The Great Gatsby - 4th Blogging

Chapter VI

           The chapter begins with how Gatsby became the Gatsby now. During reading the descriptions of Dan Cody and his relationship with Gatsby, I realized that Gatsby is really a stubborn person. Even though he was poor at first, he finally achieved his goal, which was to be a wealthy successful man. This kind of made me to question that Daisy could be another goal for him. Because he thinks he can achieve everything what he wants and did achieve, he is enthusiastic in everything. Perhaps, his love is not a true love but a jealousy that she lives with her husband happily while Gatsby has to live by himself despite his millions of dollars.

           I think Gatsby is truly a sad character He never experienced a true love; at least, he doesn’t seem to experience. Also, it was really sad that he thinks he can do whatever he wants with his money. Even though everyone wants to be a millionaire like Gatsby, no one wants to lose his or her emotions including love.

The Great Gatsby - 3rd blogging

Chapter IV, V 

The romance between Gatsby and Daisy is rekindled.  Gatsby tells Nick about his pasts and Nick gets puzzled. Gatsby tells him that he was inherited all the money and legacies from his parents and relatives. Also, he tells him that he was educated at Oxford College. Then, the conversation turns to his past romance with Daisy. When he used to be a soldier during the World War, Daisy was the prettiest girl whom everyone fell in love. Gatsby then asked Nick to arrange tea meeting with Daisy. When Daisy arrived, Gatsby got really awkward and talked to Nick privately while Daisy was still there. Nick scolded him for not being mature. When Gatsby and Daisy reunion again, their relationship got better and Nick left and let them be together.

To me, Gatsby’s personality was unbelievable. Rich people tend to boast themselves and are actually happy. However, Gatsby acted as if he were a boy. When he talked to Nick individually, leaving Daisy alone, he was just like the Wily Wonka in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Even though the two characters are rich financially, they have sad pasts and often reminisce about their memories. They show that there are something more than to look good physically.

2nd blogging - inkblotz

             I read one of the short stories by Jihyun Rhim. It was about a mom who was so obsessed with her son’s grades. It kind of reminded me of my mom and I. She always asks me what grade that I got and tries to persuade me to go to other academies to study SATs. I never can make a rebellion because the consequences are more severe. Just a few days ago, when the edline reports were updated, my mom called me right after school. When my phone bell rang, I knew that she would say something to me because I couldn’t make straight As. I think such obsession is natural for Korean moms.

             Some people call such competition makes the nation stronger. Because everyone needs to step on someone else in order to achieve one’s fame, money, or other values, some people say the competition is being ruthless and unemotional. I think Korean society is above and beyond the standard of competition. Not like Americans, Koreans put all their efforts into education to achieve success.

             Dues to the pressure that students get from their families, some even commit suicides because they couldn’t resist the obsession. I think it is really sad to be like that. Even though some pressure aid one’s academics, bombing with pressure is definitely not good. I hope the Korean society to change its values gradually so that no more students would suffer from their families academic pressures.

The Great Gatsby - 1st blogging

Chapter I, II, III

Having read the first three chapters of “the Great Gatsby,” I became somewhat interested in this novel even though it only talked about the settings and characters generally. I thought the settings were very paradoxical. Although the East Egg and the West Egg were next to each other, they had totally different characteristics; the East Egg represented noble antiquity while the West Egg represented a new rich extravagance. Not only the two Eggs but also the valley of ashes and the New York City were exactly the opposite; valley of ashes was corrupt and poor while New York City prospered and flourished financially.

           Throughout the three chapters, the descriptions of the Great Gatsby made me fascinated and confused. Why did he sponsor huge parties and watch people enjoying and invite people whom he doesn’t know. Why is he portrayed as a sublime and luxurious character that is using awkward words in speeches such as ‘old sport’? I was a little annoyed because the book didn’t tell me why. I should find out about him more later in the chapters.

