Looking through my pieces of work about 2 years ago, I stumbled on an essay which has made me smile. And I am very excited to show it to you guys!It is about 'Everlasting Friendship'. Have fun reading! :)
Generally, based on the Macmillan English Dictionary (2007, pg 504), everlasting is
defined as something that will continue to exist forever meanwhile friendship means a relationship between people who are friends or the feeling of being friends with others. So basically, everlasting friendship means a relationship between people that lasts for a lifetime. But for sure, every each of us will have our own different perception of the word ‘everlasting friendship’. As quoted by Farah Syuhana, the most relaxed person in our small circle of friends, everlasting friendship means something that is built with trust, love and care throughout the whole friendship process. Meanwhile, Bernadette, the most timid person, said that “it is when someone is willing to spend their free time for you and willing to listen to every useless thing you rant about”. It is funny to know that a single word – ‘everlasting friendship’, could be defined in million ways possible.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
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| Picture taken from Second Air Division Memorial Library |
Maya Angelou, the writer of the poem I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings has wrote the poem based on her true life story as an African-American woman that suffers in the early years of her life. It is an incredibly sad yet inspirational poem. Every word she used gives us the picture of what is going on in the past. The points which I am going to focus on are the theme of the poem, literary devices used in the poem, issues and concerns raised, and the tone and mood of the poem.
The theme of the poem I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is about racial segregation. It talks about how life is before, back in America. It talks about the great wall built between the whites and the blacks which is clearly shown with the word she used as the metaphor-“free bird” and “caged bird”. Back in America, the racial segregation between the whites and blacks started during the 1800s and early to mid 1900s. The whites were so powerful that “he names the sky his own.” In contrast, the blacks can only “stands on the grave of dreams” and “sings of freedom”. The racism and the difference between the whites and colored people can obviously be seen in this poem. In the second stanza of the poem especially, gives us a negative feeling when Angelou used the word “but” to put a line between the free bird which is the whites, and the caged bird which is the blacks.
The literary devices used in this poem are metaphor, oxymoron, anaphora and repetition. Metaphor such as “caged bird” and “free bird” are used to describe the black race and the white race. Meanwhile the word “sing” is always related to happiness but in this poem, it is used as a medium to voice out the sadness, crying for freedom, and telling the world about hoe helpless the blacks are, which created the element of oxymoron. Angelou also used anaphora in the 2nd stanza, line 4 to 6, in the 4th stanza, last two lines, and in the 5th stanza, line 2 and 3. To get better understanding of the poem, she used repetition to stress out the meaning in 2nd stanza, last 3 lines, and 3rd stanza, the first three lines.
Next, when talking about the mood and tone of this poem, they were separated into two; free bird and caged bird. The free bird carries more positive mood such as joyous, dignified, confident and powerful meanwhile the tone are joyful, audacious, proud, and fanciful. In contrast, the caged bird carries more negative mood such as tense, painful, terrifying, heartbroken, and really sad mood meanwhile the tone are afraid, poignant, bitter, pitiful and dramatic. We can hear it through the phrases used in the poem.
Lastly, by analyzing this poem, I realized that there is a big issue that the world need to be aware of which is racial segregation. To make the world a better place to live, this issue should be avoided. We can see clearly through this poem, how suffering life can be when there is a wall between the races that separate them as Eleanor Roosevelt said, “justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both”. I believe that all of us should live in this world as one, not as you and me. When the ‘one’ is separated, then it is no longer one but becoming two different parts which then leads to misunderstanding and disagreement.
*Do contact me if you need the references. By the way, remember not to plagiarize. This is for you to refer to! ^^
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
My New Baby!!
It feels great to be back home. Home sweet home, as the old saying goes! However, it's not only that. It's more to the excitement of having my new baby Skyline!!!! :)
I was really disappointed the other day for my dad refused to help me to get a car in Ipoh. But once I got back to Sandakan, or more precisely 3 days after I set my feet at my homeland, there you go - Nissan Skyline 370GT. The first in Sandakan. Hohoho full accessories. I was like, what? Seriously? Fuck you! Ahahahaha
Okay, enough talking. Let the pictures tell you all! ^^
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| Oh yeah! This is life! |
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| Do ignore the 'over-excited' expression.. -.-' |
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| La la la.... ^^ |
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| It looks great from behind! Ahahaha |
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| Getting ready for test-drive! |
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| Yahhhhoooooooo!!!! |
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| Ready or not Sandakan, here I come! Hahaha! |
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Introvert or Extrovert?
While doing a research on personalities - introvert and extrovert especially, I stumbled on the quiz which apparently 'decides' whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. Before I go on with the result, let me share with you a little about these two.
