Journal entry #42 Sui Sin Far

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
March 14, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

“It won’t harm the boy to stay where he is, and your wife may get over it all right.” “Well, I will need at least five hundred to start with”…“You not one hundred man good; you just common white man”…”what about four?”

Summary:

This is the conversation among James Clancy, Lae Choo, and Hom Hing

Response:

When I was reading this part, I felt so sorry to Lae Choo and Hom Hing. At the same time, I was very angry about the lawyer’s behavior. The lawyer was just grabbing the chance to cheat the couple’s money. Since the lawyer understood that they were so hurry to get back their son, they didn’t have other choices, but paid the “five hundred” dollars to him. Moreover, from this quote, I can see that the bad image of “white man” in the Chinese perception at that time period. In the quote, Lae Choo didn’t scold the lawyer as a bad white man. Instead, she scolded him as a “common white man” after she felt that he was cheating her money. After the lawyer realized that the two couples were not able to pay 500 dollars. He immediately decreased the amount to 400 dollars. Moreover, he even said that the 500 dollars was only “a little money” (Norton 884). At that time, 500 dollars was actually a lot. He was just trying to persuade the couples to give money to him. Since I was not born at that time period, I really could not have the right to say whether all of the whites were bad or not. Nevertheless, I can feel that Sui Sin Far somehow disliked the white people. In her mind, white people, just similar to the lawyer, are very selfish, indifferent, and greedy. I think that the reason for her to have such an idea was that the Chinese immigrants were terribly suppressed during her time period. They encountered a lot of problems when they were trying to go inside America which was supposed to be “the Land of the Free”.

Apart from the quote, I think that the title of the story was very ironic too. After reading the story and the title, I feel that America was just opposite to the meaning of the title. It was not really free. Indeed, there were many restrictions which were set to the foreign immigrants.

Journal entry #41 Sui Sin Far

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
March 13, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

For twenty moons my wife care for and nurse the old people, and when they die they bless her and my son, and I send for her to return to me. I had no fear of trouble… “Very good, Hom Hing,” replied the first officer. “Nevertheless, we take your son”.

Summary:

It is the conversation between Hom Hing and the officer when the officer needs to take away his son.

Response:

Frankly, when I first read this part, I really don’t know the reason why Hom Hing has to explain such personal things to the officer. However, after attending to class and discussing with friends, I start to get why Sui Sin Far has to put this conversation in the passage. Indeed, Hom Hing is in such a helpless situation when the officer has to take away his son. At that time, he can do nothing, but bring out this story about his wife and his son. He wants to explain to the officer that he has already suffered from separating with his family for a long time . On one hand, he wants to express his sadness that they have separated with each other for a long time and his happiness that they finally can meet each other in America. On the other hand, he attempts to use his story to make the officers feel sympathize with their situations and not to take away his son. Although I don’t agree with what the officers do, I know it is their responsibility to protect their country from foreigners. I think I shouldn’t blame the officers. Instead, I should blame the government to have such a cruel law “in the land of the free”.

After I finish the story, I think that the U.S government should have a system which is more flexible. He is just a small boy. He will not bring big risk to the country. I think the government should allow him to stay with his family in the country for a certain period instead of immediately keeping him away from his parents.

Journal entry# 40 Henry James

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
March 7, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

“You were right in the remark that you made last summer. I was booked to make a mistake”. I have lived too long in foreign parts. Nevertheless, he went back to live at Geneva.

Summary:

This is found in the end of the story while Winterbourne admits that Mrs. Costello is right and claims that meeting Daisy Miller is a “mistake”.

Response:

After I read this quote, I realize that the rich people, like Winterbourne, will not care about, or worry about the death of Daisy. I admit that initially, he may feel a little bit sad or regret. However, after that, he can just turn to his usual life again. He can just go back to Geneva and start his life again. Moreover, in the quote, it is easy to notice that he considers the relationship with Daisy is just a “mistake”. I think that if he could choose again, he would never go to meet this foreign lady in his life. I think there are actually several reasons for him to consider it as a “mistake”. First of all, I think that the imbalance of social statuses between Daisy and Winterbourne discourages Winterbourne to keep remember this foreign girl. Perhaps, in his mind, there are still many beautiful girls who are more polite and who are in higher class outsides. He doesn’t have to stay there and feel sorry to this foreign lady for the rest of his life. Another reason is that in the end of the story, when he tells Daisy that “it makes very little difference whether you are engaged or not”, I feel that he is telling Daisy that he is already tired of her (Norton 427). Since he is a rich person, he actually doesn’t have to waste so many times on a lady whom he calls “a flirt”. He has “studied” her for such a long time, he starts to understand that whether she is engaged or not, she will stay go and meet many other men. This is her living style. In the end of the story, Winterbourne starts to realize that it is not worthy to put so much time on this “flirt”. I think that these are the reasons why he considers it is just a careless “mistake” after Daisy’s death.

Journal entry# 39 Henry James

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
March 7, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

The subtle Roman again dropped his eyes. “If she had lived, I should have got nothing. She would never have married me, I am sure”.

Summary:

It is the quote said by Mr. Giovanelli after Daisy’s death.

