Class Assignment - Quickwrite - My Special Belonging

All over the world people are being made refugees because of political or economical conflicts. Fortunately, I am not one of the people who are involved in such conflicts. However, if I was one of the refugees, I believe it would be really hard for me. First of all, I have no idea what I would take with me. If I am allowed to only take ONE thing with me, I would choose something that could last a long time, and remind me of my previous life. It would be something related to my home country. For example, I would bring my USB. If I ever got a chance, I could go on a computer and go through my files on the UBS, which would be full of photos of my friends, family, and my country. Something else that I would like to bring with me is my flute. My flute is a very important part of me. I can't live without my instrument. Finally, there is one last thing that is very special to me. Although I'm 15 now, there is something that has been with me for 9 years now; it's this little doll that means a lot to me. I don't know why, but ever since I got it, it's meant a lot to me. It represents a lot of my childhood, because when I was small, I used to hold it when I get scared. This would be very useful if I was to move to a foreign place. This is a very difficult decision, so I am very grateful I'm not put in this position. However, if I could bring a living thing, I would bring my rabbit, because she is part of my family, though bringing my rabbit will include bringing her cage, food, soccerball, and much more. I know that if I was in the position of moving away, I would have to sacrifice a lot. I think what I will miss most about my home would be my rabbit. Also, I will miss all the memories. When I moved back from Belgium, I was really afraid I would forget. I was afraid I would forget what my bedroom looked like, what the house looked like, what if felt like when you see the first snow of winter, and much, much more memories. I will miss the memories, feelings, and emotions of living in the place I grew up.

Theme for Favorite Song

Lyrics to "The One That Got Away" by Katy Perry

Summer after high school when we first met
We make out in your Mustang to Radiohead
And on my 18th Birthday
We got matching tattoos

Used to steal your parents' liquor
And climb to the roof
Talk about our future
Like we had a clue
Never planned that one day
I'd be losing you

In another life
I would be your girl
We keep all our promises
Be us against the world

In another life
I would make you stay
So I don't have to say
You were the one that got away
The one that got away

I was June and you were my Johnny Cash
Never one without the other we made a pact
Sometimes when I miss you
I put those records on

Someone said you had your tattoo removed
Saw you downtown singing the Blues
It's time to face the music
I'm no longer your muse

But in another life
I would be your girl
We keep all our promises
Be us against the world

In another life
I would make you stay
So I don't have to say
You were the one that got away
The one that got away
The o-o-o-o-o-one [x3]
The one that got away

[Bridge:]
All this money can't buy me a time machine (Nooooo)
Can't replace you with a million rings (Nooooo)
I shoulda told you what you meant to me (Woooooow)
'Cause now I pay the price

In another life
I would be your girl
We keep all our promises
Be us against the world

In another life
I would make you stay
So I don't have to say
You were the one that got away
The one that got away
The o-o-o-o-o-one [x3]

In another life
I would make you stay
So I don't have to say
You were the one that got away
The one that got away


The subjects of the song can include: relationships; regrets

Theme: The theme of the song is how when you love someone, don't let him/her go or you might live to regret it. So basically, live with no regrets. It's most clearly shown that the singer is expressing regret over letting go of the relationship in the lines: "In another life, I would make you stay, so I don't have to say you were the one that got away" and "I shoulda told you what you meant to me, 'cause now I pay the price".

The Star Spangled Banner

'The Star Spangled Banner', now known as the famous USA national anthem, was actually a poem written during the American Revolution. This poem, originally "Defence of Fort McHenry", was written by Francis Scott Key. Key wrote it during the American Revolution, during the attack of Fort McHenry at Chesapeake Bay after witnessing the attack by the British Royal Navy. The poem reflects how he still sees how the flag is still standing, after all the bombardment and the fire blowing all around it. The most famous part of the song is the first stanza, which depicts the scene of the battle. "Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light (this shows the time of the day), What so proudly we hailed by the twilights last gleaming (this is referring to the flag which the "proudle" hailed) Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming (this describes the flag, and how it was still waving through all the bombing) And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air (these were the bombs that blew up in the field, giving off "red glares) Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there (so through the "red glare", people could see the flag still waving) Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? (this last line of the first stanza describes how the flag waves, as a symbol of freedom and bravery). This song is now a popular song of patriotism in the USA.

Class Assignment - Quickwrite - Duty or Friendship?

It is a difficult choice to choose between duty and friendship. Many movies have plots which depict conflicts that arouse when the character has to choose between either his friend, family, or lover, and his duty. Most of the plots go similarily, with them first obeying duties, then realizing how friends, families, and lovers are more important. In my opinion, I think it depends on the severity of either sides of the situation. In normal circumstances, I think a way to do it is to work out a compromise in which both wins and loses a little at the same time. However, I think the terms of betraying friends and betraying duties are slightly vague. When you betray your friends, it is directly affecting others, however, if you betray your duties, it could be betraying yourself, or betraying colleagues (which could also be friends), or even both. In this case, I think that deciding which is worse depends on the number of people affected (including yourself) and also the repruccusions of the betrayal. It could be either one. Ofcourse, you must also take in consideration the importance of a 'duty'. If it is an important job, like a US Coast Guard or an important official concerning a country's security, the wellbeing of the greater population most be taken into consideration. However, when in the midst of deciding which to care more about, I think it is nessecary to weigh out the options, and be prepared to take consequences.