The word introvert has always been associated with negative adjectives such as passive, quiet, sensitive and so on to compare to extrovert. While all of it might be true, the word actually can be interpreted more accurately by saying that an introvert is energized by being alone. Basically, it just means the same with the characteristics stated earlier. However, by putting it into the sentence 'energized by being alone', it sounds more positive and acceptable. Don't you think so? ^^
Meanwhile extrovert, as opposed to introvert, means energized by being around other people. So you'll just have to imagine how does that person bring about herself and you can already guess her characteristics. It's that simple.
So, how about my personality? Am I introvert, or am I extrovert? One thing for sure, I am not a pervert. Or am I? Ahahaha
The answer is..... NONE OF IT or shall I say BOTH? ^^
Because it says:
You Are 50% Extrovert, 50% Introvert.
You're a bit outgoing but also a bit reserved
Like most people, you enjoy being social
But you also value the time you have alone
You have struck a good balance!
Is that a good thing? And relating that to our National Philosophy of Education, does that mean that I have already reached the level of Human Capital? Ahahahaha ^^
The word introvert has always been associated with negative adjectives such as passive, quiet, sensitive and so on to compare to extrovert. While all of it might be true, the word actually can be interpreted more accurately by saying that an introvert is energized by being alone. Basically, it just means the same with the characteristics stated earlier. However, by putting it into the sentence 'energized by being alone', it sounds more positive and acceptable. Don't you think so? ^^
Meanwhile extrovert, as opposed to introvert, means energized by being around other people. So you'll just have to imagine how does that person bring about herself and you can already guess her characteristics. It's that simple.
So, how about my personality? Am I introvert, or am I extrovert? One thing for sure, I am not a pervert. Or am I? Ahahaha
The answer is..... NONE OF IT or shall I say BOTH? ^^
Because it says:
You Are 50% Extrovert, 50% Introvert.
You're a bit outgoing but also a bit reserved
Like most people, you enjoy being social
But you also value the time you have alone
You have struck a good balance!
Is that a good thing? And relating that to our National Philosophy of Education, does that mean that I have already reached the level of Human Capital? Ahahahaha ^^
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Nicholas Sparks. Again!
Yeah, here I am again with my favorite drug - Sparks' novels. They are addictive!!!
Thanks to the coming election, the students were given free book voucher which worth RM200!! With those vouchers, I was able to getting nearer to my collection of Sparks' novel. There is one novel though - Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas Sparks which is pretty hard to find. I guess it will come to me when it's time. I bought 8 novels by him and another 2 by other authors. Don't ask me how I was able to buy 10 novels with my vouchers because I might be put behind bars if 'they' know what I did. Ahahahaha
So I spent most of my time with my drugs. I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I frowned, all expressions start to wear on me as I read those novels. As usual, his writing touched me right into my heart. ^^
Here are some reviews from me about his novels:
The Lucky One
- This novel is really fun to read. With the elements of war and mystery, it just struck me as a really sexy story. When I start to read the novel, I start to imagine the handsome, muscular, young man, that follows his heart to look for a woman whom he barely know. That causes me to feel very excited and create a wild imagination of that man. Wow! Ahahahaha the story makes me even more excited as the man is keeping a secret from the woman. It keeps me wonder, when will the woman get to know the secret? Will she be mad if she knows? What if everything turns one way around if she gets to know? The elements of suspense makes me wanting to read more. Great job, Nicholas!
The Wedding
- this novel is a follow up story of The Notebook. So I'd recommend you to read The Notebook first before you start The Wedding. But that doesn't mean that you won't understand the second novel if you didn't read the first one. It's just that if you read the first novel, there will be more feeling towards the second novel as it is related to the first one. You will understand why this person do this and why does it affect the other, or why do this person have to do this when it does not even make sense? See, it is amazing how Sparks relates all these questions together and write it all in a story. It is again an amazing job done by Sparks. When I read the story, it makes me appreciate everyone that I love in my life and make use of every seconds I have with them to tell them that I really love them for I won't know when will be the last time I'll be seeing them.. :(
A Bend in The Road
- Another romantic but really sad love story. The story is more to the love in a family rather than between a couple. A moment to pick between your family and your love one. It is not as simple as "I love you and so I'll be with you" or "I'm sorry, let's just break up. I love my family more than I do love you". No, it's not like that. It is more of " I really want to be with you but how can I when your brother killed my wife?" Wow.... I cried and cried and cried reading this novel. You see, it is not a simple decision. But making decision is never simple, is it?
Message in a Bottle
- Amazingly written by Sparks (when does he write that is never amazing?). I once too (when I was a kid of course) sent a message in a bottle. Just wondered whether it really can be a tool of communication. And it never came back. I guess it has broken into two and sank (Okay, forget about that). Somehow, the plot of the story flows so naturally that I can imagine it happen to me one day. (I'm a dreamer, you see) The romantic scenes between the characters are described so loving that I start to wonder, is there really a man out there that can love you that much? To the point where he can't even forget you even after you're dead.To the point that even when he starts dating, the only person he can think about is you. To the point that everything that happen around his world revolves around you. Amazing, huh? Guess, that just happen in a story...