Response:

Everyone in the story thinks that Daisy is engaged to Mr. Giovanelli, the Italian gentleman. However, it is not the truth. Unluckily, Winterbourne only can know the truth after Daisy dies. Moreover, I think that this quote reveals Mr. Giovanelli’s inner conflict—sad yet relief after Daisy’s death. On one hand, he “dropped his eyes” which represents his sadness towards Daisy’s death. It seems that he hopes if Daisy can still be alive. However, immediately after this, he said “if she had lived, I should have got nothing.” This saying is like a contradiction to his previous action. Somehow, he knows that if Daisy is still alive, she may already have gone to pursue her love for Winterbourne and left him. Then, he would have got nothing. Therefore, he seems to mean that it make no difference whether she is alive or dead because she will not stay by his side in either ways. I even felt that Giovanelli is even a bit relief after the death of Daisy because he may suffer from the lost of Daisy to Winterbourne and he will get “nothing” if Daisy is not dead. Yet, he did get “something” now because he have spent the last period of Daisy’s life with her and most importantly he would never lose Daisy to Winterbourne. Personally, I think that love always creates dilemma. For instance, in the story, Winterbourne does not know if he should go ahead to Daisy since it seems that Daisy actually loves Mr. Giovanelli, but not him. Indeed, the end of the story shows that Daisy’s true lover is Winterbourne, but not Mr. Giovanelli. Why can’t both of them be more honest to each other? After reading the story, I guess if Daisy explained everything well to Winterbourne, she might not go to that fatal place and die at last.

Journal entry# 38 Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
March 7, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency— what is one to do?

Summary:

This is a quote found in the beginning of the story. It explains how her husband feels about her problem and how she feels about his treatment.

Response:

I think this quote clearly shows the unequal marriage at that time period. In the beginning of the story, I think that the narrator only feels a little bit sick. However, John, her husband, insists that she is suffering from a “temporary nervous depression”. He told her that she should think about the house instead of her “condition”. Since John is her husband and a professional physician, the narrator cannot refuse his treatment. At that point, I can feel her powerlessness in her family. His husband thinks that he is absolutely right and what the narrator needs is to be locked in the room and to do nothing. Although the narrator clearly knows that the “congenial work, with excitement and change would do [her] good” (Norton809), she does not have the choice to write or to do other things which can help herself. Therefore, instead of the “phosphates and phosphites”, I think that the narrator needs stimulation and activity which can strengthen her body and mind. However, the treatment which John provides is totally opposite. In my opinion, the treatment definitely worsens her situation and makes her even feel more depressed. Unluckily, in that society and that time period, she can say nothing to oppose the authoritative voices from her husband. Otherwise, her husband may say that she is in a much worse situation and provide some more stupid treatments to her which she does not have any right to say “no”.
From this quote, I can see that the narrator is just served as “a little girl” who is considered to have no ability to understand what is happening in her body. In the text, John even simply laughs at her about her idea. Here, I can easily see the imbalance of the family status between woman and man. Woman always has to follow instruction while man is always the one who sets the instructions

Journal entry# 37 Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
March 7, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

It is a big, airy room, the whole floor nearly, with windows that look all ways, and air and sunshine galore. I was nursery first and then playroom and gymnasium, I should judge; for the windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls. The paint and paper look as if a boys’ school had used it.

Summary:

This quote is found in the beginning of the story. It explains the room of the narrator which is designed by John.

Response:

I think that the whole story has a lot of ironic sentences. Among them, I think this quote is the most ironic one. The “big, airy room” makes me think that the room is very beautiful and well-built for her to help her problem. However, when I keep reading the quote, I found out that it is so ironic.

In the quote, the “playroom” shows that John considers the narrator as a child or an infant. At this point, I think it is not common for a woman to be treated as an adult in that century. Moreover, in the room, there are even “windows [which] are barred and rings and things in the wall”. I don’t think they should be existed in a room for the narrator who only has suffered from a “temporary nervous depression”. These kinds of stuffs should only appear in a room for a person who has serious mental disorder. Not only there are horrible equipments in the room, the room is covered with yellow wallpaper. I think the yellow is a disturbing color which definitely worsens her mind. However, the narrator does not intend to ask for a change. I think that not only the color is bad, but the quality of the wallpaper is also terrible. In the quote, it explains that “the paint and paper look as if a boys’ school had used it”. I think that Gilman wants to magnify how terrible the wallpaper is. At this point, I really can’t find any reason for John, a so called “professional physician”, to put his wife into this poor room to cure her “temporary nervous depression”. I think that the narrator indeed wants somebody to accompany her, rather than the “rings and things in the wall”. Also, I guess if the narrator was not put into this terrible room, her problem would not be worsened into that level.

Journal entry# 36 Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
March 7, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

I don’t like to look out of the windows even—there are so many of those creeping women, and they creep so fast. I wonder if they all come out of that wall-paper as I did?

Summary:

It is found in the end of the story. It explains what the narrator sees outside her room.

Response:

After the narrator has torn down most of the yellow wallpaper, she thinks that the woman inside the wall is now free. She can come out eventually. However, when I am reading this part, I ask, “So where is the freed woman?” Indeed, the woman in the wall has already combined with the narrator. They have become one unit. Instead of thinking it as a horror story, I think that the woman in the wall is an image of the narrator. Since the narrator always creeps in the room, she sees that the shadow also always creeps in the wall. Gilman wants to use the shadow on the wall to explain the hopelessness and weakness of the narrator that she cannot help herself out in that situation.

Why the women are always creeping? I think that Gilman wants to use “creeping” to explain that the women have no difference with infants. Since infants do not have power to stand up and walk, they always have to creep. Similar to women, they do not have the “power” to stand up. They will never have full development. The “power” can only be possessed by the men. Only men have the abilities to stand up.