Class Assignment - Quickwrite - Under Pressure

Pressure has both a positive and a negative side. The positive side is that it sparks something inside a being that makes it work at amazing speed or efficiency, etc. However, pressure can often cause people to break down, too. Especially in animals, many times small animals, extreme pressure can cause them to ahve a heart attack. But it could also make them run faster when facing life or death conditions such as being chased by a predator. For human beings, people cope with pressure in different ways. People take pressure in different ways. Ones who are more accustomed to pressure are often less worried and more organized, and has the ability to stay calm when under pressure. People like these are often adults, and children who have been through tough situations who learn to take the pressure. But for a lot of kids and lazy people, pressure can often be too much for them. Babies cry when they are under pressure from either too much noise or confusement. Lazy people just simply try to run away from pressure. These are the different ways people 'cope' and deal with pressure. For me personally, I can deal with quite a lot of pressure. I think this is from my habit of procrastinating. Everyday, I procrastinate, then when I realize I don't have a lot of time left, I am able to close off all forms of distractions and focus completely at my task at hand. Through years of this, I have perfected the art of doing homework under pressure and dealing with it. Furthermore, since I was young, my mom put me on stage for piano recitals or competions, so I have learned to deal with the pressure of an audience. But for some reason, I'm only not afraid when holding an instrument, etc, as opposed to if I'm just giving a speech to a lot of people. When one is under pressure, there is often a reason, for example, from time, etc. The fear of either running out of time or being punished can urge people to work better. However, it is not good to leave everything until you're under pressure, then rush through it all.

Class Assignment - Quickwrite - Vengeance

Vengeance is the seeking of revenge. I think what causes vengeance is normally when someone does something that insults you or gets you mad. Then you try to revenge in everyway possible to get the person into as much, or more, pain that you yourself had suffered through. However, vengeance can often lead to obsession, and eventual tragedy. People will often realize that after revenge is successfully carried out, what he/she had lost would not come back, and that inflicting pain on other people does not make them feel any better. I think this is part of the 'tragic' that comes with vengeance. A lot of times, when people are obssessed with revenging, they forget the real stuff around them, often neglecting the people around, and forgetting the more important things. Also, at times, while revenging, you hurt yourself more than your hurt the person you hate. Hate is also not a good thing to fill yourself with. For example, in the famous literary novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexandre Dumas, Dantes sets to revenge, and ends up hurting more than he intended. Also, in the Shakespearan play 'Romeo and Juliet', the two feuding families, the Montagues and Capulets, plan revenges on eachother all the time, eventually leading to the death of their son and daughter. In Sherlock Holmes adventures, a lot of the criminals are killing for revenge, but their results are usually getting captured by Sherlock. I think vengeance is not a good motivation ( and excuse) for commiting crimes.

Class Assignment - Quickwrite - The grass is always greener on the other side

The grass is always greener on the other side. This saying refers to the way human beings think. Human beings are greedy by nature. They want the best, and when they do get it, they want more. So the saying is about how even if your grass is greener than green, you'll still think that the grass 'on the other side' is greener. This saying refers to the common emotion: envy. Envy is something we all feel, no matter how calm and nice we are on the outside. The most common form of envy is when someone gets a better test grade, or runs faster than you. When I feel envious, I feel a little anger, at both myself and at the person/thing. And then I wish and wish that the person actually made a mistake and that there's something wrong and that I am actually better. Envy is not a good feeling to have. No matter how much people say they are not jealous or envy, it is impossible for them to feel nothing. It is good at times to feel envious, but only when it is for a positive purpose, like if the envy encourages you to work harder. However, if the envy causes you to have negative thoughts and actions, then that is not good. I think envy could be used in a good way. Instead of just complaining all day, you could use the envy to fuel your energy in working harder. But sometimes, it would be good to feel just content with your current circumstances.

Class Assignment - Quickwrite - Hopes and Dreams

Everyone has their own hopes and dreams. For me, it is the same. When I was younger, I wanted nothing more than a dog. But because I live in an apartment, I couldn't have one, or else it might be loud for the neighbors. Also, my brother and I are allergic to fur, so it wouldn't be a smart idea to get a dog. So in order to compensate for not having a dog, we got fish and turtles. Then finally, when we went to Europe, my mom relented and got us a rabbit. Now, I'd rather keep my rabbit than get a dog. However, not all hopes and dreams end this way. When things don't go our way, we often get disappointed, and try more to reach our goals. But I think sometimes, we  just have to accept the reality and move on. And sometimes, these disappointments in hopes and dreams teach us important lessons, such as to let go and move on. Obviously, some loss and disappointments are harder to get over, for example, death of a family member. But like mentioned previously, these experiences teach us a lot.

