My ideal life style is to work in a successful and reputable corporation and to attend sport games. Specifically, I dream about working on the East coast and going to a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park. In elementary I would read on-line biographies about successful business managers in Boston or New York and wonder how to follow their steps. The more I read, the more I realized credentials are important. The more I realized credentials are important, the more I focused only on results—such as getting high marks and winning awards. After all, these biographies never told me how these managers enrolled into top universites. They just told me that they excelled and later became millionaires before turning 30 years old. Unbeknownst to myself, reading the biographies has convinced me that I need to become a successful businessman. As a result, I have developed a fear—the fear of losing and of failing.
This fear of losing and failing started when marks became a part of my life; they play an important part in college admission. If dragged down by low marks, I have no way of getting into my desired university on the East Coast. As a result, I won’t be able to live and enjoy my desired life. To rid myself of the horror, I read more biographies. The more success stories I read, the more I ensure myself that I, too, can be one of them. However, I am wrong.
Although mentally secure, I have adjusted my own actions to only aim at the outcome. I don’t care about how I got an ‘A’; I just care about getting an ‘A’,, as long as I don’t lose. As a keen baseball fan, I have come to realize that winning or losing depends on the number of runs a team scores, but not the number of base hits a team smacks. In using that model, everything I have done is for the result. Bleakly put, it can be considered a means to an end. Doing school work effectively is to get high marks for university application. Playing piano is an extra-curricular activity for university application. Attending university leads a well-paying job. Ultimately, getting a well-paying job is to become rich for the relaxing life style of watching baseball games.
I have imagined such a beautiful life to lead, but I am not certain if I can lead it. I panic; I cringe; I fear. To rid myself of the horror, I rush through all my work and pretend everything is fine. I forget the process, and only care about the result. One example was in English 8. While interpreting quotes from The Diary of Anne Frank, I wanted to prove to the entire class that I was the smartest by writing the fastest. I hastily wrote down a few but meaningless sentences and handed it in, wishing to find out my mark faster by distinctly handing it in first. Everyone got it back at the same time though. The only distinction was my mark—the lowest in the class.
In conclusion, I have developed a fear of losing. I constantly need to hurry, to compete, and to succeed. In the midst of all this, I have allowed my narrow thoughts, purely focused on the results, to spread like a malignant tumour. And like a malignant tumour, I don’t know how to cure it. How I fear this fear...
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Holden Holding On
In The Catcher In the Rye by J.D Salinger, the main character Holden Caulfield is, at first, unsure about his surroundings and his future. This is perhaps the result of curiosity or attempt to gain comfort as a teenager in a materialistic world. For example, he asks many strangers where ducks in Central Park go in the winter when the ice is frozen. Also, he hesitates when thinking about his future after getting expelled from Pencey Prep School. The author, to highlight the character’s uncertainty, uses verbal irony and demonstrates a general indecisiveness of a teenager’s transformation into adulthood through the main character. On the other hand, though, Salinger uses symbolism towards the end of the novel to signal Caulfield’s change in character.
To begin, Salinger provides an example of faulty logic in Caulfield’s conversation with his History teacher Mr. Spencer: "One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies" (p. 13). This excuse, if examined, backfires on Caulfield later on. Although he hates others for being “phonies”, Caulfield himself is a phony as well (p. 13). For example, he tells his friend’s mother that his name is Rudolph Schmidt, when the next sentence reads “Rudolph Schmidt was the name of the janitor of our dorm” (p. 55). The irony lies in that Caulfield is unknowingly criticizing himself, even though he is often very proud of himself. In fact, he arrogantly blames headmasters or students for his expulsion, but never himself. This quote not only shows that Caulfield is a phony, but also highlights a sense of instability and aimless wandering—how his comment earlier in the novel does not match with the later ones. The lack of logic relates to Caulfield’s confusion about his future: he first considers the possibility of going to a ranch in Colorado but then deciding to stay after his sister’s persuasion. The author utilizes Caulfield’s verbal irony to imply that teenagers as a whole are often lost in their entrance into society. Teens don’t know their goals and plans for the future, much like Caulfield not knowing his remark’s ability to backfire on him.