Moreover, in another point of view, I think that the women do not have the courage to stand up. If they stand up, they may threaten the social and family positions of the men. Therefore, the men would use his “power” to “cure” them in the method which is similar to what the narrator receives.Furthermore, “those creeping women” outsides the rooms help explain that there are actually many women like the narrator in that time period. Gilman wants to use these women and the narrator to further prove that the narrator is not the exceptional case. It is a common trend in that society. Women are treated as infants. They are always trapped in their houses which have no difference with prisons.

Journal entry# 35 Kate Chopin

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 29, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world…Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman…The mother-women…were women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels.

Summary:

This is a quote found in “the awakening” of Kate Chopin. It explains the way that the society and Mr. Pontellier think about how to be a good woman, a good wife, or a good mother.

Response:

In the story, Mr. Pontellier is the role model of a successful husband, father, or man in his society. He is a traditional 40-year-old male member in the New Orleans Creole community who can provide financial support to his family. However, his wife does not have the same reputation as he does. His wife, Edna Pontellier, is considered to be flawed as a good mother. At this point, I can see the imbalance of the social status between men and women in that society. Women have a big social difference with men. They are just considered as a possession of men. They have to always “idolize their children, worship their husbands” and should never have a sense that they are individuals. However, Edna does not follow the normal woman style. She thinks that although she has children and husband, she is not belonged to them. She is not a property of her husband and sons. She is the controller and owner of herself. I understand that she has the right to perceive herself as an individual, but I don’t think she have to betray his husband in the story. I think that her individual sense is too extreme.

After I finished the book, I started to understand the reason why she has to commit suicide. I admit that Edna is a beautiful (or handsome) woman in the story who can attract many males’ attention. However, I think that she should not have been born in that time period which considered ladies as property. If she was born in the time period I am having, she would have a much better life, or at least a much easier life. Oh! I am wondering something. Do you think it will be better for Leonce and Edna if Edna has not tried to be awakened? I think she might not go to commit suicide in the end of the story since her individual sense would not be that large.

Moreover, I want to point out that Chopin is so intelligent to add a wonderful character, Adele Ratignolle, into the story to reflect the rebellion and failure of Edna. Adele is a woman who only cares about her family. Her life focuses only on her children and husband, but not herself. Her characteristic is similar to what the quote says. She “worships [her] husband” and “idolizes [her] children”. Indeed, Edna and Adele have the totally opposite perception of being a female in the story. Also, when I was reading this part, I imagined my future wife. I really wish she could behave like Adele, but not Edna.

Journal entry# 34 Kate Chopin

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 29, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again. Edna heard her father’s voice and her sister Margaret’s. She heard the barking of an old dog that was chained to the sycamore tree. The spurs of the cavalry officer clanged as her walked across the porch.

Summary:

This is the final paragraph in the story. It explains her feeling and listening when she is drowning in the ocean.

Response:

I think that this ending is very sad. Why literature is always so touching? Moreover, when I first read the story, I really could not judge her whether her suicide is right or wrong. Does it imply that it is a final success or it is just a failure? Indeed, after I read the story for several times, I admit that her death is a way to express her anger on the imbalance of social status of women. She didn’t choose to run away or live alone so she can always hook up with other men. She thought that this act would definitely harm her children. Therefore, she chose to get drowned into the ocean instead. She think that in her children's minds, losing a mother in an ocean is much better than losing a mother in other men’s beds. Her children really act as a burden on her life, even when she is going to suicide. At this point, I think that I can feel her pain and confusion as an awakened woman in that time period. However, I do not appreciate the way that she cheats her husband. I understand that she has the right to perceive herself as an individual, but I don’t think she has the right to have sex with other men. Instead, she has the responsibility to be loyal to his husband. It is not the matter of being controlled or not. It is a responsibility after she is somebody’s wife. If I were her, I would definitely think to divorce her husband or to go to live alone, instead of cheating her husband.

Journal entry# 33 Sarah Orne Jewett

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 29, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

Sylvia would have liked him vastly better without his gun; she could not understand why he killed the very birds he seemed to like so much… Sylvia still watched the young man with loving admiration…the woman’s heart, asleep in the child, was vaguely thrilled by a dream of love.

Summary:

It is a quote found in “a white heron” of Sarah Orne Jewett. It explains her love to the strange young man.

Response:

During the lecture, someone pointed out that the love between the girl and the stranger may be similar to the one between a brother and a sister. However, I don’t really agree with this point after I found out this quote. I think that the 9- year- old girl really started to like the young man whom she just met because she was so lonely to live on the farm in the woods of New England. She wanted to hang out with some other people, but not always with her female cow. On one hand, she felt so afraid of the young man’s gun. On the other hand, she thought that the man was so charming and delightful. Although she was scared, she was still willing to follow the man to find the bird. I think that the girl really felt interested in the man while the man only felt interested in the white heron.

In order to please the man and receive the money from him, she “began with utmost bravery to mount to the top of a very huge tree” to find the white heron by herself. I think that the major reason for her to find the place of the white heron was not because of the money, but because she wanted to satisfy the young man and to have a feeling of self- worth. Moreover, although the 9-year-old girl did not like the collection method of the young hunter, she still put herself in such a dangerous situation to find the bird. There was a very big risk for her to get injured or even die. However, she did not consider carefully before she climbed all the way up to the top of the tree. I think that there was really a great “loving admiration” in Sylvia’s heart. Otherwise, she wouldn’t do such a dangerous thing to a stranger. Frankly, while I was reading this part, I thought that she would really tell the secret to the young hunter afterwards. Luckily, she made the right decision to keep the secret since I think that the young man would still leave her even if he got the bird in his collection. Now, at least she had protected the freedom of the beautiful white heron in the woods.

