Log #4

What is death?

What is death like?

What is death with?

Those might be one of the most intriguing questions we as being ask. As a child, the idea of death alway drive me to tremble because of my fear. The fear to perish. Why? Why do I have to fear the idea of being dead? Is this fear all from our nature. Or the fear is just a consequence of nurture. Those remain in my mind in a long run. They remain unanswered. Until recently, I am finally with the chance to team up those captivating questions and answer them. By seeking the advice from the Net, this book, When Breath Becomes Air, must be the top priority to be perused. For this is a real death faced by a real person, the strong power of persuasion is bestowed upon the stylish prose written by the author, Paul Kalanithi.

Log #3

page 63-95

These pages are mainly included in chapter 7 and chapter 8. In chapter 7, Carol meets Therese again and drives her to her house. There are three climaxes in the chapter. Every climax has different resolution. One climax in this part is the dissatisfaction popping up twice on Carol’s face. Why? As a reader, that’s the question first comes in my mind? Without being answered, I keep perusing the plots. At the end, I think that dissatisfaction is not from Therese but from her husband, Harge. The other is when they wander through Carol’s yard. Therese develops the regret for Carol because of the bitterly cold whether outside. That shows her weakness and fear judged under one’s eyes. Because she likes Carol, that even worsens her regretful feeling for her. The third one might be the most fascinating one. It is when Carol commands Therese to play the piano for her. Carol approaches and rest behind Theres’s back to harbour a kiss on Therese’s neck and motion Therese’s hands to evoke the piano masterpiece only kwon by themselves. Subsequently, after noticing Therese’s tiredness, Carol put her to bed. Simply put, these parts contains tons of cares only not ubiquitous in usual friends. That makes feel that the author manages flourish the love seedling by a myriad of eccentric and fishy mental states between them.         

Log #2

 Page1-Page 62 of Carol.
     In the chapter 1, the doomed scene of co-worker' s cafeteria makes a start on Therese's journey for love. It is mainly dealt with Therese's acquaintance with Mrs. Robichek. Mrs Robichek play a pivotal role in this chapter, and the descriptions of Mrs Robichek and a comparison of them also take the initiatives on Therese's realization of her misery life. This comparison can be seen in the warm, hearty smiling on and generosity of the woman that brings the purpose of life for Therese and the grotesque, dim ugliness of the woman that frustrates Therese and leads to the fear of her in the end of this chapter. What the climax is harboured in the end of this chapter is her escape from the woman's house. After reading this end, the horrific scene is still haunting in my mind. But, I think the purpose of this chapter is trying to stand out her misery like Mrs. Robichek's.
     In the following pages, the chapter 2 and chapter 3, reader might realise the wanting for Therese's to end this job because of the weary tasks in toy department. 
However, the appearance of Carol brings Therese a sense of slight affection. That affection acts as a crucial role in her writing on a Christmas card to bridge their unfamiliar acquaintance and following dating events. 
     In chapter 4, it was the first dating between Therese and Carol. The conversations set in between them are besieged with the lightness and splendor. This was quite a irony for Therese's boyfriend, Richard, because of the opposite at the start of the chapter5. In chapter 5, I unravel what Theres's feeling for Richard is not love but likeness.  Especially, when I investigate the descriptions at the page 52 and page 53, I witness the clues of the likeness for Richard and the love for Carol.
 

Log #1

Title: Memory Power 
Author: Scott HagwoodPage finished: p.1 - p. 49

My reflection: 

The first 49 page is much more like the orientation to bridge and guide us to step in the world of memory power. At first, the author talks over his compassionate poor-memory experiences to prove his unsophisticatedness of memory. Out of surprises, the author's wretched experiences and words challenge my definition for those who possess outstanding memories. Aside from that, the readers might even be petrified when witnessing the miseries the author had suffered in every facets of his past. Therefore, after that realization of the author's tragedy, my curiosity is uncovered to drive me to take the subsequent perusals, the chapter 2 and the chapter 3. In chapter 2, the author, with generosity, unmasks a truth of memorization by introducing the journal he kept about the catastrophic, terror-stricken attack, 9/11. That introduction brings the idea of focused memory, which is the memory we aware. I was only at the time to realize that each focused memory need the engagement in three components: senses, emotions, actions. Because keeping journals could involve those components, it might turn out to be a good idea to improve our innate memory potential.  So, the author encourage readers to write the first journal and analyse your journal by specified tools to gradually develop the focused memory. I did but felt nothing. Later, I realised that the power can be developed only by keeping journals several weeks. I also realised that a manifold of exercises, keeping journals is one of them, containing in every chapter might be a time-consuming process to delay my reading speed and progression. As a result, now, I am considering to alter my book. However, this non-fiction is worth reading because of its step-by-step approaches to an excellent memory. For those who suffer the bad memory, it is definitely a panacea. 

My Reading History

     After investigation, I specify the answers to all the inquiries. Since it would help me to answer them to be precise, I formulate each of the responses just under each inquiry. However, because of the relevance of the contents in question III and question IV, I put the replies to the two inquiries altogether.  
I. Do you consider yourself a reader, either in Mandarin or English?

     Having some time to ponder over my past, I found that I am actually a good reader in Mandarin. On the other hand, it is unfortunate that reading in English is an unfamiliar idea for me.  

II.  Do you remember the book/books you remember and still like very much? Why?

     The Chinese books that impress me and affect my life are 科學人, the Chinese version of Scientific American. Each edition published includes massive information and aspects of all trendy facets in the area of science. Both the cutting edge ideas and informative articles and words by many noted journalists and scientists benefit my understanding of science, quench my thirst for knowledge and further to read the extensive materials mentioned in the end of each article in the name of my curiosity, of course. 

     As for English one, a children book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, is second to none to make an impression on my little childhood. What makes me love it is its unconventional themes of cruelty and unconditional love. Of course, I know that though the cruel plots in The Given Tree I remembered always make me heartbroken, it acts as an catalyst to treasure my parents and my loved ones.

III.  How did you become a reader?

IV. Can you also tell who made you a reader? Please Describe also the environment (home/school/ friends) that has made you a reader?

     I started to read comprehensively owing to my aggressive environment in the years of my secondary school. Though I still can remember that the helpless boy almost knelt down, tremble in fear and hide in library after each class, and the boy was me, a survivor of bully, it remains vague when I start to develop this habit to read extensively. In those years, reading really redeem myself, help me learn to forgive the ones distressing me and even alter my future. And I also realise that reading can benefit and flourish one's mind and thoughts from my past experiences. Therefore, it is irony but necessary to show my gratitude to those who hurt me, and I am willing to devote myself to reading.