In addition to verbal irony, J.D Salinger further suggests teenagers’ confusion about entering the real world through vague references and the voice of an authoritative figure. On one night, Caulfield visits his old English teacher, Mr. Antolini, for advice on to succeed in school. The teacher warns “[some people] were looking for something they thought their own environment couldn’t supply them with. So they gave up looking. They gave it up before they ever really even got started” (p. 187). The fact that the words ‘they’ and ‘something’, like characters in “Hills like White Elephants”, are never specified shows Salinger’s desire to comment on teenager as an entirety or leave interpretations up to the readers (p. 187). One possible interpretation of ‘something’ is safety (p. 187). In the 1950’s, the decade when this novel was published, World War II had finished a few years earlier. Parents were searching for jobs after the war so they often ignored their children. Children as a result thought safety couldn’t be provided at home so they joined gangs for a sense of belonging, as evident in “The Destructors”. Unfortunately, activities in gangs affected and destroyed the communities. Vandalizing, stealing, doing drugs are some examples of destructive behaviour. In relation to the 50’s social trend, Mr. Antolini’s warning of a “special kind of fall—a horrible kind” evidently refers to the fall into criminal activities (p. 187). Through the teacher, the author suggests that, if Caulfield does not change, he too will end down that path, having dropped out of school after all.
While often affiliating Caulfield with the ‘teeanger’s group’, Salinger at times using symbolism separates him from that classification. This is best exemplified when Caulfield describes his future goal: “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff...I’d just be the catcher in the rye...I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be” (p. 173). The cliff represents ‘the special kind of fall’ that Mr. Antolini mentions (p. 187). Meanwhile, the rye symbolizes a type of protection. If someone falls over the cliff and left unattended, he/she would break many bones and most likely die. However, landing on a stack of rye, he/she wouldn’t be injured, much less dead. Caulfield would then be a hero and a maturing man by saving these people. In other words, Caulfield is separated from the teenage group because he is certain of his future. The symbolism serves as Caulfield’s transition from a phony boy into an altruistic man and author’s way to indicate Caulfield’s round and dynamic characteristics.
In conclusion, the three quotes above not only show Caulfield as a phony but also as an adult. More specifically, the quotes support Salinger’s message that Caulfield, as a teenager uncertain about his future, develops into an altruistic adult hovering over other teens, protecting them as they fall onto a stack of rye. Thus, he becomes the ‘catcher in the rye’.
To begin, Salinger provides an example of faulty logic in Caulfield’s conversation with his History teacher Mr. Spencer: "One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies" (p. 13). This excuse, if examined, backfires on Caulfield later on. Although he hates others for being “phonies”, Caulfield himself is a phony as well (p. 13). For example, he tells his friend’s mother that his name is Rudolph Schmidt, when the next sentence reads “Rudolph Schmidt was the name of the janitor of our dorm” (p. 55). The irony lies in that Caulfield is unknowingly criticizing himself, even though he is often very proud of himself. In fact, he arrogantly blames headmasters or students for his expulsion, but never himself. This quote not only shows that Caulfield is a phony, but also highlights a sense of instability and aimless wandering—how his comment earlier in the novel does not match with the later ones. The lack of logic relates to Caulfield’s confusion about his future: he first considers the possibility of going to a ranch in Colorado but then deciding to stay after his sister’s persuasion. The author utilizes Caulfield’s verbal irony to imply that teenagers as a whole are often lost in their entrance into society. Teens don’t know their goals and plans for the future, much like Caulfield not knowing his remark’s ability to backfire on him.
In addition to verbal irony, J.D Salinger further suggests teenagers’ confusion about entering the real world through vague references and the voice of an authoritative figure. On one night, Caulfield visits his old English teacher, Mr. Antolini, for advice on to succeed in school. The teacher warns “[some people] were looking for something they thought their own environment couldn’t supply them with. So they gave up looking. They gave it up before they ever really even got started” (p. 187). The fact that the words ‘they’ and ‘something’, like characters in “Hills like White Elephants”, are never specified shows Salinger’s desire to comment on teenager as an entirety or leave interpretations up to the readers (p. 187). One possible interpretation of ‘something’ is safety (p. 187). In the 1950’s, the decade when this novel was published, World War II had finished a few years earlier. Parents were searching for jobs after the war so they often ignored their children. Children as a result thought safety couldn’t be provided at home so they joined gangs for a sense of belonging, as evident in “The Destructors”. Unfortunately, activities in gangs affected and destroyed the communities. Vandalizing, stealing, doing drugs are some examples of destructive behaviour. In relation to the 50’s social trend, Mr. Antolini’s warning of a “special kind of fall—a horrible kind” evidently refers to the fall into criminal activities (p. 187). Through the teacher, the author suggests that, if Caulfield does not change, he too will end down that path, having dropped out of school after all.
