Blog 10

The Graveyard Book
In our life, people are buried in the graveyard after death. The graveyard is a quite place that no one likes to pass it at night. Especially since someone talks about the graveyard, we get scaring imaginative pictures in our mind. However, there is one peculiar graveyard which comes from The Graveyard Book that is not scaring people. It is not only talking about the death, but also talking about the beginning of love and hope.
Neil Richard Gaiman was born 10 November 1960 in England. He is an English author of science fiction, fantasy short stories, novels, graphic novels, comics, audio theatre, and films. Many of his works got awards, such as the Hugo, Newberry, Bram Stoker, and Nebula awards. Coraline is one of the most popular works by Neil Gaiman. In early 198os, his first professional short story was published in Imagine Magazine. At that time, he was 23. Later on, he continued to write some comics and graphic novels. His writing style is always not very complex, his setting and the stories are told very natural that it just likes fairy tale. (Wikipedia.org). “The Graveyard Book” is also one of Gaiman’s famous books.
Gainman’s “The Graveyard Book” talks about a normal boy, whose is called Nobody Owens ‘Bod’. Bod is adopted by the ghosts who are in the graveyard. Bod’s relatives were killed by a man name is Jack, when he was one year old. Therefore, the cemetery becomes Bod’s new home, school and playgrounds. Gradually, he has learned beautiful hand writing because he has been copying the words is from tombstone; he is good at history because he has a lot of ‘ghost friends’ who teach him the different time period of history. Bod also learns some supernatural skills, such as Faded, Sliding and Dreamwalkinig. He is happy to live with the ghosts. However, the thing which Bod feels happiest about that he has a ‘living’ friend—Scarlett. They have fun together and Scarlett tells Bod what is happening in the outside world. At sometime, Bod meets a witch named Liza Hempstock. Bod knows that she doesn’t have a tombstone, and in order to find a tombstone, Bod decides to leave the graveyard. Unfortunately, he is found by man Jack when he is trying to buy a tombstone. Later, Bod doesn’t know that man Jack followed him to the graveyard. Bod realizes that it’s dangerous to leave the cemetery without any protections. At the end of the story, Bod uses all skills which he has learned in the cemetery to prevail against man Jack. One of the man Jack is taken by the Indigo Man who lives in the graveyard hole. In the end, Bod leaves the graveyard where he has lived fifteen years. In short, this is an inspirational story which talks about love, courage and growth from the graveyard.
The child psychology is a main point in this book. The little boy is growing up in the graveyard, and he is raised by ghosts. His behavior is different from other kids at the beginning of story. A famous psychologist William James says that an infant is as “beautiful flowers, haste and confusion of the period when they are coming to this world." William James is born January 11, 1842 and died in August 26, 1910 in the New York City. His books are influence on the young science of psychology, educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and the philosophy of pragmatism. Therefore, he usually thought as a father of psychology that he is a “founder of psychology’s first two great ‘school’” (webspace.ship.edu). Indeed, most parents do not fully understand the ability of infants in their early years. In many parents’ minds, newborn babies are very incompetent in their skills and they are silly and naive. Most parents talk about education of newborns after their children can walk. In this book, Bod is not the same as normal children. His ‘relatives’ treat him as a big boy. When he was one year old, he lived in the graveyard which is cold and dark, and he ate food that was put in the crypt from Silas. There was no carousel and toys that he could play with. In real life, the kids who are one or two years old would have a lot of different toys to play with. And their parents would bring them to the amusement park. It should be fun in that period of time. But Bod only has ghost parents to stay with him. Normally, kids would go to kindergarten to learn more knowledge outside home when they are five years old. They start to make friends and learn how to communicate with each other. Children, who are ‘five-year-olds are cheerful, energetic, and enthusiastic. They enjoy planning, and spend a great deal of time discussing who will do what. They especially enjoy dramatic play, usually with other children. Five-year-olds are more sensitive to the needs and feelings of others around them. It is less difficult for them to wait for a turn or to share toys and material. "Best friends" become very important.’ (NNCC.ORG). However, when Bod was five year old, he started to be educated in supernatural skill-Faded, writing and reading skills by the ghosts. His guardian asked him to practice those skills during the day time, and he went to read all gravestones. The happiest thing for Bod was that he met his first human friend Scarlett and he brought her to venture in the graveyard. He loved venture everywhere. Also, he liked to share with Scarlett what he had learned and saw in the graveyard. Bod was easy to get to angry and upset even though he thought his ghost family of members didn’t like him. For example, after Scarlett and Silas went to another place, Bod was sad and he thought to leave the graveyard. However, he didn’t get agreement from his ‘parent’. And he didn’t know why he couldn’t get a promise to go out. At that time, Bod’s attitude already showed that his mental age was around eleven or twelve year old child. There were some different ways to indicate that Bod was an abnormal boy.
Comparing Bod and Scarlett, Bod was a brave boy. He never yielded to fear or problems. For instance, when Bod and Scarlett went to the hole, there was an Indigo Man who talked to them, he had a horrible voice that it made Scarlett scared. At that moment, Scarlett said “did you hear that?” and Bod answered, “nothing horrible is going to happen”, he asked back to the Indigo Man that “you can’t touch us,” and “all you can do is scare.” (Chapter 2) Those sentences showed an outstanding courage in a five years old child. It was impossible for a normal child, when they met some fearful thing to act braves, they would be scared, just liked Scarlett. She lived in a happy family with her father and mother. Also she went to school to study with her classmates. She was smart but coward. From Bod and Scarlett’s personality, it made a bright contrast about the normal and abnormal children. From the part of child psychology, it tells us that the environment may indeed change the personality of people. They can’t change the environment but themselves. It needs time to change.
In conclusion, either human being or ghosts are fully unselfish love in
the world, they would provide a good condition for kids. In this story, it contains an extraordinary power of love, so that it exudes a dark cemetery with a colorful road of glory moving, but it also deeply hidden in the heart of the gentle and the courage to show the unlimited life.


