Warm-Up

There was a person I met named Mrs. Mcdonald. She was a teacher who left me a great impression in my 1st grade year in America. She was a person who was very harsh even though I didn't even know how to speak English. This however, gave a great impact in my life. She made me do lots of work, which included doing writing and reading. She was very kind in a way as well, even though she was very harsh. The thing that made me remember her was her name. Her last name Mcdonald, was slightly different as the company, Mcdonalds. Also, one thing I could remember about her, is her scary, mad, and insane-looking mad expression!!! She was a scary teacher. Wow!!!

Clue #5

1. What is the theme of "About Effie"?

- The theme for this story "About Effie", is quite complex, however simple. I at first thought about the consistency you need towards many things. I thought this because Effie had consistency in waiting for "him". It is very hard for people to stay focused on one thing and not give up on it. When I see people stay consistent, I sometimes think that they are very responsible. I also thought about the connection to the Bible. We Christians wait patiently for the Messiah, Jesus, or God to come to save us and forgive our sins. For this part, I thought it was very interesting.

2. Find a verse from the Bible that relates to the theme of "About Effie" and include it in your written responses.
- Psalm 27 (New International Version)

14 Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.
I chose this verse because I really thought that it related to the idea of what Effie had done waiting for "him". The verse says to wait for the One, or God, and to be firm in your heart in waiting for the Messiah. It also means that we have to be patient. Effie, in the story apparently waited for a very long period of time. This was why I thought that these two parts were very similar.



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1. Who is Effie waiting for?
- Effie is waiting for "him", the one she has thought of for a very long time. Through the observations of Neil, he found out that Effie was waiting for someone. The way she was waiting for him was not in a way most women did. Also, Neil had found out that the man Effie had been looking for didn't sound like any man he had heard of. This guy, or "him" was very different from the other people because Effie described this person as a guy who only comes when there is a thunder, lightning, and music all together. This guy, through my observations; I found out that he is a character with a very msyterious character trait.

2. This story contains a lot of Christ imagery. Write down three separate sentences from the story that might symbolize Jesus and explain why Timothy Findley might have written these into his story.
- Since I am a Christian, I figured that there were lots of connections that I could make or predict about the Christianity. I personally thought that "him" was Jesus Christ or the Messiah. It was because the way Neil described was very similar to what I thought of Jesus. In my perspective, Jesus or the Messiah is a very strong, firm, powerful being. In the story, "There has to be thunder, or he won't come." This sentence made me think of Jesus of being strong because the word thunder kind of makes you think of power. Also, "Whoever he was, he surely was coming." this sentence also made me think of Jesus because in the Bible, people believe that Jesus will surely come to save the people. Lastly, "...didn't sound like any man I'd heard of." this part also mad eme think of Jesus, not in a literal way, but more of expanded meaning. The sentence says that the guy didn't sound like any man Neil had heard of. I personally thought that he meant that the guy was uniquely different. Through this, I connected that Jesus was also uniquely different from many people.

3. Can non-Christian authors reveal truth about God's world?
- Yes; the non-Christian authors reveal truth about God's world. They can reveal the truth without noticing themselves doing it. They add morals about life, love, responsibility, and many more. These things are also the ideas that were in the Bible, in other words topics from God. Many stories talk about these things because these are the basic things that we have troubles and conflicts about.

Clue #4

1. Who is a "character" in your life (a real-life person) you admire? Why do you admire this person? (Be specific and name the traits you admire).
- Everyone should probably have at least one person that they admire that they have met in their life. I too, have someone that I admire. This person, I think is a person that I admire most because he taught me many things, such as about life, what we need to do to other people, how we should act towards others, and about love. This person is Jesus. I didn't literally meet this person, but I found out about him as soon as I became a Christian. Even though our family was mainly Christian, I didn't know much about Christianity, even what religion was. As I grow up older, I got into praying, which sort of lead me close to God and Jesus. I relied on them. And when I came to TCIS, I found out more about Jesus, what he has mainly done for us in person. He came to Earth in the characteristics of a human to sacrifice himself for our sins. I especially admired his act of sacrifice, caring, love, and passion. These 4 things are also the traits that I admire.

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1. What specific clues can setting reveal about the theme of a short story?
- There are always clues in a short story that reveal a theme for a short story. And in that story, the setting can reveal to us many clues about the theme. First of all, we already know that a theme is the kind of idea that the author wants to communicate and tell us. The setting reveals the clue for themes by telling us what the character is like (characteristics of the character, where he/she is, who they are, the conflict, etc.), the place of the story, and how the story is progressed. First of all, the character and the background information of the setting will give you the idea of what the conflict of the character is. As you know the conflict, you will be able to connect an idea or a thought to humanity. After this, you will be able to identify the bits of the theme of the story.