While often affiliating Caulfield with the ‘teeanger’s group’, Salinger at times using symbolism separates him from that classification. This is best exemplified when Caulfield describes his future goal: “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff...I’d just be the catcher in the rye...I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be” (p. 173). The cliff represents ‘the special kind of fall’ that Mr. Antolini mentions (p. 187). Meanwhile, the rye symbolizes a type of protection. If someone falls over the cliff and left unattended, he/she would break many bones and most likely die. However, landing on a stack of rye, he/she wouldn’t be injured, much less dead. Caulfield would then be a hero and a maturing man by saving these people. In other words, Caulfield is separated from the teenage group because he is certain of his future. The symbolism serves as Caulfield’s transition from a phony boy into an altruistic man and author’s way to indicate Caulfield’s round and dynamic characteristics.
In conclusion, the three quotes above not only show Caulfield as a phony but also as an adult. More specifically, the quotes support Salinger’s message that Caulfield, as a teenager uncertain about his future, develops into an altruistic adult hovering over other teens, protecting them as they fall onto a stack of rye. Thus, he becomes the ‘catcher in the rye’.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
T3XT15M = :)
Like technology, our English language is constantly evolving: more texts and e-mails include slangs or abbreviations. From ‘hahaha’ to ‘lol’, from ‘wait a moment’ to ‘brb’, responses in English have gotten shorter and shorter. Some people view this change as a disgrace to the language. I believe, however, abbreviations in the right context serve for faster communication and understanding. After all, language is ‘communication of meaning in any way’ (dictionary.reference.com). This shortened form of ‘communication’ should be treated as a special characteristic of the 21st century, not as a degradation of the language.
Abbreviations are the epitome of our fast-paced era. All aspects of life nowadays are designed to increase productivity. From Little Caesar’s ‘hot-n-ready’ pizza to Apple’s iPhone, products stress speed. Every second counts. In relation to capitalism, consumers aim for these time-reducing tools to spend less time waiting and more time working. Likewise, abbreviations have become a faster mean of communication by diminishing the necessary letters. It’s faster to read 'tmr' than 'tomorrow'.
In addition to faster communication, abbreviations provide an alternative form of expression for some people. Nobody is the same. Not everyone can write in complete sentences or impeccable grammar. Perhaps these people write better with numbers and logos. As a result, communicating in abbreviations is easier for them. To write in abbreviations is a choice. We shouldn’t degrade others based on how they write, nor deem their writing ‘colloquial’. Embrace it like a new fashion. In twenty or thirty year’s time, at least we will be noted for our attempt to simplify our modern-day language.
As our History of English booklet says, language change ‘is inevitable, a sign of healthy growth, not decay’ (p. 92). The transition from our current writing to a simpler one is perhaps a result of technological advances. As computers become faster, so does our writing. Humans are constantly on-the-go. Fading and redundant, conventional writing is now being replaced by faster and more effective abbreviations. Consider such a change an evolution, or natural selection, of our modern-day needs. If not, at least don't deem abbreviations 'colloquial'. Regardless of the method, formal and informal languages are just two distinct ways to get the same message across. After all, cavemen developed languages simply to communicate with each other, not to determine which way is better.
Abbreviations are the epitome of our fast-paced era. All aspects of life nowadays are designed to increase productivity. From Little Caesar’s ‘hot-n-ready’ pizza to Apple’s iPhone, products stress speed. Every second counts. In relation to capitalism, consumers aim for these time-reducing tools to spend less time waiting and more time working. Likewise, abbreviations have become a faster mean of communication by diminishing the necessary letters. It’s faster to read 'tmr' than 'tomorrow'.
In addition to faster communication, abbreviations provide an alternative form of expression for some people. Nobody is the same. Not everyone can write in complete sentences or impeccable grammar. Perhaps these people write better with numbers and logos. As a result, communicating in abbreviations is easier for them. To write in abbreviations is a choice. We shouldn’t degrade others based on how they write, nor deem their writing ‘colloquial’. Embrace it like a new fashion. In twenty or thirty year’s time, at least we will be noted for our attempt to simplify our modern-day language.
As our History of English booklet says, language change ‘is inevitable, a sign of healthy growth, not decay’ (p. 92). The transition from our current writing to a simpler one is perhaps a result of technological advances. As computers become faster, so does our writing. Humans are constantly on-the-go. Fading and redundant, conventional writing is now being replaced by faster and more effective abbreviations. Consider such a change an evolution, or natural selection, of our modern-day needs. If not, at least don't deem abbreviations 'colloquial'. Regardless of the method, formal and informal languages are just two distinct ways to get the same message across. After all, cavemen developed languages simply to communicate with each other, not to determine which way is better.
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