Works Cited

Gaiman, Neil
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Gaiman>
Smith, William


M.S. Oesterreich, Lesia “Ages & Stages- Five Year Olds.” NNCC.ORG Level 2 -Iowa State University Extension: February 1995. Print - 296 pages
<http://www.nncc.org/Child.Dev/ages.stages.5y.html>
Gaiman, Neil “The Graveyard Book” 1st Edition, United State of America: Sept 30. 2008. Chapter 2

Blog 9

100 years ago, a famous psychologist William James of the United States says that infant is a “beautiful flowers, haste and confusion of the period." Indeed, in the past, we do not fully understand exactly how infants ability in the past. In the minds of most people, newborn and infant is very incompetent that they are stupid and naive and laughable. Most parents believe that for newborns and infants can walk before we talk about on their education. In the beginning of period, their main task is to growth and development and speak.

In The Graveyard Book, I will focus on child psychology.
1) Comparison the child psychology between normal children and Bod.
2) What are basic characteristics of psychological development from 0-2 years old, 3-6 years old, Young-adult?

Blog 8

Feminism is a major source of female experience, and motivation of social theory and political movement. In addition to criticism of social relations, many proponents of feminism also focus on the analysis of gender inequality and promoting women's rights, interests and issues. Such as Mrs. Owner and Lady on the Grey (chapter 1&2)

Child psychology is one of many branches of psychology and is part of most frequently studied specialty areas. Child psychology focuses on children’s mind and behavior from prenatal development through adolescence. This particular branch deals not only with how children grow physically, but with their mental, emotional and social development.
From this part, I can analyze how Bod could survive in a graveyard when he grew up.