2. How does an author drop clues about characters and how their actions lead you to the theme of the story?
- Almost every literature elements leave clues about the theme. Especially the characters affect how the story goes and the theme. Basically, without characters, the story will not be able to progress properly. If the character is missing, the story wouldn't be a story. In other words, the story would be dull, boring, and not interesting. Also, there would be no conflict. Without conflict, the story wouldn't have a moral and a theme. It wouldn't have the idea that the author wants to communicate. The author uses the characters very wisely. The character traits, like caring, curious, thoughtful, etc., these give enormous clues for the theme of the story. Additionally, the conflict the character has and how the character gets over the conflict identifies some clue about the theme.

3. What is the strongest setting you have ever encountered in your own life (the place that has impacted you the most). Describe this place and ponder if God revealed anything about Himself or His truth in this place.
- TCIS, was one of the strongest setting where I have felt something special. Before I came to TCIS, I was more like a bird without a place or destination to reach. After I came to TCIS, I was able to learn more about God and Jesus. I found out more about the stories in the Bible, or the words of God. This place of school I came was a Christian school, where I was able to praise God and Jesus and learn more about them.

"Two Kinds" - Personal Readers Response

Connections between the main character Jing Mei...

※ Jing Mei's mom personally wanted her daughter Jing Mei to be a prodigy, in playing piano. My mom, didn't exactly wanted me to be a prodigy in playing piano, but she did want me to become a prodigy in many things, such as studying. I especially didn't enjoy this part, it was a very hard thing for me to accomplish. It takes real responsibility to accomplish such thing.


※ Jing Mei became lazy as when he kept on playing the piano. I too, eventually became lazy in playing the piano, when I was taught by the teacher in a musical hagwon, I became too lazy in practicing the piano, since the piano was kind of difficult for me. Eventually, I turned to a different instrument, a guitar. I liked this instrument better.



※ When Jing Mei had a really good playing music teacher, I too had a very great music teacher, he was able to play many instruments, not including guitar, which my teacher taught me how to play. I was very amazed at how he could play so many instruments. It seemed as if he and his guitar were one united body.



※ My next connection is when Jing Mei once too went to America during her life time and lived there. I too, went to America, but in to a different state, Texas. I had faced a different life there than I had in Korea. First of all, the language I used was way different, Korean to English. Also, the people I would hang out changed. There were some Koreans, but many parents wanted the Korean kids to hang out more with the Americans so that we could learn our English more.



※ Jing Mei in this story fights with her mother about the success she needs to accomplish and the idea that she needs to obey what her mother tells her. I too, had a fight with my mother, but it wasn't really about obeying, but rather about the success. I couldn't get good grades all the time, and we did have moments where our thoughts clashed.


※ Jing Mei and her mother did fight, but eventually got over the problem and they forgave each other. This moment, I had as well. As I said earlier, I did make fights with my mother, and eventually we both were up to saying sorry to each other.



Personal Perspective About The Story: A Paragraph

- I think this story is basically a very interesting story for me. Honestly, I couldn't get the exposition of the story because of the vocabulary and other stuffs going on during the reading. But eventually, at the end, I was able to get the main idea and the detail of the story and found out that the story was an happy ending. I really enjoyed how this story went on, Jing Mei trying to become better in piano as her mother told her to be a prodigy, Jing Mei eventually giving up, the daughter and the mother ending up in a big major fight, eventually forgiving each other. Again, I really liked the story because it described the ideas and the events very clearly with many details. The theme my group thought of also gave a good realization for me as well.

Clue #3

***This is a Biggie!! THEME***

1. What is a literary theme? Provide an explanation and then 3 one-statement examples of a literary theme that reveals truth about the universal human experience.
- A literary theme is a kind of idea that the author wants to tell or communicate to the reader. In other words, it is an idea or a message the author. This is the perception about life and human nature. For example, the theme for any kind of literary writing, can either tell us about love, life, beauty, friendship, conflicts, and many other things that consider thinking. The theme can also be described as an author's purpose for writing. The theme can be used to entertain people. This means, a story the author tells can communicate an exciting or an entertaining tale. The theme can also be used for humor. If the theme is used for humor, the theme isn't actually the humor itself, but the theme will be something beneath the humor ideas. Other examples that the theme can be used for are fantasy, life, and for exploration. All of these examples similarly gives us a simple idea about ourselves. I personally think that the literary theme reveals the truth that God made us and the literary theme for a purpose. Since we were created with free will, in other words the ability to analyze and think, God created the literary theme for this reason as well. God would have probably gave us the idea to the literary theme so that we could analyze it, and so that we could learn more about our universal life.

