Symbolism in Stories I've Read

I think that "August Heat" has a symbol that is very strong. It tells us how fate can meet us so quickly and how that we should try to live our life naturally. Another story that I think is good, is the story "Sniper", I like how it showed the tension between the two sniper and how in the end it is eased out by finding out who the killed sniper was. It shows us how war can tear close people apart and how opinions can really hurt people badly. In the "Sniper" short story, we see that the other enemy sniper was his brother, therefore it tells us that personal things can get in between wars. In another story, this one quite a bit longer, is "The Christmas Carol". The story tells us how if we are bad to others, there will be a horrible punishment awaiting for you. Another symbol that I think is one of the greatest for high school students today is "Initiation". In "Initiation" we see how a girl struggles to join a fraternity group and how she gives up a lot of her important things just for it. In the end the girl realizes how that it was all useless. What it tells people is to be themselves, and I think it is something that everyone has to do as high schoolers.

Is it good to feel proud? Scarlet Ibis

Being proud can be both very positive and very negative. Being proud allows to to encourage yourself, but sometimes if you boast or talk to much about something, you may create a great argument. Your friends may think that you are a bit of a show-off and does not want to accept a friend such as a person that is too proud of something. People that are too proud are almost always never successful, a CEO of a company will never look for someone that thinks too highly of themselves or talks too much about their achievements. They just want to see someone that can do something well and can take in stress. But being proud can encourage and build some sunshine into your life. Sometimes when all is blue, it is great to find something you can be proud of. For example, if you did not turn in some of your homework, but you received a nice test grade. It is best for a person to be proud of his or her test grades just to think about the balanced grade score. There are many times where being proud hurt me greatly and sometimes kept me in great shape. Most of the time I was rather hurt than being happy.

Retreat of the 'Tiger Mother' Response 'Jean Hsu' Article

I think that Ms.Chua can do whatever she wants to her children, but I don't think it is right to write books of her memoirs, because it may effect other people's way of parenting. Take a undemanding parenting family for example, they are perfectly happy with what they have, but suddenly after the parents read about Amy Chua's parenting style, they start doing a demanding type of parenting. The children will soon find themselves exhausted, because they are not used to it. Ms.Chua's children has been in this type of "harsh" parenting for almost two decades, I do not think that they are already used to it ever since they were five! Also, I think her memoirs are a little bit too personal, through the articles I have read, it seems that she explains everything, even the extremely harsh treatments. I think that many people find it disturbing rather than an entertainment. If I were to read her book, I would feel the pain while reading it, because it is just WAY too hard. I have a demanding mom too, and like Amy's husband, an un-demanding father, who encourages me in several different ways. I think the way I am improving is through the power of my dad. When I was living with him a few months ago, I noticed how the free time he has given me allowed me to do homework by myself, and being responsible, quite frankly. It is not being forced to do something, most of the kids now will not go with the things they are forced to do. You must make a child like what a parent wants them to do, if they start to like it, they will do it with flavor, therefore thrive.
I think that Jean Hsu's examples really strike many teenagers that have a parent such as Amy Chua's. Though my mom may not be as harsh as Mrs.Chua, I think they both have the same personality towards their children. They are demanding and not encouraging, honestly, I need to change the word 'demanding' to discouragement, because a harsh treatment will always leave a scar in a child's brain that this activity they do is created by their parent's harsh treatment. Just like Jean Hsu mentioned, teenagers under the Chua rule, must do some SAT's everyday, and excel in it. It is true, everyday I must do a thirty question SAT reading and vocabulary worksheet and an SAT writing question. The brain of a teenager can only do so much, I feel like as if it is heating up, causing the circuits in my brain to burst! In the end, Jean mentions on how she would allow her children to make free decisions and mistakes for themselves. I think this is a good idea, it not only allows them to have a peaceful and restful experience as a child, but also grow to be more independent. I think that Jean makes some very important points for people, and I hope that people who read them will understand just how harsh Amy Chua style parenting is.

The Lady or the Tiger?