Journal entry# 32 Sarah Orne Jewett

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 29, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

But Sylvia does not speak after all, though the old grandmother fretfully rebukes her, and the young man’s kind, appealing eyes are looking straight in her own…No, she must keep silence.

Summary:

This quote explains what happened to Sylvia after she had discovered the white heron on the tree.

Response:

When the white heron appeared in front of her, she found out that it was so beautiful. At the same time, she also discovered the beauty of the nature, for instance, the sunrise and the sea. That’s why she chose to “keep silence” and not to disclose the secret after she went back home. I think she really learned a valuable lesson from the young hunter and the beautiful nature. She put the freedom of the bird upon the young hunter and the money. When I was reading this part, I realized that Sylvia was similar to the white heron. They both needed freedom and placed freedom in the first position. I think that Sylvia must have realized that every person or every animal had the right to live in this beautiful world. They could choose to live any place where they wanted to. From this part, I can say that this girl who used to play hide and seek really turned into a very mature girl. I imagine that Sylvia actually had told herself that if she had a right to live in the peaceful farm instead of the crowded manufacturing town, the white heron also had a right to live in this beautiful place rather than be stuffed and preserved into a collection. Therefore, she made up her mind to keep the secret. Moreover, I really appreciate that she could still “keep silence” in front of her grandmother and the young hunter. I think that most of the people will intend not to stand the pressure or just simply that the money and disclose the secret of the beautiful creature.

Journal entry# 31 Kate Chopin

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 29, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

He went inside, closing the door after him. It was even necessary to put something beneath the door to keep the water out…So the storm passed and every one was happy.

Summary:

It is the last sentence found in “the storm” of Kate Chopin. It explains that every one felt great after “the storm” had passed.

Response:

I found that “the storm” in the story is playing a very important role. First of all, the storm caused the man who called Alcee Laballiere to go inside Calixta’s house. Secondly, “the storm” was serving as a metaphor in the story which had a very deep meaning beneath. The story showed that Calixta did not realize that the storm was coming, but she could only feel the oppressive heat from something. Because of the “heat” she felt, “she unfastened her white sacque at the throat” in order to make herself feel better. Actually, the heat reflected her longing sexual desire. After Alcee arrived, “the storm” drove them to go inside the house. At that time, they both felt that “it was even necessary to put something beneath the door in order to keep the water out”. Actually, both of them wanted to separate themselves from “the storm”. At this point, I found that “the storm” also acted as a moral value which was culturally adapted in the society and “the water” was just like the blame and accusation from the outside world. Since they didn’t want to shock the society and be scolded, they intended to use something to separate themselves from “the storm”. Moreover, at the same time, I think that Alcee also wanted to shut the sexual passion of Calixta inside the house and comforted Calixta. After they prepared a lot for a safer situation, they started to kiss and have sex which are basically not allowed by the society. While they were having sex, “the storm” started to increase outside. In my opinion, “the storm” was like threatening to break into the house and forced them not to have sex.

When Alcee was leaving, both of them were described with smiles on their faces. They seemed to appreciate that "the storm" had provided a great chance for them to meet in the house. They also appreciated that "the storm" had increased the time for her husband and son to come back home. After Calixta’s husband and son returned home, Calixta showed that she was so happy to see them. “Everyone [in the house] was happy” as if nothing bad has happened. All in all, I think that Kate Chopin intended to explain that adultery is not always harmful.

Journal entry# 30 Stephen Crane

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 22, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

If I am going to be drowned—if I am going to be drowned—if I am going to be drowned… Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life?

Summary:

This is a quote which appears at least 3 times in the passage. The correspondent keeps asking this question to God when they are suffering in the roaring sea.

Response:

This quote was said by the correspondent when he encountered a terrible situation in the sea which almost killed him. In the very beginning, the men on the floating boat were numb with the fact they met. They did not know what to do, but just rowed the boat under the captain’s instruction. Instead of giving up, they started to imagine that there was a lighthouse or a life-saving station nearby which could salvage them. After they found out that there was really no place which they could land on. The correspondent started to blame God. In his mind, if God really wanted to dispose of them, he did not have to make them suffer so much. He could just kill them in the very beginning. Therefore, the correspondent said that “it was certainly an abominable injustice to drown [them] who had worked so hard, so hard” after they had floated on the sea for such a long time(Norton 1011).
After they found out that there were some other people on the land, the four men realized that they might not have to die. The sad thing is that although they were so close to the land, the nature did not allow them to reach the land. At that moment, the correspondent said again, “If I am going to be drowned…” He really did not understand what the aim of God and the nature are.

Finally, after the men successfully landed on the land, they found out that the oiler was dead. In the passage, the oiler is the strongest rower and seems the most likely among the men to survive. However, he was not able to finish the “game” which is set by the nature. Even though the oiler had worked so hard to survive, he still had to be drowned just in front of his destination.

After reading the book and listening to the discussion in class, I found out that the men really went through several different stages when they were being tortured in the sea. Also, I realized that life is really unpredictable and everyone is unable to know what is going to happen in the next step. I also learned that whenever I meet difficulties and nobody can help me out, at least I can say, “Yes, but [at least] I love myself” and try to cheer myself up (Norton 1011).

