Charissx's Blog

Helloooo and welcome to my English Class Blog. This is basically where we upload all our essays and writing projects up. =] read and leave a comment please!!

The Bored Poem

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             Lying on my bed, boredness overwhelms

Rain is pouring, shattering at my window panes.

This four walls is suffocating, what a mental pain!

Like a tiger cub locked in a cage, my soul longing for the freedom to run,

To splash in puddles

Oh show your shining face oh magnificent sun!

Bring joy to the world and laughter to the playground please!

Anything, just let this boredom cease!

(sigh) There must be something I can do

Dear sun, please don’t play peek – a – boo!

Boredness is a pain, a serious disease that drains

It eats you from the inside, it’s like a termite!

There must be something I could do!

I braided my dog’s hair, pretended to be a unicorn, and played with sock puppets,

Isn’t there more to life?

I awarded myself a Nobel Peace Award, and raked the carpet,

For what more can I strife?

I plunk myself in the middle of my room,

Counted my toes again and again, surprisingly they always add up the same!

There must be something I could do,

Oh I am so bored,

Tried to play some board games,

But apparently single playing is considered foul.

I can’t memorize pi like some do

Though I do admit it’s pretty cool

Oh I am so bored, boredom fills my dreary soul

There must be something else to do.

(A moment of insight)

I know! I shall write a poem!

(and this is how my poem started)

Definition Poem: Basically memories and your personal definition of the word you choose; and yes, you do have to repeat the word at every line. =]

Dreaming

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Dreaming is stepping into a realm of fantasy, a sanctuary from painful reality.

Dreaming is lingering in a timeless dimension, where endless ticking fades.

Dreaming is the sweet surrender of life, the magic of miracles.

Dreaming is a wish upon a shooting star,  the childlike faith of believing.

Dreaming is trusting in a promise so true, memories lasting forever.

Dreaming is chasing butterflies, mesmerized by the indescribable beauty of creation.

Dreaming is catching snowflakes, and blowing dandelions to dance with the wind.

Dreaming is lying in green meadows and adorning my hair with pretty daffodils.

Dreaming is the fall of autumn leaves, and the whiff of spring blossoms.

Dreaming is leaving footprints in the sands of time, the walk of life.

Dreaming is a fading life, from where we shall one day awake into an eternity of reality.

1.            In the beginning, Montag did not care nor believe much about books. Since he was born, burn was all he thought whenever he saw a book. Then, Clarisse told him about a past when people were not afraid. Only then did Montag realize that he was actually only portraying a mask of happiness; he felt as though something was missing. From then on, he began to doubt the society’s beliefs. Especially after seeing the woman willing to sacrifice her life for her precious books, he searched desperately to find a greater meaning of life, something he could value and cherish. He believed the books were real; they contained truth, unlike the parlor walls his wife always talked to. He had a deep curiosity of the power of knowledge that was hidden in the books. He believed that somewhere hidden in these mysterious books lay the key answer to his problems. I believe that each book tells an interesting story, to help us gain knowledge, and maybe see a different perspective of the world through someone else’s eyes. It could possibly be about a fantasy world where the author can express his or her feelings, dreams, and thoughts all on paper. It’s where characters are formed, where the plots and excitement of the action grabs you into the pages, and where your imagination takes you to a faraway place.

2.            I choose the character Montag. The internal conflict he faced was with himself. He fought with himself, debating the best thing to do. Should he choose the easier path, follow the rules, and continue doing what he knew was wrong? Or, should he rebel against society, fight for the revival of books, become a fugitive, and risk losing everything, including his life? The external conflict he had was with Beatty and Mildred. Beatty is Montag’s chief fireman, whose character is very complex. He has a wide knowledge of literature, and seems to have read a wide range of books before, and loved reading in his past; but he now seems full of hatred for books. He uses his knowledge of books to manipulate Montag throughout the book. In his conversations with Montag, there is sarcasm, irony, and so on. For example, Beatty already discovered Montag’s secret of hiding books; he still acted dumb and kept taunting the unsuspecting Montag. Montag faced hatred yet the burden of loyalty toward Beatty. In the end, overwhelmed with frustration and hopelessness, Montag killed Beatty. He faced another external conflict with Mildred. Even with her around, he feels lonely. She is becoming distant from him, unreadable, cold. She seems empty inside, like a shell of a human. She betrays his secret of hidden books to the fire station. He feels bad because it doesn’t seem like there is any love remaining between their relationship. Even if she died, he wouldn’t miss her.

