The Finale!

 Dear all,

This semester has finally ended, and 90% of you have submitted your portfolios. Thank you for being the students in the class. It was never easy for people to get used to each other in such a short term. I understand it's especially not easy for you to comply with a new teaching approach. But through compiling your portfolios, I hope you have seen how much you have experienced and accomplished. Though I may fail to let every single student feel satisfied with learning in this class, I indeed have seen some of you who have tried and done well.

I wish you all great success in your future endeavors, whatever they are. You may feel that you chose the wrong department or school, but I guarantee that learning at every stage of your life will help you to a great extent, not only knowledge-wise but in many other aspects, e.g., critical thinking, problem-solving, time management, so to speak. 

We will soon announce the top 3 videos and give out vouchers (禮券 as a token for your creativity and effort. Belated Merry Christmas!

Log 5

 There’s no denying that Lolita is one of the most controversial novels ever written. But beyond its disturbing subject matter lies an intricate exploration of obsession, manipulation, and the power of storytelling. For me, the chapter that left a lasting impression is the one where Humbert Humbert first becomes fully aware of the extent of his control over Dolores Haze, or as he calls her, Lolita. This moment is chilling, not only for what it reveals about Humbert’s psyche but also for the way Nabokov’s prose seduces the reader into seeing through his warped perspective, even if only for a moment.

The chapter’s tension lies in its duality. On one hand, there’s Humbert’s twisted infatuation, and on the other, Dolores’s helplessness as a child trapped in an unthinkable situation. Nabokov crafts Humbert’s narration with such linguistic beauty that it almost distracts from the horror of his actions. His poetic descriptions and intellectual rationalizations pull the reader into his world, forcing us to grapple with the uncomfortable reality of how easily language can manipulate emotions and perceptions.

What struck me most was the subtle shift in the power dynamic between Humbert and Lolita. This chapter makes it clear that while he believes he holds all the cards, Lolita retains fragments of agency—small rebellions, biting remarks, or moments of refusal. It’s a haunting reminder that even in her vulnerability, she is not entirely lost, though Humbert’s delusions prevent him from truly understanding her humanity.

This chapter also emphasizes the novel’s broader theme: the dangers of romanticizing harmful behavior. Nabokov doesn’t let the reader look away from the ugly truth of Humbert’s actions, no matter how artfully they are described. It’s a masterclass in unreliable narration, showing how one can twist reality to justify the unjustifiable.

What lingers for me is the uncomfortable reflection it prompts. It made me question how easily people can be complicit in harmful systems or ideas when they are presented in an appealing package. Lolita forces readers to confront the darker aspects of human nature—not just in Humbert but in ourselves.

This chapter, like the book as a whole, is not one you simply read and forget. It stays with you, challenges you, and leaves you grappling with moral questions long after you’ve closed the book. It’s a disturbing yet brilliant reminder of literature’s power to provoke thought and introspection, even in the most uncomfortable of contexts.

Log 6

Chapter three

    Chapter Three is narrated by In-hye, Yeong-hye's older sister, as she reflects on the chaos happening in her family due to Yeong-hye's behavior. In-hye struggles with her own depression while taking care of her son and dealing with great distress from her husband's affair with Yeong-hye. She often saw the illusion of her eye bleeding and thought of suicide when she was on the train platform, but she held the thoughts back because she still had a son.

    As for Yeong-hye, she was sent to the mental hospital, but refused to eat and expressed her belief that she was transforming into a plant. She did a handstand in the hallway for half an hour and said that her arms were roots, and branches were growing from her crotch. In-hye visited her sister occasionally and every time she saw Yeong-hye, she was getting worse and worse. She didn't even eat fruits and vegetables anymore. Seeing her like this, she struggled with feelings of guilt, helplessness, and a deep sense of connection to her behavior. She thought that what if she stopped her father that day, would Yeong-hye not end up like this? She recalled something Yeong-hye said as a child as well. When she was lost in the woods, she said "It would be better if I could stay out here." She didn't think much of it at that time, but now thinking of it, adding up the one time Yeong-hye escaped the hospital and went into the woods, it all made sense to her. She begins to question her own life choices, especially the sacrifices she has made to fulfill her role as a wife and mother in this society.
    

    In the end, when she saw her sister painfully resisting the nasogastric tube being shoved down her throat, she snapped and tried stopping the doctor and nurses. Yeong-hye was being transferred to a different hospital, in the ambulance, In-hye watched the trees outside, and they were in flames.

Reflection

    Chapter three dived into In-hye's life after the series of events. It explored how societal expectations can break a person's spirit. In-hye's reflections in the mirror revealed her inner conflicts as she struggled with her own suffering while trying to care for Yeong-hye. Her depression mirrored Yeong-hye's, but while Yeong-hye externalized her resistance to societal pressures through her physical transformation, In-hye internalized her pain, leading to emotional numbness and self-doubt.