Class Assignment - Quickwrite - When the going gets tough, the tough gets going

The saying "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going" means that when a situation gets bad, the person in the dilemma becomes tough, and 'gets going' meaning takes action. I think when a person is stuck in a difficult situation, they feel the urge to jump out of it, so they start to 'think outside the box' and do things they wouldn't expect. That's how some people have the strength to face problems, through experience with difficult times. A teacher once pointed out to me, if you compare someone in a place, say Ghana, and someone from the USA, they would probably be really different on their attitudes while facing hard times. In Ghana, infant mortality rates are higher, and more mothers lose their children, whereas someone in the USA have less chance of losing a child. So when a mother in Ghana loses her child, she is more likely to get back up again and face the situation, because she knows she has other things to deal with, like poverty. But when someone in the USA loses a child, it is more likely the person would sink into deep depression, etc. So I think another thing that counts for courage to face difficult situations is the place and condition the person was born in.
But I think sometimes, the person is driven by some kind of subconcious motivation, like a mother instinct to protect a child. The hard condition threatens and pushes out an inner character out from the person.

Class Assignment - Quickwrite - Friendship

I think friendships come in different forms. Some of them may be right next to eachother, some might only meet once in a while, but I think the hardest friendships to maintain are the long-distance ones. Its hard to keep in touch with eachother, but I think this was made easy when social networks such as Facebook is invented. For me, when I left Taiwan for Belgium, it was much easier for me to connect with my friends, then I would by emails and letters. And now that I'm back in Taiwan, it is a little easier to chat with my friends in Belgium and catch-up, though sometimes you feel a little lost looking at some of their statuses.
I think friendships that last for years are the strongest ones. Because then you would have shared a lot of experiences together and understand eachother a lot. Also, I think friendships that have gone through difficulties and challenges tend to be stronger, because it is not a friendship if you haven't been through fights. But ofcourse, unless the fight was really bad. For example, when I was in Belgium, I had a really bad fight with a friend. We used to be really close, but now it is like there is a fence between us, and we can't talk to eachother like we used to anymore.

"The Most Dangerous Game" - Constructed Response - Plot

Plot of "The Most Dangerous Game":

On a yacht going towards the Carribean, Rainsford, a hunter, discusses about a sinister island, 'Ship-Trap Island', with his friend. As they approach it, Rainsford hears 3 gunshots, and listening to it, lost his balance and fell off the yacht. He arrives on the island and encounters Ivan and General Zaroff in their château. Zaroff tells Rainsford about his hunting days and confesses that hunting animals has become a bore to him. He then tells him that he has invented a new kind of 'game'. Rainsford was appalled when he learns that Zaroff hunts humans, because it is more 'challenging'. Zaroff tells Rainsford his way of 'catching' his game from boats, where he puts a fake signal for a channel, when it is actually shallow water with sharp rocks. When Rainsford attempts to make leave, Zaroff then includes Rainsford as his next 'game'. Rainsford is given a  3-hour headstart into the jungle, where he criss-crosses his routes in an attempt to confuse the general. He then hid in a tree, waiting for the general to arrive. The general manages to find him, but kept the game going. The next time, Rainsford set up a 'Malay Man Catcher' in hope that he could injure Zaroff, but Zaroff got off with only an abrasion on his shoulder. The next day, Rainsford sets a tiger pit, which kills one of Zaroff's hunt dogs, but didn't actually harm Zaroff, who left promising Rainsford that he would be meeting the entire dog pack soon. So in preperation, Rainsford sets a native trap involving a knife, which kills Ivan, but once again, didn't harm Zaroff. So in order to escape Zaroff and his hounds, Rainsford jumps off the cliff into the ocean. The story then jumps to Zaroff arriving home, assuming Rainsford has died. But just as Zaroff enters his bedroom, he meets Rainsford, who has swam back to the château, and was waiting for him. They engage in a fight, and the story ends with Rainsford winning the 'game'.

Class Assignment - Quickwrite - Villains

I think out of all stories, villains are very important. They are what bring the story to a climax. One of my favorite villains is Edward Hyde, the villain inside the book 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'. I think he is an exceptional villain, because technically, he is the protagonist at the same time. Hyde represents all the evil and wild side of Jekyll. Also, I like the way the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, shows that Hyde is smaller than Jekyll because the evil side in humans are smaller than the good side. Another reason I like the villain is because the antagonist defeats the protagonist. Hyde, in the end, 'kills' Jekyll, because Jekyll could not control his wild side anymore. Although Hyde is a horrendous monster, I think there is a part of 'Hyde' in every one of us. There is a wild side of everyone that wants to break free. And eventually, if we are not careful, we could turn into a 'Hyde'. Because in the end, no matter how much "potion" we take, we will not be able to overcome it, because by then it will be too late.