At First Sight
- Okay, first of all, I made a mistake of reading this book first before I read True Believer. I just noticed that this book is a follow up of True Believer. So I've just missed the element of suspense in the story as I'd already know what happened to the couple. This novel is not as exciting as the other novel (for me) since I don't really understand what happened to the couple earlier. So I'd suggest you read True Believer before you start At First Sight. ^^
Now I'm reading True Believer and I'm looking forward to read Nights in Rodanthe and The Rescue. Too bad, next week is already exam week so I guess I'd have to wait. But it's good though since I'd have something to read on the plane back to my hometown and also when I come back here. I'll be back home in roughly 3 weeks. Exam? Not really prepared, or shall I say not prepared at all. You see, I'm still not over with the idea that exam is the lousiest event ever created by human kind so I resent it. =.="
Go Nicholas!!
Thanks to the coming election, the students were given free book voucher which worth RM200!! With those vouchers, I was able to getting nearer to my collection of Sparks' novel. There is one novel though - Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas Sparks which is pretty hard to find. I guess it will come to me when it's time. I bought 8 novels by him and another 2 by other authors. Don't ask me how I was able to buy 10 novels with my vouchers because I might be put behind bars if 'they' know what I did. Ahahahaha
So I spent most of my time with my drugs. I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I frowned, all expressions start to wear on me as I read those novels. As usual, his writing touched me right into my heart. ^^
Here are some reviews from me about his novels:
The Lucky One
- This novel is really fun to read. With the elements of war and mystery, it just struck me as a really sexy story. When I start to read the novel, I start to imagine the handsome, muscular, young man, that follows his heart to look for a woman whom he barely know. That causes me to feel very excited and create a wild imagination of that man. Wow! Ahahahaha the story makes me even more excited as the man is keeping a secret from the woman. It keeps me wonder, when will the woman get to know the secret? Will she be mad if she knows? What if everything turns one way around if she gets to know? The elements of suspense makes me wanting to read more. Great job, Nicholas!
The Wedding
- this novel is a follow up story of The Notebook. So I'd recommend you to read The Notebook first before you start The Wedding. But that doesn't mean that you won't understand the second novel if you didn't read the first one. It's just that if you read the first novel, there will be more feeling towards the second novel as it is related to the first one. You will understand why this person do this and why does it affect the other, or why do this person have to do this when it does not even make sense? See, it is amazing how Sparks relates all these questions together and write it all in a story. It is again an amazing job done by Sparks. When I read the story, it makes me appreciate everyone that I love in my life and make use of every seconds I have with them to tell them that I really love them for I won't know when will be the last time I'll be seeing them.. :(
A Bend in The Road
- Another romantic but really sad love story. The story is more to the love in a family rather than between a couple. A moment to pick between your family and your love one. It is not as simple as "I love you and so I'll be with you" or "I'm sorry, let's just break up. I love my family more than I do love you". No, it's not like that. It is more of " I really want to be with you but how can I when your brother killed my wife?" Wow.... I cried and cried and cried reading this novel. You see, it is not a simple decision. But making decision is never simple, is it?
Message in a Bottle
- Amazingly written by Sparks (when does he write that is never amazing?). I once too (when I was a kid of course) sent a message in a bottle. Just wondered whether it really can be a tool of communication. And it never came back. I guess it has broken into two and sank (Okay, forget about that). Somehow, the plot of the story flows so naturally that I can imagine it happen to me one day. (I'm a dreamer, you see) The romantic scenes between the characters are described so loving that I start to wonder, is there really a man out there that can love you that much? To the point where he can't even forget you even after you're dead.To the point that even when he starts dating, the only person he can think about is you. To the point that everything that happen around his world revolves around you. Amazing, huh? Guess, that just happen in a story...
At First Sight
- Okay, first of all, I made a mistake of reading this book first before I read True Believer. I just noticed that this book is a follow up of True Believer. So I've just missed the element of suspense in the story as I'd already know what happened to the couple. This novel is not as exciting as the other novel (for me) since I don't really understand what happened to the couple earlier. So I'd suggest you read True Believer before you start At First Sight. ^^
Now I'm reading True Believer and I'm looking forward to read Nights in Rodanthe and The Rescue. Too bad, next week is already exam week so I guess I'd have to wait. But it's good though since I'd have something to read on the plane back to my hometown and also when I come back here. I'll be back home in roughly 3 weeks. Exam? Not really prepared, or shall I say not prepared at all. You see, I'm still not over with the idea that exam is the lousiest event ever created by human kind so I resent it. =.="
Go Nicholas!!
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