Journal entry# 29 Stephen Crane

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 22, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

It would be difficult to describe the subtle brotherhood of men that was here established on the seas. No one said that it was so. No one mentioned it. But it dwelt in the boat, and each man felt it warm him.

Summary:

The men in the dingey developed a very deep friendship after they endured so much in the sea.

Response:

I think that the correspondent probably did not know the other three people before the ship was wrecked. However, a “subtle brotherhood of men” was developed in the little dingey. It was so sweet. For instance, the oiler tried his best to cheer others up by saying that there was a life-saving station nearby and cooperated with the correspondent to take spells to row the dingey. Though the cook did not put much effort to row it, they did not blame him. Moreover, although the injured captain only lied down in the voyage and did not help row the boat, the other three men still respected him and were willing to listen to his advice to change the direction of the boat. Furthermore, the most impressing part happened when all of them landed on the sand and the captain “waved [the helper] away, and sent him to the correspondent”(Norton 1016). Although the captain was injured, he still asked the helper to help the correspondent first. This behavior was so generous. Throughout the text, although “no one mentioned” that they had to treat others as brothers in order to gain support until they were salvaged, the brotherhood of men had already “dwelt in the boat, and each man felt it warm him”. I think this was the main reason why they could endure until the last minute. If the story could continue, I think that the captain, the cook, and the correspondent would become very good friends since they had all encountered a situation which was so close to death.

Journal entry# 28 Stephen Crane

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 22, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

The birds sat comfortably in groups, and they were envied by some in the dingey, for the wrath of the sea was no more to them…the birds struck at their minds at this time as being somehow grewsome and ominous.

Summary:

There is a group of gulls which stays in the men’s dingey and makes the men angry.

Response:

To be honest, before I went to the class on Wednesday, I didn’t really pay any attention on the gulls. Indeed, the gulls appeared in the second chapter of “the Open Boat”. Apart from the four men, the gulls were playing an important role in the story. My interpretation is that the gulls were actually contrasts to the men. Although the men were stronger in shapes and they could wave the gulls away easily with their hands, they still had to rely on the little dingey. However, a smaller gull can fly to anywhere with its wings. When the men saw the gulls, they might also want to have a pair of wings on their backs in order not to suffer in the sea. I think this is the major reason why the birds “were envied by some in the dingey”. Moreover, in the quote, it shows me that the men perceived the gulls as something “grewsome and ominous”.

After I finished the story, I think it was true that the gulls would really bring bad lucks to the men. Otherwise, they did not have to undergo the disappointment and the sadness of losing the oiler. However, what I think is that they have no choice. Since their ship was wrecked, they could just rely on that little dingey. They could not turn back or stay in the original positions. Although they knew that there might be some bad things which might happen on them, they still had to go forward. At this point, I really appreciate the writing style of Stephen Crane. He could really explain that human beings do not have the right to change their fates, just like what we discussed in the class that “life sucks”.

Journal entry# 27 Stephen Crane

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 22, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

A tale intended to be after the fact, being the experience of four men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore

Summary:

It is a prologue or maybe a subtitle of “the Open Boat”.

Response:

In the quote, “the fact” shows me that Stephen Crane does not make up a story himself from his imagination, but he actually shows his own experience about the Sunk Steamer Commodore. The “four men” are the captain, the oiler, the cook, and the correspondent. Since Stephen Crane writes this “tale” after “the fact”, he should be in either of these positions. After I finished this “tale”, I found out that Stephen Crane is actually the correspondent on the floating boat. It is because throughout the text, he kept using the word “wonder” to describe the thinking of the correspondent. For instance, “the correspondent…. wondered why he was there” and “the correspondent wondered ingenuously how in the name of all that was sane… to row a boat” (Norton1000-1004). However, he did not use the word “wonder” to describe the other people in the boat, but he just wrote their conversations in the story. It is actually so obvious that Stephen Crane is the one who “wonders” about these things. Therefore, there is no doubt that he is the correspondent who writes this story. Indeed, in the introduction of Stephen Crane, it also shows that he was shipwrecked off the Florida coast while working as a war correspondent. Therefore, he intended to use this story to explain his experience of suffering in the roaring sea and showed us the brotherhood of men.

Journal entry# 26 Stephen Crane

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 22, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

None of them knew the color of the sky… and all of the men knew the colors of the sea.

Summary:

It is found in the introduction of “The Open Boat” which is written by Stephen Crane.

Response:

In the story, there are four characters, the captain, the cook, the oiler, and the correspondent. When I first read this sentence that none of them on the floating boats were able to know “the color of the sky”, I was a bit confused. How come these characters on the floating boat were unable to tell the color of the sky? After listening to the lecture and reading the story once again, I realized that this quote is not that simple and there is actually a deeper meaning behind. The reason for them not to be able to know the color of the sky is actually due to the extremely poor situation on the sea. The “waves were most wrongfully and barbarously abrupt and tall” which blocks their visions towards the sky(Norton 1000). It is easy to notice that the waves are really terribly tall. Moreover, the storms and the dark clouds in the sky also make them not to be able to see the true color of the sky.In the second part of the quote, it shows that “all of the men knew the colors of the sea”. Since they are all trying to survive in the sea, they actually don’t have time to look at other things, but only the sea. For example, the captain has to always focus on the direction while the other people need to row the boat in order to find a safety place. That’s why all of them only knew “the colors of the sea”, but did not know the colors of the sky.