3.            I choose the character Beatty. I think Burn Burn by Lostprophets would apply to his life. As you can probably tell from the title of the song, this song is about burning. It really suits his character, since he enjoyed burning everything that caused a problem. Until one day he himself became a problem to Montag.
These are a few lines from the song:     “Burn, burn the station
                                                                                We’ll burn it down
                                                                                Burn, burn the truth…”

4.            If I had no other choice, I would save “The Secret Garden”. It is a classic novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I would choose it because it is one of my ultimate favorites books. This book is about a spoiled and sickly orphan girl, and a wealthy, dying boy that transforms into a happy, healthy and loving children after they discover a beautiful garden with a secret. The author, Burnett, was very interested in New Thought and Christian Science. The idea of magic as a life force, representing our Christian God, is found throughout the book. This book is very interesting. It tells us that being cooped up all day in a room encouraged negative, empty thoughts and sickly bodies. When the children realized the beautiful nature outside beyond those walls, they appreciated and understood a deeper meaning to life. It also relates in a way to the novel Farenheit 451. This points to the society in the novel, where Mildred is an obvious example; she stays all day with her “walls”, and doesn’t care about the outside world. Whereas Clarisse, and later Montag, found the true meaning of life through nature.

The Sin Eater

                The character that I chose to analyze from the book “The Last Sin Eater” is, in fact, the Sin eater himself.  I think he is a very interesting character that helped me understand in an intensely personal way the blind, helpless ways of mankind. The character of the sin eater explains to the readers that there is only one way to total redemption of sin, which is through Jesus Christ.

                Sim Gillivray, who could be considered as one of the protagonists of the book, is the sin eater. Throughout most of the book SIm was only referred to as “the sin eater”. The people dare not touch nor look into his eyes for fear of his accumulated sin passing over to them. They feared him so much that even mentioning him brought curse to their homes. His name was only revealed to the readers toward the end of the book. Sim was chosen by lottery draws to become the sin eater of the valley, who would eat away the sins of the deceased so that they may rest in peace. He lived high on top the Dead Man’s Mountain in a small cave, and only came down when the passing bell rang for him to eat the sins of the dead. He wore a black leather hood to cover his face, and he made sure not to touch anyone for fear of passing his sins to them.

                Sim was a dynamic character that changed during the course of the story. The sin eater had lived in grief and utmost sorrow for the past 20 years. He regarded himself as the living sacrifice, to take the sins of mankind upon himself before the Judgement day. He thought that if he was cast into hell carrying all the sins of the people, his hope was that the rest would be able to go into heaven. He yearned with all his heart for the truth, the word of God. However, when he soon realized the truth, he found it to be not what he expected. He had fought so hard thinking that he was doing the right thing; but he soon realized he was going the wrong way. After all these years, he had not been saving a single soul. None but Jesus Christ was worthy enough to take on the sins of his people and die for us. The sin eater was unknowingly only Satan’s manipulative device to stand in the way of God’s plan. All work had already been done on the cross of Christ.

              Sim Gillivray was broken inside. His burden was too much to bear. He finally accepted Jesus as his Lord and saviour. It was a joyous moment of total redemption and freedom. He withdrew his leather hood and behind that mask, stood nothing more than an ordinary man. He confessed his sins and asked for forgiveness. For the first time in 20 years, he came back to the people of the valley. He could touch, feel, see, and marry the woman (Bletsung) that he loved.