Brave New World - Comments

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Brave New World - Significant Passage

* Please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. Why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.

I had hard time choosing the significant passage because everything was significant to me since they all described the differences between the new world and our world. I thought the major difference was the religion part.

“Feeling that it was time for him to do something, Bernard also jumped up and shouted: ‘I hear him; He’s coming.’ But it wasn’t true. He heard nothing and, for him, nobody was coming. Nobody-in spite of the music, in spite of the mounting excitement. But he waved his arms, he shouted with the best of them; and when the others began to jig and stamp and shuffle, he also jigged and shuffled.” (pg.84)

This was very similar to Christian worshipping services. Their god, Ford, represented Jesus of Christianity. People praised and worshipped Ford as if he created the world. When twelve people gathered there, they began their praise by having somas. Everyone consumed somas and it made them to hallucinate as if Ford was coming toward them. People danced and harmonized each other, making twelve of them as one.

From the research, I found out that Ford was a person who first invented the car and merchandised cars. (It might be wrong but…) Anyway, it showed that their first priority was the development of technologies. Also, they used After Ford as a time measurement just like After Death that we use nowadays.

This paragraph was about his feelings when he attended the solidarity service. Although everyone was praising Ford, he saw nothing. He just did not know what they saw. However, in order to harmonize with them and look normal, he had to lie to himself that he saw Ford. It was a little odd that everyone except for him were “seeing” Ford.

At first I thought people were tricking him because he did not look like an alpha man. However, I found out that they really “saw” Ford that they truly worshipped him. Then, I found out that there was something special for Bernard. Since he had questioning and curious minds from the beginning, I thought he would be the one who will change the world with his innocent thoughts.

Overall, this paragraph was significant that showed people’s priority was to invent and develop technologies as well as the fact that there was something noteworthy difference to Bernard from other people.

Image:http://www.statistics.gov.uk/focuson/religion/

Brave New World - Climax

* What is the climax of this novel? What happens? How do the events of this novel make you feel?

I think there were a few climaxes in the story that built up as one climax, which was the explosion of John’s feelings toward the brave new world. To describe the conflict throughout the story, he struggled with the society and people of the new world. At first, he was curious at them and thought they were cool with the whole new technologies. However, as time passed on, he started to feel sad toward their apathetic attitudes. Thus, he felt a strong sense of need to rebel against their laws and enlightened people to pursue real freedom.

The first climax started when John was irritated by Delta kids who were getting trainings for death. They kept asking if Linda were dead or not. John, annoyed by their indifference toward one’s death and emotionless attitudes, chided them to get out. Because the Delta kids did not do what John asked them to do, John finally stood up. When someone was distributing the somas, John took the somas and trashed them. He explained that the somas are the drugs that make you physically and mentally ill. However, Delta kids did not what he was talking about, which they got angry at him. To analyze this part of the story, this was John’s first time to actually rebel against the people. He was eager to enlighten people but he could not. This event ensured readers that he had this strong and indomitable will that he will enlighten the new world.

The second climax was when John talked to Mustapha Mond, one of the ten world controllers. They had a conversation about literatures, arts, religions, and other things that these people did not have. From the conversation, Mustapha Mond concluded that in order to pursue happiness, people have to give up them. However, John thought it was better to feel unhappy and have them. Throughout this dialogue, which was his second action, he showed his strong feelings toward literatures especially Shakespears, arts, and religions. This made him to leave the new world.

The third climax was when John whipped Lenina when she came to see him at the lighthouse. Although Lenina tried to understand him as much as she could, John’s thought, which was people living here are all emotionless, did not change. Even though he tried to refresh people, he could not endure his deep sorrow toward these apathetic people. Eventually, he hanged himself.

I thought his actions were all significant that they should be considered as climaxes that built up the solutions for the conflict. It was sort of sad for me that he committed suicide even though he tried his best.

Image:http://infinitequest.blogspot.com/2007/09/from-here-to-here-turning-toward.html