Moreover, they are only on a small dinghy, it is so difficult for them to distinguish between he sky and the sea. Indeed, from their visions, the color of the sky has no difference with that of the sea due to the similar color. However, the sea water is more tangible to them. Therefore, Stephen Crane chooses to say that they can see the color of the sea, but not the color of the sky.

Journal entry# 25 W.E.B Du Bois

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 8, 2008
Professor Lankford


Quote: 



Why did God make me an outcast and a stranger in mine own house…Then it dawned upon me with a certain suddenness that I was different from the others; or like, mayhap, in heart and life longing, but shut out from their world by a vast veil”
.

Summary: 



It is quoted in “The Souls of Black Folk, Ch1” of Du Bois. He realized that his skin color made him separate from the world, especially the Whites.

Response:

When he was still a child, he realized that there was something different between him and the majority, the white people in America. He was rejected by a girl and received poor service in a store. He understood that he was treated so badly mainly because of his skin color and his race. He felt that he was like “a stranger” although he was in his “own house”. He did not want to be treated in this way. If he were born with white skin, he would have a much easier life.
In the quote, Du Bois explained that he was “ shut out from their word by a vast veil”. He was covered with a vast veil. He did not want to tear his veil off when the white people were thought to be superior. His depression about his race was shown is this quote. However, he did not want to be superior and the thing he only wanted was to receive fair treatment from the others.

Du Bois understood that he had to do something to make his life or Blacks’lives easier. He chose to have further education with a lot of college preparatory classes in high school. He wanted to use his academic knowledge to empower African American.
Luckily, Blacks received much better treatment in today’s society. People will be charged with discrimination if they provide particularly bad service to Blacks or if they are not willing to receive the Black’s credit card. Nevertheless, I admit that the imbalance of the social status between the Blacks and the Whites still has room to be improved.

Journal entry# 24 W.E.B Du Bois

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 8, 2008
Professor Lankford


Quote:

The power of the ballot we need in sheer self-defense,-else what shall save us from a second slavery? Freedom too, the long sought, we still seek,-the freedom of life and limb, the freedom to work and think, the freedom to love and aspire.

Summary:

This quote is found in “the Souls of Black Folk, ChIII” of Du Bois. He explains what the blacks need most in order to have better lives.

Response:

Du Bois explains that the blacks actually have to fight for many things in order to improve their lives, especially, the freedom. Comparing with Washington, Du Bois had a quite different view. Du Bois believed blacks should challenge and question whites in every aspect, but Washington thought that assimilating the "American" culture is the best way for Blacks to fit into the America and move up in American society. In this quote, Du Bois realized that Blacks were actually suffering in “a second slavery”. He advised that the best way for Blacks to gain back the respect from society was to give them the right to vote. Only having a vote in the selection could show that the black people were actually belonged to the America.

Moreover, he pointed our some important and useful instructions for Blacks to defense themselves in America. They had to fight for freedom in many aspects. For example, they had to get the freedom to love, think, aspire, and work. Lastly, I found out that the words of Du Bois were more aggressive and stronger than the words from Washington though both of them intended to help the Blacks. Du Bois was urging his people to fight for their freedom and right in a very strong attitude. He thought that teaching the black people was a calling. He really tried so hard to help the black people. Anyway, I think both of them did a marvelous job for their race.

Journal entry# 23 Booker T. Washington

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 8, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has learned in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed… he gets a strength, a confidence.

Summary:

This is one of the famous statements from Washington. It mentions how he felt about success.

Response:

What is your definition of success? In “Up From Slavery”, Washington said that success is not measured by the position since different people might have different backgrounds. On the other hand, according to Washington’s definition, it would be better to rate success “by the obstacles which [somebody] has overcome while trying to succeed”. It is absolutely right. In Washington’s age, being born in a white family was a pleasure while being born in a black family was a misery. A black or a slave at that time had to encounter far more troubles than the whites. They had fewer opportunities in many aspects, for example in schools or in work places.

In the story, Washington was born as a slave but he did not give up. He was “intense longing” to study at school. Therefore, he worked as “salt packer, coal minter, and house servant” in order to support his schooling (Norton 664). Finally, he became an American educator, author and leader of the African American community. In many people’s mind, his position might not be high enough. However, he had overcome so many troubles in order to leave from the poverty. He did not have to depend on his family in order to become the leader of the African American community. Apart from this quote, Washington’s life was another learning material for the blacks to learn from. After they knew that even a slave could become an author and leader of the African American community, they would be more willing to start improving their lives.

Journal entry# 22 Booker T. Washington

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 8, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

Some of the slaves would even beg for the privilege of sitting up at night to nurse their wounded slaves… He felt that he could not enjoy his freedom till he had fulfilled his promise.

Summary:

The slaves would take care of their masters when they were injured.

Response:

Undoubtedly, most of the people might think that the relationship between the slaves and the masters must be very bad. However, this quote showed me that what I thought was not always true. In the story, the slave actually concerned about their masters. After they got hurt, the slaves were willing to nurse them. The slaves were really sweet. Moreover, Washington also tells that the slaves even gave money to their masters when they were suffering in a financial problem. I don’t think many people nowadays will do something like this. If the bosses or employees are having troubles, many employers will just probably quit the job and go to work for other better ones. The relationships similar to the slaves and the masters are really hard to be found in today’s world.