                Should both genders be treated equally, or are women of lower authority? In the traditional Chinese culture, women are treated as worthless slaves and objects for sexual pleasure. However, God made all men and women equal. There are two reasons for my statement above, there is a moral value of treating women fairly; secondly, women are humans who have rights and feelings.

                The first idea, treating women well is a moral value that should not be violated. In China, women face many hardships and limitations, such as foot-binding, slavery, deprivation of education, and unfair rights. Although it is not a written rule, especially in China to treat women well, but it is an unspoken rule in our hearts that tell us, women should be treated with love and respect. Men should treat women as their equals, not because it’s a rule or part of their culture, but because it is the right thing to do.

                The next idea is that women are human beings with feelings, and they should be given the rights they deserve. Women face their oppressions with dignity and hope, going through each day with strength and faith; they obey and take care of their husbands, dreaming and hoping that their husbands might one day love them in return. It has become tradition for men to treat women as a lower position; they aren’t necessarily cruel men, but people behaving as their typical society mandates. Men should not just follow tradition to treat women unfairly; they should take time to consider women as equal beings.

                Now that we have examined the oppression of women in traditional Chinese culture, we should know that it is wrong to treat women unequally. Try to encourage fair rights for women, and think of them as equal beings yearning for love and respect. Take another step to consider their feelings, and listen to their thoughts. Women should be treated equally, as partners and companions of men, not people of lower authority and status.

Local schools against Private schools

                          In this essay, I’m going to be comparing and contrasting two different school systems in Malaysia – local government schools and private international schools, namely Penang Chinese Girl’s High School and Dalat International School.

                          All schools have basically the same motto, to spread education to the emerging generation. They want their students to excel in their careers, and possibly become future leaders in the world, hopefully bringing honor to the name of the school that provided their education. All schools want to provide a healthy learning environment for students to develop their full academic potential.

                         However, although the goals of different schools are somewhat similar, different schools have different emphases and ways of education. A local government school that I’m going to use as an example is Penang Chinese Girls’ High School.  The stated school emphasizes on discipline. Their well-known emphasis on discipline is their strict limitations on neat, short hair, and trimmed nails. Jewelry, electronics, hair accessories, snacks, story books, stickers… etc. are forbidden in the school campus. The rules are so strict that they cause many students to hate and secretly rebel against their authority. The school population is about 5000 students, making it hard to keep everyone under full control without strict rules.  Furthermore, a lot of the teachers in the school treat teaching as merely a job, not out of love for their students. The teachers have no time for individual questions, so every class is like a non-stop lecture with no feedback from the students. The school does, however, provide excellent academic education and discipline for their students.

                      Transferring to Dalat felt like stepping into a whole new world, with experiences I never expected after studying in a local school for more than 8 years. There are much fewer disciplinary rules compared to a local school, and much more freedom. Dalat emphasizes character building, trust, and tardiness. Although the school population is very small, it provides a close community, a one big happy family. Furthermore, the teachers in this school seem to care about your existence, and love teaching you, not just regarding you as their “job”. The teachers try their best to communicate with their students, making each class as fun as possible. They actually care about each individual, and try their best to develop each student’s best potential. Moreover, being in an International school provides exposure to other cultures and different people around the globe. Dalat provides a fun and healthy environment to build a student’s character and academic education, and also uses every opportunity to help student’s grow spiritually.

                    Both schools provide good education and prepare students for a bright future in moral and academics. However, as noted above, there are a few differences that make each school unique.

Sweet Memories

                It was raining outside, shattering relentlessly on my window panes. I snuggled into my thick, warm sheets, pulling them tightly around me. I rather enjoyed rainy nights, the rain seemed to drown out my thoughts, leaving a peaceful calm feeling, no pressure of time nor space. A loud rumbling growl of thunder bellowed, making me jump. Unconsciously, my fingers reached out for my blanky, my faithful companion for the past few years, my source of comfort throughout stormy days. I buried my nose into the silky blue quilt; the familiar smell somehow brought a nostalgic feeling to my soul. Blanky always reminded me of grandma. Memories locked deep in my heart that I tried ever so hard to forget flooded my mind once again; I hurriedly blinked away the tears that was brimming on the edge of my lashes…

                I remember the days, when grandmother was still around. She wasn’t the typical stereotype grandmother who sits in old, wooden rocking chairs, knitting endlessly to pass their old days. My grandmother was special. Short, black-grey curls bounced around her wrinkled sun burnt face. Dark mischievous eyes twinkled from under bushy eyebrows. My grandmother was really energetic. She was always running around, cracking jokes, and bringing me out for picnics. I spent a lot of time with grandma, when my parents went for vacations. I enjoyed my days with grandma though.