Q3 Blog 7

In Act2 Scene2, from the conversation between Hermia and Lysander in the wood, I understand that the stereotypical characteristic of relationship between men and women was conservatism. Lysander wanted to push against the so-called restriction of their sex. When Lysander and Hermia slept, Lysander tried to persuade Hermia to have sex with him before they got married. However, Hermia was stereotypical person who thought have sex after get married. She said, 'but, gentle, friend, for love and courtesy lie further off, in human modesty; such separation as may well be said becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid, so far be distant.' Even she loves Lysander deeply; she still thinks they should sleep together after marriage.

Poem Blog#6

A Fairy Song

Over hill, over dale,

Thorough bush, thorough brier,

Over park, over pale,

Thorough flood, thorough fire;

I do wander everywhere

Swifter than the moon's sphere;

And I serve the Fairy Queen,

To dew her orbs upon the green.

The cowslips tall her pensioners be;

In their gold coats spots you see -

Those be rubies, fairy favours,

In those freckles live their savours.

I must go seek some dewdrops here,

And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.

This poem is from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night's Dream Act 2 Scene I. Puck meets a Fairy and asks her 'how now, spirt; whither wander you? 'And this is the poem which the Fairy replies. I think this reply is a wonderful description of the powers that a Fairy has. It brings me a magical picture to know how the Fairy flies and works. It emphasizes the magical dream-like of quality of the play. This poem is quite full of rhymes. There are fourteen lines and one stanza. Hill, dale, bush, pale, flood and fire are symbolisms in this poem. I can use different tone to read this poem. If I use trippingly rhythm to read, it feels like the Fairy is happy to do her job. If I read it as a lower tone, I feel like the Fairy is tired to her job and complaint to do everything. Like Dr. Smith said that we could play different voices to read any poem. I found it very useful when I read this poem, gave me a different thinking of this poem.

Helena Blog 5

Questions of our group are 1) Talk about Helena and her situation. 2) Identify key words and phrases that bring out her character. 3) What’s your impression of Helena?

There is a dance of the lovers map which is showed in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (p10) that Helena loves Demetrius who love Hermia. And Helena and Hermia are best friends. In our group, three of us have different views about lines 180-207. There are three emotions which are her angry, jealousy and envy that Helens shows in her speeches. In line 181, ‘call you me fair? That ‘fair’ again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair!’ Helena is angry because she is pretty as Hermia, but Demetrius doesn’t love her. Also Hermia is in relationship with Lysander, she doesn’t love Demetrius. So that Helena and Demetrius are unrequited love in their situation. Helena says ‘sickness is catching. O, were favour so, your would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go;’ （p15. line 186-187)Helena is jealous Hermia so much because Hermia’s beauty can attract people who love her. She wants to be Hermia’s beauty that let Demetrius loves her. From the conversation ‘my ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye, my tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody. Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated.’(p15. line 188-190) Helena envies Hermia who has pretty eyes and sweet tongue that Helena doesn’t have. She wants herself to be the most beautiful girl, she can make the one who she loves love her. After my analysis, I think Helena is a girl who dares to love and hate. She shows off all her emotions to other people.

Brownie Blog #4

This was the first time that Dr.Smith taught us how to analyze a poem. It is still strange for me to understand a poem. The first challenge is language, from the poem I cannot clear to know what the ‘Brownie’ means. In dictionary, there are several means for it, such as a elf, a cookie and a junior division of the girl. However, I thought this poem was talking a story of a elf who wants to protect a kid. And the elf tried to play a game of hide-and-seek with the kid to make him/her happy. I saw a happily poetics from this poem. It also showed a child’s simplicity from the word ‘quite certain’, ‘quickly’. Be honest, I couldn't understand this poem. I will do my best to improve my reading skill and writting skill.