2. What is the theme of your life, as you see it right now?
- Everyone has a theme in their life. If a person doesn't have a theme in their life, they would be living with no purpose. This will be very sad; life will be difficult, boring, and irritating. As any other people have themes in their life, I too have a theme. Honestly, I don't know the main theme for my life, but one thing I found out as I came to this TCIS school, I found out that as harder you work, put more effort into many things not only studying, and praying hard helps your life develop better to a goal of success. When I was in Korean school, before I came to TCIS, I was really bad at studying and the major works that occurred in the school. After I came to TCIS, it felt like God was helping my life to be better. I was able to work harder, study better, and get a better social life in this school. I also had more opportunity to get to know about God and Jesus since I was a Christian. This eventually led me to pray more. As I kept on doing the things I have said, I was getting a better life; I enjoyed my life more. I figured living my life with a purpose was very important.

3. In your opinion, what is the theme of God's plan for this world?
- I personally have a whole bunch of opinions about the plan of God for this world, but one main thing that everyone else would be thinking is love. God would have probably sent us down to Earth for a purpose as I have said earlier. I think that purpose is to communicate and show his love to us. Just as we express our love to one another, God would have purposely sent us down here so that we could figure out how much God loves us. In the Bible, the major percentage of the Bible talks about love and how we should love everybody, the nature itself, and everything around us. Through my experience, it is way better to be loved, loving others, and to live with love than to live with hatred. I found out that living with hatred brings loneliness, violence, and depression. If everyone in the world would live with hatred, the world would probably end because of so much depression and violence. Since God gave us the idea of theme, he is using the idea of theme so that we could figure out his purpose of sending us down to Earth. He even proves His love by sacrificing His own son, Jesus. This is why I think that we should show Him respect for what He has done for us.

***This will give you the biggest clue in your quest to solve the short story mystery!!!***

1. How can you figure out a theme in a short story? Describe the process.
- In a short story, there is always a theme. The story must have a purpose it is being written, or else it would be terribly boring. We can always find out the theme for every short story, if we put enough effort in it. First of all, we should always consider the title. Many short stories gives us the basic idea about the story, what the story will be about. "The Utterly Perfect Murder", this title gives a lot of information of what the story will be. You might be able to think of at least 2 things from this title. Next, after you finished reading the story, you should think about the main character of the story. Then you should consider about the conflict the main character faces or the moral they face. Most of the themes should come from the conflict the main character faces. To do this, you should take a closer look at the background information about the main character. 3rd, you should locate the climax and figure out how what happened to the conflict. Also, you should be beginning to think what the author is trying to tell you. For more broadness, you should try to connect how the main idea relates to the humanity in general. Also try to connect with your own experience, just like the reader's response. Lastly, taking a look into the resolution gives you a more clearer idea of what the purpose of the story would be. After you finished all these stuff, you should now relate all of these ideas together to come up with one simple statement. Then you have the theme!

2. What is the theme of "The Utterly Perfect Murder", and how does this theme relate to your own life?
- The theme of "The Utterly Perfect Murder", is quite interesting. From the title, I found out that the story had to be related to some kind of revenge or murder crime. And as I went through the main character, Doug Spaulding, I found out that he wanted revenge on his best friend Ralph Underhill for doing minor problems. These include the bullying Ralph had done when they were young, the unfair trading with a statue and a baseball mitt, and Ralph not visiting Doug's house. I found out that the conflict of Doug was that Doug wanted to revenge on Ralph for what he had done, but he is afraid that Ralph might not remember him. In the climax, they finally meet, Doug wielding his gun. However, they realize who they were, and Doug can't shoot. Then the resolution, the two guys become friends again. Through all of this analyzing, I figured that the theme the author tried to tell us was that 'once a friend, friends forever'. I also had a similar situation a lot of times. One of my best friend, ***, he had done something bad to me, which was making a unfair deal just like Doug and Ralph, I was planning to do a revenge on him, but then my friend confessed to me and said sorry. This was when I also found out that we became better friends.