                Grandma lived alone somewhere in the country. It was a small house surrounded with a big meadow and green pastures. I loved my Grandma’s little secret garden. It was a beautiful garden, surrounded by a great wall of tall trees, bringing mysterious, peaceful feelings. Sometimes we would just sit on the back porch swing; I would lie my head on her knee, and she would stroke my head as she told me a story. At nights, Grandma would bring me out to watch the stars. She promised that she would always be there for me, just as the stars were. For my fifth birthday, my grandma decided to sew a blanket for me. It was made of traditional Chinese silk. It was old fashioned and not very pretty, but I loved it very much, regarding it as my most prized possession.

                The sweet memories, however, did not last long.  Grandma contracted a deadly disease, and passed away one Spring day. When I got the news, I was devastated. It was impossible to think of a woman so strong, now left without a trace of life in her body. For months I would not speak to a soul about the sweet memories once shared. The memories were forever locked under key inside the depths of my heart…

                The rain had cleared, and stars that were hidden by dark clouds a few moments ago were once again seen twinkling in the sky. I pressed my face to the window and whispered, “You are always there for me, even when I cannot see you.” I held the blanky tight to my heart, my last memory of grandma shall always be treasured. I learnt from this painful experience to cherish each moment of life, because time is precious. I shall not cry because its over, but I shall smile because it happened.

Literary Analysis on “The Chronicles of Narnia”

                In the bestselling book “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, author C.S. Lewis presents to his readers a whole new aspect of the Christian religion, animating the traditional story of Jesus to life. The lion, Aslan, is an allegorical representation of Jesus Christ by C.S. Lewis.

                 In the book “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” C.S. Lewis alters the figure of Christ to a more understandable level for young readers while still maintaining the essential characteristics of Jesus. He portrays Jesus with a magical, talking lion, called Aslan. Somewhere around the first few chapters of the book, when the main characters, four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, heard the name “Aslan” for the very first time, they instantly experience compelling feelings that they can neither comprehend nor describe. It is mentioned in the book, “At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside”. Each of them experienced a different, unique sensation reflecting their individual personalities, stating the belief that faith is an immensely personal matter. C.S. Lewis uses the form of a magnificent, magical lion to portray someone to fear and awe, yet someone to trust and love. He alters a child’s stereotypes of a lion from a scary, ferocious animal to a gentle, courageous lion. In the same way, he wants also to change our everyday  stereotypes of Jesus, so that we may get to know Jesus on a more personal, real, tangible level. 

                In the book, before the arrival of Aslan, Narnia was taken over by the White Witch. The country was covered in snow, and the eternal winter destroyed Narnia’s original beauty and life. When the coming of Aslan approached, Christmas was finally celebrated in the country, signifying the birth of Christ. “Christmas indicates man’s hope for new life.” The breaking of spring that followed Christmas was absolutely beautiful. Everything came to life, the woods, the flowers, trees, birds and so on, and new life burst into Narnia.

                The most essential comparison of Jesus is the death and resurrection of Aslan. Edmund betrayed his family, thus he was handed over to the evil White Witch, which shows a similarity to the Christian religion, saying that “any sinner’s life is forfeit to Satan after death without the intervention of God.” An example is shown in the quote by the White Witch “You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to kill…. And so that human creature is mine.” Edmund was only allowed to live if a sinless being willingly sacrificed its life for him. In the book, Aslan’s great love for Narnia is evident when he willingly sacrificed his own sinless life to save the “traitor” Edmund; such like Christ was crucified on the cross of calvary to free mankind from the dark grasps of sin. However, there was a deeper Magic unknown to all. When Aslan obeyed the “Emperor over the sea” (a parallel to God), and submitted himself willingly to the Witch, he is resurrected, and is able to lead Narnia from the evil rule of the White Witch into freedom. Aslan’s main purpose and goal in life was to obey and fulfill the will of his ‘Emperor Beyond the Sea”, and to humbly serve others, hereby drawing a similarity to Jesus.