Something gonna happen blog3.2

In chapter 4 of Literary Theory, I understand the meaning in literature that Culler explains what mean stand for. Literature is a part of art language that many people can use it in different ways. Therefore, there is different understanding in meaning. In here, Culler list 3 proportions or level of meaning: word, utterance and text. For example, the poem from Langston Hughes,

Dreams
Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

When I read this poem, it really opened my eyes to know about how people really see themselves. Langston Hughes use words to inspire us to never give up on our dreams and to always dream big any time. Also don’t despise small beginnings when we start to make our dreams come true. ‘Broken-winded bird’ as oppose to our cruel reality, even many people have their wonderful dreams, they cannot hold it for a long time just because some of us can’t overcome the real life. However, Langston constantly reminds people to retrieve their dreams. ‘Frozen with snow’ helps people to deep thinking about themselves, no matter how frozen is it now, when there is a dream, there is a hope and the hope is the only thing which left to us in a bad time.

Essay #2 topic blog3.1

From three weeks, we study about what literature is. From my understanding, literature is not for entertainment, it is the language of art. It brings some artistic value for people to read and discussion. We discussed about different symbolisms, religions and cultures about literture during class. For the essay NO.2, my topic is ‘Literature’, simple word.

Love Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adubrj3yya8"
"What I’m doing is loaning Rick my arms and legs so he can be out there competing like everybody else. There is nothing in the world that the both of us can’t conquer together." - Dick Hoyt

This is a touching, inspiring and caring story.
Together, we can make anything come true.

I think almost everybody have watched this video before. How many people haven’t been touched by this father and son. Every times, I cry when I watch this video. This is a real story that has happened around us. The son, Rick was born in 1962 with a cerebral palsy and as a spastic quadriplegic that he is a non-speaking person. Even thought Rick has these disabilities, he still has an incredible life because his mind and spirit have been become stronger. He never thinks about to abandoned himself to despair on his life. Rick’s parents also never think about to give up him, especially his father- Dick Hoyt. For more than 20 years, Rick has been towed, pushed or carried by his father in many athletic challenges including Marathon. In my mind, Rick is an angel even though he doesn’t have wings. After he was born, he is a focal point that let his family members put more attention on him. They are together to share the love and caring. As I know, Angels who have a superior intelligence and great strength are pure spirit of the body. They exist around people who need help to give out love, wisdom and guide. There is always a smile with Rick, and in his eyes, he always keep his eyes open. It seems like he is looking for the helpless people. In the video, it showed that ‘Dick is the body; Rick is the heart.’ That’s truth. How many people will deep thinking about this story?

The Slakeless Culture

My name is Shuhong Chen and I have a used name which was Shujun Ling. Why my name was totally changed? Because of my parents divorced when I was two years old. Then, my mother and I have the same family name. The reason my parents divorced was I was not a boy. In my father’s family, they want a boy in every generation. It was called son-preference.
Son-preference is a deep-rooted tradition in China. Until today, I don’t think this situation will be changed in the long run. It will be upgraded in China. The society more values sons in China. This belief is prevalent not only in the rural areas of China, but also in the labor markets nowadays. As I know, the peasants always cherish sons because they believe that sons are about to support them when they are in their old age. Consequently, men will have their wives deliver babies until they get a boy. This is what I have experienced when I knew I was abandoned by my father.
The fact in China is that young people fall in love with each other and they go to work in the coastal cities as migrant workers. Therefore, if woman gets birth a boy by chance, then they would like to go back to their native place and register in the local authorities. After that, they would hold a wedding ceremony and the woman would deliver the second baby. Otherwise, they will stay where they work until a boy is born.Even thought Equal Rights between Men and Women law comes out, things do not go smoothly in such situation as we have expected. In fact, girls find themselves in a hard situation when they are looking for the jobs. For instance, in school area, most of the employers prefer boys to girls because the male teachers can make the class under control. The employers explain that the kids are tall and strong, and too naught to subject them to discipline. The female teachers do not work, except the male ones. This is just for one area to realize, how about others? Therefore, ‘son preference’ is and will be the favorite of Chinese society. The Chinese government should take actions to remedy the situation. Otherwise, things are going worse.

New

New semester, New professor, New classmates, New start!!