3. How is a moral of a story different from a theme?
- A theme and a moral seems very similar, but somehow very different. Many people would think that the both are same, because I once thought that too. The two literary elements are very different. A theme is built up along the story just as the title, character, conflict, climax, and resolution is built. However, you could consider the moral as like a goal for the story to tell and teach the readers. A theme makes you realize things about life, while the moral teachs us a lesson about life. There is a big difference between realizing and being taught. Theme is usually something more vague, which means that the idea of the theme will be probably something you can't see clearly, like friendship and love. However, the moral is more broad and clear. It is because you have to teach, you have to be very specific to teach someone about something. These are the big differences between a theme and a moral.

4. Read John 3:16. Is this a theme statement for God's story? How does this relate to the truth you might find in literature?
- In John 3:16, the verse talks about God's love towards US. It also mentions that He loved us so much that He gave up His one and only son, Jesus. As I had said earlier, this could be a part of the theme of God's plan. The theme I think that is mentioned from this verse is that You should believe the love of God for He has sacrificed His one and only son for us.
- As I read this verse, the verse awkwardly amplifies the idea of love and sacrifice. These are one of the main things that you can find in a literature. In many literatures, the main character, or the protagonist usually makes a sacrifice for the ones they love. Not all stories does that, but lot of stories do. This is why I believe that this verse and many story themes are related commonly.

Clue #6

1. Define a metaphor and a simile.

- A Metaphor is a comparison of two things, without using the word like or as. A Simile, is a comparison as well but then it uses like or as.

- Robert Burns

*What is beautiful about figurative language?

Q#1) Why do authors use figurative language?
- The authors use figurative language to describe the situation in a figurative way. Also, make the literature sound more beautiful. Additionally, it makes the reader imagine clearly, think more, and enjoy better, if the figurative language is used in the text. The figurative language basically makes the reader get a clear idea of what the story is like. For example, describing a specific thing by simile and metaphors, you can figure out what the specific thing is more clearly, because the author describes the thing using a comparison. I could also say that authors and writers use figurative language because it helps you to draw into the story. The best way for people to be listening and reading to a interesting story is by exaggerating or describing with full detail. This is one of the best ways to draw the reader or the listener's attention. The exaggeration would be a part of hyperbole. Exaggeration might confuse the reader if the exaggeration is miss used, but in other parts it is good way to draw the audience's attention.

Q#2) List 3 metaphors that you think are really beautiful or interesting.
- The 3 metaphors that I think are really beautiful and interesting are metaphor, idioms, hyperbole.

Metaphor:
What I like to use are similes since they are more easier to use, but I personally think that metaphors have more attractiveness to the audience than simile, because of the way the writer compares one thing to the other. Also, for me it sounds more cool because it doesn't use like or as.
Ex) I am lightning quick.

Idioms:
I also like idioms a lot, which I found out what it was few days ago. I like it because this is how you make interesting phrases or sentences that describe the situation, idea, thought, etc. More than how it uses things, I just like this figurative language because of the style language.
Ex) Caught him red-handed.

Hyperbole:
I additionally like the hyperbole figurative language because it uses exaggeration. Any type of exaggeration at least expresses the idea by adding bigger and larger details and images. And through this, you can look at the idea in a more bigger picture. Also, hyperbole allows you to find out how big the situation is.
Ex) He was a million years old.

Q#3) Find a metaphor for Jesus in the Bible and list the Bible verse (hint: look in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John).

- John 8:12 (New International Version) 12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
- John 15:1 (New International Version) 1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
- John 14:6 (New International Version) 6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
- John 6:51 (New International Version) 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
- Luke 21:8 (New International Version) 8He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them.

Q#4) What does this metaphor reveal about God's world and your understanding of it??
- Through these verses that I found reveal many things about the God's world. First of all, mostly it describes Jesus to teach us many things. Most of the sayings of metaphors about Jesus brings hope to His disciples. For instance, "I am the light of the world", this part of the verse brings hope to His disciples. "I am the way and the truth and the life" this part of the verse tells us that we should follow the teachings of Jesus. When Jesus says that He is the vine, and God is the gardener, he is telling us that God is our God, King, Leader, etc. And if you continue looking through the verses that uses metaphor about Jesus, you will find many different ideas. One of the ideas that I found was that in these verses, God and Jesus were always considered the highest. Also, the verses tell us that we should follow them as their guider. The metaphors reveal that God is the creator of the universe.

Bad Experience With a Sibling!!!