    Yeong-hye's belief that she is becoming a plant represents a complete rejection of humanity and its oppressive systems. Her transformation symbolized a desire for freedom and purity, though it came at the cost of her physical and mental health. If she couldn't escape from this body made of meat, for her, it wasn't true freedom. Therefore, she sought a way to live like a plant. Even if it seemed absurd in normal people's eyes. For In-hye, Yeong-hye's state forced her to confront her own suppressed desires for escape and individuality. Finally, when she saw the trees in flames, it symbolized the possibility of resistance, a motivation to fight against the social norms in the Korean patriarchal society

Thoughts on this book

    When I was reading this book, all I felt was discomfort, disgust, and distress. It's written in a very soft but depressing manner. You would see the situation escalating before your eyes, but the only thing you can do is watch. All the pain and suffering of the characters clearly showed before you. The realistic description of the dreams, actions, and memories touched up the story and it's what made this novel beautiful. It's the first novel I've finished reading. The arrangement of this story pulled me deep into the swirl, the more I read, the more I want to find out what happens next. There are even parts that I went back to carefully read again because it gives a different feeling after you know the full context. Like what was the meat symbolizing here, why did Yeong-hye's dreams involve killing and cannibalism? It made me deeply reflect on the Korean society. We have heard events like Nth Room Case, and the 4B movement originated from Korea. They showed the gender inequality and the exploitation women faced. It's insane that women have fought for their rights for hundreds of years, and now in 2024, we haven't reached true gender equality. I support feminism but aim for the goal of gender equality. Being misandristic is not a way, and I hope I can see the day when women in Korea and other places can be free of violence and exploitation.

Log 5

Chapter two

    Chapter two shifts to the perspective of Yeong-hye's brother-in-law. An unnamed man who is an artist. He became obsessed with Yeong-hye after discovering that she had a leaf-shaped green birthmark on her hip. The chapter explored his desires, artistic and sexual, about Yeong-hye as he fixated on her body, and asked her to be involved in a photoshoot project of painted flowers on a naked body. Their relationship became more complicated as he convinced her to participate and ultimately had sex with her, blurring the lines between art, desire, and morality. Yeong-hye's determination to transform strengthened when she felt the connection with the flowers, and how they helped her with her nightmares. Besides the plant imagery, being naked represented asexuality, therefore, she enjoyed being naked at home and at the studio. She distanced herself from human connections and societal expectations, drifting further into a plant-like existence, both physically and emotionally.

Reflection

    Chapter two dived into the complexity of relationships. The story used plant imagery to symbolize Yeong-hye's detachment from human interactions and her connection to nature. Her brother-in-law's fascination with her was less about genuine care and more about projecting his desires onto her. Being naked meant asexuality to Yeong-hye, but to him, it was seduction. Yeong-hye felt libido when she saw the flowers on her body, and she would only have sex with the person if both of them had flowers painted on the body. To him, it was his chance to have sex with Yeong-hye, but to her, it's the most primitive motivation of living beings, which she finally felt after fusing with plants. These had reflected how others in her life failed to understand her. Their relationship showed how humans often exploit or "consume" others for their personal needs, echoing the symbol of the whole story, meat. 

    The recurring plant imagery highlighted Yeong-hye's transformation. Her connection with plants symbolized her rejection of societal expectations and her attempt to find equilibrium in something pure, peaceful, and harmonious. It suggested a desire to escape human cruelty and oppression, as plants exist outside the structures of power and control. When she and her brother-in-law tried to jump off the balcony to commit suicide but were pulled back, it was described that they were being "rooted" in place. The chapter uses these elements to deepen the exploration of identity, relationships, and the boundaries between humanity and nature.

Log 4

Book introduction

    Because the last book was due, I chose a different one to do log 4. The book is a contemporary novel called "The Vegetarian" by Han-Kang. I was curious about the book's name and thought this was just a book about someone becoming vegetarian because of religion or familial reasons. However, after reading through this book, I realized that this book is not about the benefits of being vegetarian like other books, it's about the reasons behind it and the reflections of why the protagonist is doing it.

    This book describes the story of a young female named Yeong-hye. She suddenly decided to become a vegetarian because of a dream, throwing all the meat and animal produce in her house. She has a husband, Mr. Cheong. He thinks her actions are incomprehensible and unreasonable, but her actions imply a deeper meaning about Korean society. 

Chapter one

    Chapter one was from Yeong-hye's husband's perspective, who described her as an ordinary and submissive woman. Their regular life took a sudden turn when Yeong-hye decided to become a vegetarian after having a series of dreams involving meat, violence, and blood. This decision infuriated her husband and caused conflict. Her husband never tried to understand her decision and called her a crazy woman.

    The situation escalated when Mr, Cheong called Yeong-hye's family, telling her parents and sister about her situation. Her family invited the couple to a family dinner. During the dinner, her mother sister, and brother tried to persuade her to obey her father, but Yeong-hye's rebellion turned the situation into a violent scene. Her father tried to force her to eat meat, then she tried to cut her own wrist to end her own life as a response. Even though she was sent to the hospital and survived, this event was a major twist in Yeong-hye's life.

    Along with the change in eating habits, she often didn't wear a bra at home, and she took off all her clothes and basked in the sun in the yard while she was hospitalized, acting like she was doing the photosynthesis process. The reason for it was because she wanted to look asexual. She didn't want to express her feminine traits. Plants looked asexual, and by taking her clothes off, she was closer to merging with nature.