The Lady or the Tiger? :
I usually help my friends and benefit them rather than being selfish and doing stuffs that can benefit myself. I also have friends that take their benefits to help me. Back in America, I had a friend that was named Jin, he wasn’t really good with English at the time, but I help him when he has problems in his ESL classes. There was a time when we were doing a Biology project together, and I wanted some extra credit. But the problem was that we needed to do it on a certain date and turn it in on a certain time earlier than it was due to receive the full extra credit, and Jin had family dinners at the time. Of course, I expected that he’ll be eating at a very expensive restaurant and if we do our project he would miss all the exotic rich dishes. Also, it would be a disgrace to his family by not showing up at supper. I was expecting he would call me and say he couldn’t make it, but it turns out that he ended up on my front door saying, “ Alright, let’s do this.” He took away his fun time for a boring project time with his friend? See? I haven’t received this kind of friendship in two years.
I also helped Jin by taking away my own free time. I was supposed to compete in a video game in my town center, but Jin had a problem with his English homework and asked me to help him. I thought that if I don’t do this, he might be left alone to work and receive a bad percentage. I also thought that if I miss the video game session, I would not receive my hundred- dollar bill. But in the end, I decided that leaving Jin alone doing the work would also waste his time, therefore, I helped him for an hour and he thanked me.
I think that doing these things are the right things, because if you take away your joy and think selflessly, and help others, you will gain that joy back, because you just helped someone else.

The Road NOT taken: Why not just The Road Taken?

I think that the author chose to write "The Road Not Taken" because, the person in the story might have walked the wrong path. Therefore, regretting the path he was decided to walk upon, therefore, making the title "The Road Not Taken" to express his sadness. The title also may express the mystery beneath the story, causing the readers to think critically about about the story. Therefore, maybe, understanding it more. Another way of looking at the title, is that maybe the author and the narrator is curious about the other path. Thinking about what is that other path going to lead him/her, or how it looks like. He could be thinking about how his life now and the "road" maybe just to express his/her life. Thinking outside the box will create many reasons why the title is the way it is named. For the main reasons, I think that The Road Not Taken maybe that the person in the story went the wrong way, or the bad way, or just thinking about what will happen if he/she took the other path.

Response to : Chinese Parenting

Frankly, I do not agree with Ms.Chau and her ways of handling her kids. My mom is perhaps even more strict than her, but in some ways exactly like her. Except, the only difference between Ms.Chau and my mom is that my mom wants me to make her a lot of money to pay her back what she wanted when she's old. Therefore, I am assuming that educating me is just trying to benefit herself, which en-angers me. I would have to agree that a permissive Western Parenting way is the best for children, because I am under great stress and I am about the lose the only goal of growing up. Yet a lot of people think these parenting styles are stereotypical, but I would have to say it is true! I agreed full-heartedly to the part in the article where is explains about how a Chinese Parent expects his/her child to be the best in everything, pushing their child to the limits. This is not going to get your child anywhere; he might grow up living a mournful life, not enjoying it! Pushing you child to the limits is not going to encourage him, it will do quite the opposite. It will motivate a child to do what the parent does not want, just to prove his rights. Yes, I have done that, just because I wanted to show my mom how much I hated her ways of parenting. Just like Ms.Chau, her husband is nice, as my father is too, my dad always encourages me even when my test scores or grades are low. All he cares are the little things I do, because he assumes that the little things I do will affect what I do later in life. My dad now has a more successful business than my mom, because he believes in different things than my mom, that I mostly agree to. I think that a Wester Parenting style will promote more children to do better and work the best of their interests. There was one thing in the article that Ms.Chau explained that I did not like very well. She mentioned that she does not allow her kids to choose their extra curriculum classes; what kind of a devilish idea is that? Only a stupid parent would ever want to choose that, it will drag their kids to hell. Allow me to explain, Chinese Parents do want their children to be lawyers, architects, or engineers, but not every lawyer, architect, or engineer makes good money or business. Isn't that what Chinese Parents are looking for? Money and Business? Living the luxurious life? Well, giving your child an opportunity to choose their paths by giving them more freedom, but not too much, is going to let them get a job that he/she will enjoy. Therefore, they will do a great job on the work they have, therefore allowing them to be the best at that job, leading them to make good business. Yet, that does not make my main point clear, my main point is that, you kids will be enjoying their lives, appreciating you, also making you a luxurious person!
If you choose to bring yourself to an American society, you cannot every bring a Chinese Parenting style to morph with it. It would not work, simply won't work, because these two things will not combine. It is like trying one side of the magnet against another side that will never attract it! This is a message to my mom, that she is not leading me the right path, and that she is simply wasting my time, by making me fight back at her. Sure Bill Gates was smart, it was because he was doing what he was interested in, not because his parents were forcing him down on every specific things he does! I consider it to be ridiculous!
I would not blame a Chinese Parent in China or Korea to be strict like Ms.Chau, but in America, Chinese parents cannot be demanding to their children, because it won't work. They chose to come to an eastern society, they must cope with it. I think that Jed (husband) is doing the right thing, to ease their children, but not too much.
In conclusion, I think that a demanding parenting style is not right for an "American" kid, especially not a teen.

