph in the end. For example, when Ron, Hermione and Harry had to solve seemingly impossible puzzles to get to the Philosopher's stone and Voldemort, though they met with some initial difficulty, they eventually managed to unravel them and subsequently defeat the latter. As for me, I hardly have any adventures at all, the closest I ever got to it being the time I got lost in a mall when I was 6.

I learned that Good always triumphs over Evil in the end. In this novel, Harry Potter joins forces with his two new-found best friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, to defeat the evil force, Lord Voldemort, from stealing the Philosopher's Stone to resurrect himself. Harry and his friends find themselves in numerous life-threatening situations, like stuck in the toilet with a raging troll or forced to play chess where the loser loses more than just a game. However, they ultimately overcome these obstacles, even managing to defeat Lord Voldemort himself in the end. Thus, I can infer that no matter how powerful and mighty the dark side may seem, the good side will always emerge victorious.

Comparison of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort

Harry Potter and Voldemort are different in many ways.

Harry Potter is famous and revered by many in the wizard world, even by his own schoolmates in Hogwarts. The students "gawped at him" and "broke out in hushed whispers" when they saw him. Furthermore, the customers of the Leaky Cauldron thought "what an honor" it was to meet him and "always wanted to shake" his hand. They all know who he is and are in awe of him.

On the other hand, Lord Voldemort is feared and hated by all in the wizard world except his followers, the Death Eaters. He is infamous as he had attempted "taking over" the wizard world and killed those "who stood up to him" "in cold blood". Hence, the wizards and witches were extremely afraid of him and detested him for his massacre of innocent people.

Harry Potter is selfless and willing to sacrifice himself for others. When he knew that someone was going to steal the Philosopher's Stone and that he had to risk his life to pass through the several obstacles to it, he "did not hesitate". When he knew that he had to face Snape or even "You-know-who" again, he bravely chose to go on instead of Hermione. This shows that he cares much for his friends and dares to put himself in dangers for their sake.

Voldemort is selfish and only cares about himself. Though faithful Professor Quirrell helps him in his quest to resurrect his body, he "left Quirrell to die" in the end. Furthermore, Voldemort did not even flinch when Quirrell was "howling in agony" and "hunched in pain", even "screeching at him". He shows "just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies." Thus, I can tell that Voldemort does not even think of the well-being of his devotees but only of himself.


However, Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort share similarities too.

Harry Potter is an great wizard. He was the only one who "had survived" an attack by Lord Voldemort. All others had "perished by his hand". As such, they even refer to him as "The Boy Who Lived". In addition, he managed to defeat Voldemort and Professor Quirell in the end, even though they were powerful wizards and outnumbered him. Only a really good wizard could have done so.

Voldemort is also a strong wizard. He managed to kill all “who stood up to him”, including Harry’s parents, Lily and James Potter. He was “taking over” the wizard world and caused “terrible things to happen”. Hence, though he was no doubt an evil wizard, he was undeniably an able one.

Excerpt from Ronald Weasly’s Point Of View

Going to be my first day at Hogwarts. I’m so nervous I’m perspiring as I stand, waiting at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. “Ron, you’ve got something on your nose.” Darn it. I quickly jerk out of the way but Mom grabs me and rubs my nose. “Mum-geroff.” I wriggle free of her grasp. “Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?” teased Fred. “Shut up,” I mutter, red-faced. Percy soon arrives and Fred and George make fun of him. Mum kisses us goodbye fondly as Fred cracks yet another snide remark about me.
I overheard George saying that the boy we had met earlier was Harry Potter and he had the legendary lightning scar. Ginny begged to catch a glimpse of him but Mom forbade her and warned the twins not to question him. I waved one last time at Mom and boarded the train.
Unfortunately, almost all the compartments all already full. Luckily, I managed to find an empty seat… next to Harry Potter himself! I can barely conceal my excitement and sneak a glance at him. The twins arrive all of a sudden, inviting us to have a look at Lee Jordan’s giant tarantula and introduce me to Harry before leaving. As the door slides shut, I blurt out “Are you really Harry Potter?” Harry nods his head. I gesture towards his forehead and he sweeps his fringe aside to reveal a hidden lightning-shaped scar. I eagerly question him about it for a while and stare at him in wonder before I realize what I’m doing. Embarrassed, I quickly turn towards the window.
Harry asks me a few more questions about my family and I divulge how I pressured I feel, with all 5 of my brothers excelling in Hogwarts. I accidentally let slip how poor my family was and didn’t dare to continue the conversation. Surprisingly, Harry reveals how he too had to wear old clothes and never received proper presents either.

I think the ending is the most interesting part of the book.

The ending was the climax of the story. All the events that happened served the purpose of building up to the ending. The attempt to steal the Philosopher's Stone at Gringotts, the troll at Halloween,the accidental discovery of Fluffy, the three-headed dog guarding the Philosopher's Stone, the dead, bloodless unicorn at the Forbidden Forest all pointed towards someone trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone. Thus, it is the most interesting part of the story.

There was an array of seemingly impossible dangerous obstacles Harry, Ron and Hermione had to face at the end. They had to get pass Fluffy, the Devil's Snare, the deadly game of Wizard chess and many others to get to the thief. They managed to do so using their wits and courage, even sacrificing his/her own life. Thus, with all the action, suspense and fighting, it was no doubt the most dramatic and interesting part of the story.