Furthermore, after reading this part of the book, I really feel sorry to the slaves. I think that they should not be treated so badly. Actually they have no difference with normal human beings. The last part of the quote also impressed me. After the slave was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, he still went back to his former master and returned his money. The slaves understood that their low social statuses do not harm their personality. They still could have a very good personality. Therefore, in the story, the slave would go to fulfill his promise after he was freed. Otherwise, he still owed someone for the money which meant he was still not totally free.

Journal entry# 21 Booker T. Washington

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 8, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

Whoever he was, I never heard of his taking the least interest in me or providing in any way for my rearing. But I do not find especial fault with him. He was simply another unfortunate victim of the institution which the Nation unhappily had engrafted upon it at that time.

Summary:

It is a quote which I found in the “Up from Slavery” of Booker T.Washinton. It talks about how Washington feels about his father.

Response:

I think that this quote is probably about the grief in a slave’s life. He suffered so much in his family. Although he knew that he had a father, he could never know his name. His father was just another slave who had to work for someone. I think it was pretty sad. If I were him, I would try my best to go to see my father. However, he didn’t do so. Moreover, although his father did not do anything for him, he didn’t “find especial fault with him”. He just admitted that living without father was so normal in his life since he was born as a slave. One more thing, Washington understood the society very well. He understood that his father and many other slaves were the “unfortunate victim[s] of the institution”. Therefore, I think that this was one of the reasons encouraged him to improve the African American life. He realized that he had to do something in order to change his generation. He did not want to stay in the same situation forever. Therefore, he worked hard and studied hard. Finally, he became successful and was called “Moses of his races”. He started to give speeches to the African American and tell them to do something to improve their lives right away. In my mind, he was really like the Moses who led the slaves out of the red sea.

Journal entry# 20 Sarah Winnemucca

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 1, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

How good of him to try and heal the wound, and how vain were his efforts!

Summary:

Winnemucca explains that her grandfather received a very bad return although he had tried so hard to please the white people.

Response:

Winnemucca points out the bad experience of her grandfather that the whites did not treat him as he wanted to. In this quote, the wound means the misunderstanding between the whites and the Piutes. She uses two totally opposite words, “good” and “vain” to describe her grandfather’s feeling. It is obvious that “good” is positive while “vain” is negative. This quote makes a strong contrast. Winnemucca’s grandfather kept using something “good” to “heal the wound”. For example, he held party for the whites. However, what he did was meaningless. He couldn’t please the whites. Thus, his effort was just in vain. The whites just simply disdained them and even attacked his tribe.

Another reason for me to post this quote is that it is actually showing the main idea of the story. In the very beginning, the story explains that Winnemucca’s grandfather greatly expected to see the white people again since he thought that they were his brothers. However, the story comes out with a very sad ending. He didn’t get what he wished to. The rest of the story is about “how vain were his effort”. Winnemucca talked about the horrible story of

the whites and the bad return from the whites such as burning the tribe’s winter supplies.

Winnemucca was actually a very good granddaughter. She remembered all of her grandfather’s story and her tribe’s experience. After she grew up, she wrote this novel to express her bad feeling about the whites.

Journal entry# 19 Sarah Winnemucca

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 1, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

My people taught their children never to make fun of any one, no matter how they look. If you make fun of bad persons, you make yourself beneath them. Be kind to all, both poor and rich… and your name can be spoken of by every one far and near.

Summary:

Winnemucca explains the correct way to treat others. We have to always be kind to people who have various backgrounds.

Response:

I think that we should never make fun of people’s appearance. Somebody might be poor to wear something good. Somebody might be born with a not so handsome face. Somebody might suffer from a very bad experience to have a bad outlook. These people who had bad appearance also want to look cool and want to look rich too. However, they couldn’t do this due to many different reasons. Therefore, we should not laugh at them. Or else, we might hurt them. Moreover, the quote also says that we should not make fun of bad persons. Instead, I think that we should teach them to correct their bad behavior. We can help them only by telling them not to do that again, but not laughing at their faults. It is no use to laugh at other people. This behavior is so mean. Lastly, I also agree with the last part of the quote which points out that “your name can be spoken of by every one far and near” if you are kind to the poor and the rich. I think that most of the people feel sorry to the poor and want to help them. However, the thing I want to point out is that many people are so mean to the rich. If the rich needs help, people usually do not provide help or only provide help after getting money. People only feel jealous of the rich. To be fair, I think that people should always help each other, no matter they are rich or poor.

Journal entry# 18 Sarah Winnemucca

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 1, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

“They came like a lion, yes, like a roaring lion…they made a great noise like thunder and lightning”.

Summary:

It is a quote found in the “Life Among The Piutes”. It explains the Piutes’ feeling when the white people are coming into their country.

Response:

I think that this quote clearly explains the Paiute people were terribly afraid of the whites. They considered the whites as “a roaring lion” which might eat them or kill them. Although Sarah Winnemucca’s grandfather insisted on saying that the white people were their brothers and asking his people to love the whites, they thought that the white people were still very horrible. The Paiute people thought that the white people were lions due to the bread on their faces. Moreover, I think another reason was that the whites were much taller and stronger than the Paiute who were living near to the desert region.
Frankly, I like the part of “the great noise like thunder and lightning” so much. Winnemucca really described what the Paiute felt about the guns, bombs or other weapons. She used her father’s dream to bring out how cruel the whites were. From my point of view, Winnemucca must have known the great sound was produced by the bombs or other strong weapons. However, she didn’t directly say that the white people had powerful bombs. Instead, she said there were “great noise like thunder and lightning”. When I was reading the book, I just thought that the Paiute people were really very innocent and they even didn’t know what the guns and bombs were. I really love this kind of description skill.