Poison Quickwrite: Hard Choices

I have made hard decisions at times in my life, one of them was the hardest, and that was two years ago when my mom asked me if I can move back to Taiwan. With much memory of the fun I had during vacation at Taiwan I immediately said yes. What I did not realize is that how big of a mistake I just have made and now my life is in turmoil. It is impossible to retrieve my happiness that once shined in the states. As I have said before, the things that encouraged me to say "yes" to my mom's question was the "fun" I had before on the puny island. I'd never thought that it could burn me like I am burning right now. The short story I wrote before will explain the details on how things are slowly eating me alive and how painful it is.
People like my dad made hard decisions before, since the economy isn't doing it's best, he decided to move to 'Nam to start a clothing business. He faces the choice to either stay with his family or go on to make money FOR his family. After a year of thinking about it, he decided that money was what's best for his family, therefore, moving to Viet Nam and starting a huge factory. He now often says that he is lonely and wishes to move back, but he can't until I am full grown to work! I guess my dad and I share some similarities, but still, I need to work hard to achieve my goals, to go back to where I belong.
These hard choices are like tricks, they trick you and deceive you, once you fall into their traps you are stuck in eternal sadness and un-forgiveness. In order to make the right moves, you need to be yourself and think critically. People need to think ahead of themselves and plan accordingly, through these techniques,I think that people will thrive to achieve happiness, unlike me.

The Gift of the Magi: Quick Write

The one item I would save is my pillow, not a regular pillow, but a pillow that I had kept with me since birth. Before I was born, my mom thought about how she should keep the house as germ-free as possible, therefore buying all these pillows and mattresses and sheets that are germ-free. One of the pillows was squared and had a germ-free sponge looking thing in it, I grew up to love it and cherish it. Everyday, I would sleep with it, because there is a certain smell on the pillow that I especially like. There was once that I went on vacation and I forgot to bring my pillow, I couldn’t sleep for days! My mom went to buy new ones, but none would satisfy me for some reason. Even at times I don’t sleep, I sometimes keep watch of it, because I did not want to lose it again, and now when I go on vacations I keep it in a save place I would remember easily. So if disaster strikes, my pillow would be the one item I would save.

Careers

What I wish for my future career is to be a cook! I like to cook food and I always watch the food channel or travel channel for cook shows. Or maybe be a doctor in Africa treating poor kids, just like my cousin. I feel that money is not the most important thing in life, I feel that helping others or doing something reasonable to the world is what is most important. If a person cares about money than he/she is wrong. Money would not always make you happy, it is what you do that makes you happy.

New Years Resolution

My first resolution would be to get at least A's on 90% of my report cards. My last report card I received 85% A's on my subjects. My second resolution would be to do well in my SPIMUN trip, to make good arguments, or maybe even to make my resolution one of the main resolutions. My third resolution is to visit America and my American friends during the summer and hopefully be able to stay there forever. But that is clearly impossible. My fourth resolution is to have a happy year, because for the last two years I have never been really happy and I am missing my happiness. My fifth resolution is to show more love to God.