Once upon a time, there lived a guy named Raymond. He had a brother. Raymond was a guy, small as a mouse, but big as an elephant. My brother, was a guy who could change anytime. When he was nice, he was nice as a chipmunk, and when he was angry, he became a T-Rex. Raymond and his brother always loved to play around together doing many stuff. But, they had one problem. They both loved to eat, but the food was always limited. Though Raymond only loved to eat when he was hungry, there were always problems. When the two were given food, they would fight over the food. It was as if lions were fight over their prey. As there is a saying, two tigers can't live on the same mountain, we couldn't eat together well. One day, the time when Raymond's brother had to stay in America to get educated. This became the main key to the answer of making the two eat better together. Through this key, they were close siblings and the food was always plenty for the both. For now....

Make A Personal Ad!!!

Olleh!!! I can think like the computer, solve a problem like Einstein, and think up a theory like Newton.
When I swim, I swim fast as a dolphin, faster than Michael Phelps and I can bounce on top of the water like a flying fish. I can split the water like Moses!!!
I can become a zombie whenever I want and eat up everything I see.
I can be loud as a siren and become quiet and still as a rock.
I can make the guitar obey my command.
I am as good as Jimi Hendrix in guitar!!!

Clue #1

*WHAT IS A BEAUTY?

- Beauty could be defined as some thing's attractive quality or features. I define beauty as the feeling, emotion, or expression that we feel when we see something. It is like a response; personal thought of a object, thing, or someone. It is only accountable with your senses, mind, and your soul. There is no standardized beauty; every body's point of view is different. Beauty is basically something that brings enjoyment to the person who contemplates.

*2 Bible Verses about God's view of beauty:

1 Peter 3:3-6 (New International Version)
- 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

1 Samuel 16:7 (New International Version)
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Q#1) In your own words, please summarize what Reader Response analysis is, and what steps are involved.
- Reader Response analysis is a way of acknowledging your personal perspective or connection between the text. Readers Response doesn't really have a exact objective meaning, or a true answer for what the text for the literature means. The Reader Response makes up a meaning for the certain text in the literacy. The author of course would have put morals and themes already to communicate what he was going to say, but then the reader might be able to find other meanings the author wouldn't have purposely put in. The Readers Response comes from the reader's experience, mood, thought, mind, soul, heart, etc. This means that the Readers Response will be based on their own ideas and experience.
- The Readers Response always needs a text of literature with a reader. These two make up a meaning which is basically a personal response towards the literature. It is a connection of the reader with the text. The Response also requires a reader who thinks, concentrates, understands with broad mind of thinking, pays attention beneath the text of the literacy.

Q#2) How can Reader Response open our eyes to more truth as we read?
- The Reader Response open our eyes to more truth as we read. It does make us realize more truth and facts because as we connect with our experiences and personal thoughts. We begin to realize what events occurred. We also find out how we are suppose to resolve in those situations. The story will mostly tell how the character will resolve a problem. Also, since lot of stories and texts of literacy relate to conflicts and hardship, they give us morals and themes that we can apply to our life. After we apply those morals and themes, we will have more knowledge about the kind of conflict. Additionally, we will be able to understand the story; how the story flows. I had time when reading "The Marigolds", I didn't get what the story was. But as I used the reader response skill, looking over back and taking a closer look in every part, I was able to understand the story.

Q#3) Why is it important for you to interact/connect with literature?
- It is very important for you to interact or connect with the literature. It is very important because through these connections, you will be able to find out more other occurrences and life morals. In other words, you will learn new different knowledge that fits in different situations. Additionally, you will be able to find out what other people had experienced. In other words, you can communicate with the author. It is also important because you practice thinking, concentrating, understanding literature, etc. This also includes practicing reading. As you do more reader response, it means that you are reading more and more books. You also acknowledge the reading skills and the skills of literature. Imagery, tone, dialogue, type of language, and many more are included on this section. Through connecting, you will be able to accomplish a lot.

Q#4) Reflect on a book or story you have read recently and what new truth about the world you learned from that narrative.
*Sherlock Holmes*
This story is a mystery and a detective novel, which discusses about crimes, murder, some of psychology, and many more. Most of the times it just is a story where Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, his friend, goes around London, or outside of London solving mystery crimes. The main part that I found out was when Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson first met. Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes first met as a roomate when Dr. Watson came back after the Afghanistan war. They were just getting to know each other, when they got into discussing about reasoning. Sherlock Holmes said that you can find out the basic background of the person by the way the person acts, thinks, physical outlook, etc. This was quite when I was young when I read this, I felt kind of amazed because it was terribly difficult for me to find out the background of a person by just looking at a person.