                C.S.Lewis uses talking animals, fantasy, and an exciting, dynamic background to draw the attention of  young readers. He tells the old, familiar story of Christ through Aslan the Lion in an animated, magical, whole new setting to encourage us to view Christianity from a different perspective.

                Telunas beach was one place I’ll never forget. If there was such a thing as a paradise on earth, it would be here. The sand was a soft, pale golden brown, sinking beneath the weight of my feet. A weird, squeaky sound from the sand accompanied each step I took. I turned back and looked at the trail of footprints I had left behind.

                 The sea was sparkling blue, shimmering rays of sunlight.  The waves crashed in on the shore, a roaring sound echoing around the beach. White capped waves rushed towards me, and then were unwillingly dragged back to the big wide ocean. The sun, sinking into the horizon, streaked colors of red, orange, and purple onto that dark blue canvas. The salty ocean scent floated in the wind. I walked down the beach, there was a campfire. The fire was burning brightly. Magnificent flames grabbed for the sky. I sat down in the circle of strangers, a warm feeling tingling in me. I shut my eyes and activated my other senses. A melodious voice, perfect in pitch, was singing to the accompaniment of an acoustic guitar. Happy chattering was heard and stories were told around that massive heap of burning sticks.

                    I slowly walked away from the crowd.  In the distance, the chattering slowly faded away. I was alone, now surrounded in the shadows of darkness. I sat down on the soft sand, and wiggled my toes. Every little while, a little wave would gather courage and creep up to my toes, give a little splash, and run back to hide. There was no disturbances, no interferences. My thoughts were clear and my feelings were calm. In the stillness of the night, I reflected on the person I was and what I grew to be. I wondered about my purpose in life, my values, and everything I’ve ever worked for.

                      The trees form silhouettes against the darkness, and gave a shadowy presence around me. The sky seemed to be endless, forever going on.  Surrounded by such big things made me realize how small I actually was. To think that the amazing creator of all these actually loved me and knew me by name. The lyrics of the song ‘who am I’ by casting crowns crept into the back of my mind.  “Who am I… that the Lord of all the earth, would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt…”

                       The moon, not covered by clouds, was a round glowing ball. It gave me a sense of security,  that it will always be there for me. Through joy and pain, even when I’m not looking for it or if I don’t see it, it will always be there.  I found it to be like my dreams. Dreams seemed so close that I felt like if I reached up, it would soon be in the palms of my hand, and yet so far that no matter how hard I tried to grasp it, I couldn’t. Then again, I was living in a dream. Life itself is actually a dream in itself that we will one day wake up from into an eternity of reality. The cheeky little stars, twinkling away in the black sky, seemed to be teasing my childish dreams and imaginations. The cool breeze brushed against my cheeks, leaving a soft tingling feel. I felt awed by the magnificent beauty of nature that surrounded me. I was amazed that it was all designed and created by a single creator.

                         I ran my fingers into the sand, watching them slip from my fingers; it felt like my time was running out. A longing surging deep within me felt compelled to stay there forever, a place so close to my dreams, my hideout from the daily pressures of life. I smiled, satisfied, a feeling I did not have in a long time. The emptiness that once engulfed me was now filled with an overflowing spring of joy. The time no longer felt like it was fleeting away, it seems the pressure of the ticking of time did not apply to this miraculous place. I knew that in a little while, I would have to go back to my world of busy, rushing people, with a schedule filled with endless tasks to complete.  I sighed and closed my eyes, a smile on the corners of my lips. For this moment, this was my happy place.