Journal entry# 17 Sarah Winnemucca

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 1, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

“You can’t have anything to eat unless you pay me.” No,--no such word was used by us savages at that time… They set everything we have left on fire.

Summary:

It explains that the Paiute tribe really helped the whites when they need food in the mountain.

Response:

In the book, Winnemucca explains that the whites were stuck in the mountain and did not have enough food to eat. However, the Paiute tribe did not use that opportunity to kill the white people. Instead, the Paiute tribe gives them food. The quote states that the tribe did not ask for money after giving the whites food. I think that these people were very friendly and generous and they just wanted to solve the problem between the two races.
I feel pretty sad that the white still set fire on the tribe’s winter supplies although they had received the food from the tribe. Why they could be so cruel to the tribe? I really wish that I could be one of the Paiutes. I would go and have a debate with the whites. Is racial difference such a big deal? Is skin color really a big deal? I really want to ask the whites.
In the quote, Winnemucca uses “savages” to describe her people. I think it is quite ironic. From my point of view, the tribe was so generous and kind. She shouldn’t have used such a negative word to describe her tribe. I think that she just wanted to satirize the white people who thought they were superior. Instead, I think that the white people in the book were really “savages”. After getting the help from the tribe, they did not return something good to the tribe. Instead, they burnt the winter supplies of the tribe as a return. I felt so sorry to read this part in the book.

Journal entry# 16 Sarah Winnemucca

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 1, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

The council-tent is our Congress, and anybody can speak who has anything to say, women and all. They are always interested in what their husbands are doing and thinking about. And they take some part even in the wars.

Summary:

It is a quote about the council-tent. The most interesting part is that the woman could also participate in the meeting.

Response:

In many countries, like China, children and woman are not allowed to go into the council meeting. I think it is probably due to their lower statuses. However, this quote shows me that the Piutes tribe was quite civilized. Women and children were welcome to the council meeting. They could even provide ideas during the meeting. When I was reading this part, I thought about the word “savages” which Sarah Winnemucca used to describe her tribe. From my point of view, her tribe is very enlightened. They should not be described as “savages”. She actually used such an ironic word to express her anger for being suppressed by the whites. Personally, I think that nowadays, there should not be inequality between women and men. (I have to be fair though I am a man). Women and men should possess the same amount of right and responsibility. For example, in my family, both of my parents need to work and take care of my little sister. Long time ago, men had to go to work and gain money for the family and women had to take care of the housework. However, the roles of women and men are getting more similar in this century. Women can work while men can wash dishes. I think this change can definitely benefit the relationship between couples. There will be less argues about who will be in charge of this and who will be in charge of that because both of them have to be responsible of the family.

Journal entry# 15 Mark Twain

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
January 25, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

You fetch them to the cave, and you’ve always as polite as pie to them; and by- and- by they fall in love with you and never want to go home any more.

Summary:

Tom gave this statement when he was in the meeting with the other members in his gang.

Response:

Tom was such an interesting boy that he gave a lot of stupid instructions to the other members. For example, the members mustn’t eat and sleep until they have killed their targets and they shouldn’t tell the secret to anyone, otherwise, their parents would be killed. I realized that these teenagers always wanted to do something different. Indeed, I quite agree with one thing which Tom suggested. Tom said that the members had to bring the women to the cave since the women would fell in love with them. In reality, there are always cases like what Tom suggested. Frankly, there are many kidnapping cases in my country. The criminals locked the women in the room and raped them everyday. The women initially would feel very afraid and helpless. However, once they found out that they had little hope to escape. They would start to fall in love with the men since the men always took care of them. Though it was quite ridiculous, it was extremely true. It was a kind of psychological disease.

After reading this part of the story, I remember that I also did something bad with some friends when I was small. I always planned something evil with my friends. We made jokes to the teachers and shot the soccer at the window. However, we really didn’t think about bringing a girl to a cave and making her to fall in love with us. If I was able to read this book at that time, I would also come up with this evil thing.

Journal entry# 14 Mark Twain

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
January 25, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

"All right, then, I’ll go to hell”---and tore it up.

Summary:

It is a quote also found in the “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. It is said by Huckleberry Finn when he wanted to send a letter to Miss Watson and told her the location of her slave, Jim.

Response:

At first, Huck wants to inform Miss Watson about the location of Jim in order to let Miss Watson to protect Jim or save Jim. When Huck is writing this letter, he thinks about the happy moments between Jim and him. On one hand, he wants Miss Watson to help his good friend. On the other hand, he sadly understands that after Miss Watson finds Jim, she will punish him. Also, if he frees Jim, he would go to hell. Therefore, Huck put himself into a very hard situation. He struggled between right and wrong. He knew that once he sent Miss Watson a letter, she could come to find Jim and save Jim. If I was him, I would definitely be mad. At last, Huck chose to tear up the letter because it would be better for Jim. He understood that it was wrong to free a slave and he claimed that he was ready to go to hell. From this quote, I can see their deep friendship and I also appreciate that Jim has such a good friend like Huck.

After reading this part about Jim and Huck, there is suddenly something coming out in my mind. Decades ago, friendship was more real and was placed in a more important position in people’s lives. However, in this century, I think that people are getting more self-centered. Relationships between friends are getting looser. I admit that people in today’s world have to deal with much more things than the people in 70s or 80s. However, I think that it is not an excuse to overlook friendship.