    During the story, there are occasional recalls of memory further exposing the deeper struggles she faces. For example, she remembered she was bitten by a dog when she was a child. When her father found out, he forced the dog to run until it died of exhaustion, and he cooked the dog and let Yeong-hye eat it. This left a trauma in Yeong-hye's heart, she was forced to watch and eat the dog's meat, symbolizing the acceptance of her father's dominance and violence. From this event, her abnormal behavior exposed the problems with this family and led her relationship with her family and husband to fall apart.

Reflection

    Chapter one highlighted the oppression Yeong-hye faced in this patriarchal society through her struggles. Her decision to become a vegetarian was not only a personal choice but also an act of rebellion against the societal expectations added to her as a woman. This chapter emphasizes how her family, especially her father and husband, see her as someone who must conform to traditional roles of obedience and submission. When Yeong-hye refused to comply, she was met with anger and violence, showing the social norm of controlling women’s freedom.

    The chapter also reflects on how such systems of oppression are normalized. Yeong-hye’s husband saw her solely as a tool. Him shouting at her when she was acting too slow, ignored her when she cut her finger, and raped her even if she fought back. These actions indicated his lack of emotional connection or respect for her individuality. From the relationships of the family members, and how they were treated, we can see the father's dominance in the family. The mother and sister were timid and obeyed, they tried their best to persuade Yeong-hye because they had experienced violence. Her brother, Yeong-ho, also experienced beating but was less than other children because he helped with cooking. Yeong-hye was beaten the most out of them because she always stayed silent. Her silence and withdrawal suggest a deeper sense of resistance to the societal expectations she can no longer tolerate. This chapter sets the tone for the cost of challenging and rejecting societal norms in a deeply patriarchal society.

Presentation order

 Dear all,

Here is the presentation order for tomorrow. Please come to class before 9 and install your presentation materials on the desk first.

Group 1: Jessie, Linda, Ruby, Kristin

Group 2:  Lydia, Neil

Group 3: Kelly, Joyce, Peggy, Daisy

Group 4: Elsa, Ikura, Samuel, Lulu

Group 5: Ryan, Sharron, Fannie, Gill, Jimmy

Group 6: Selina, Shanny, Joanna, Bella

Second, I'll deliver peer evaluation sheets for you to comment on and prepare questions for the QA session. You all have to concentrate while listening to your peers presenting their projects, pay your respect, and act professionally by interacting with them. At the same time, the presenters should also pre-design the part to engage your audience.

Third, we'll try to calculate your final scores and award the best three groups with gifts, but if time doesn't allow, we'll inform you online, e.g., I'll post your videos on my website (https://ntustmultiliteraci.wixsite.com/website-2) and announce the final results and gifts will be given at our available time. 

For your portfolios (with a title page and a content table numbering your files), due by 12/25 noon, the materials to be included are as follows:

1. Your essays (all drafts) and 6 logs.

2. Snapshots of your two videos and a brief introduction to each. Please describe how you composed the individual video and aspects you could have done better. As for the group project, I'll check your weekly progress reports (you should have reports for at least five weeks). 

3. A process report is a final self-assessment of the group DST project.

4. Finally, a one-page reflection is considered an essential and integral part of your learning and for this project-based class. I've re-uploaded the two materials (weekly progress report and process report) on MOODLE.

Thank you, and see you tomorrow morning!

Log 6

Recently, I read the novel “The Sea of Monsters” due to the introduction to western literature course. It is the second book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. The story is about Percy Jackson, a demigod and son of Poseidon, who goes on a quest to save Camp Half-Blood. The magical tree protecting the camp has been poisoned, and the only way to save it is to find the Golden Fleece. Percy, along with his friend Annabeth and his half-brother Tyson sets out to find the Fleece. They also need to rescue Grover, Percy’s satyr friend, who is trapped by a dangerous Cyclops. The group faces many challenges and monsters during their journey but works together to succeed. In the end, they save Grover, retrieve the Golden Fleece, and heal the camp.

What impressed me the most is the fight between Percy’s group and the bad Cyclops, when reading in words, I can even feel the tension and be curious about how the plot will be presented when being turned into movie. Besides, I admire Percy’s courage very much because not everyone can help friends without hesitate even he or she may be in danger.

To sum up, “The Sea of Monsters” is definitely an exciting story that teaches important lessons about friendship, teamwork, and acceptance. I learned that we shouldn’t judge others by how they look. Percy struggles to accept Tyson because he is a Cyclops, but in the end, Tyson proves to be kind, loyal, and brave. This reminded me to look at people for who they are on the inside. The story also shows the importance of teamwork. Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson all use their unique strengths to help each other and overcome problems. This made me realize that success often comes from working together and supporting one another. Finally, I really liked how Percy’s loyalty to his friends stood out. Even when the quest was dangerous, he never gave up on saving Grover. It showed me the value of being there for people who need help. Overall, The Sea of Monsters is not just an adventurous story but one that teaches meaningful lessons I can apply to my life.

Week 16: Presentation structure

Dear all,

We commented on four groups that submitted their video drafts on time this morning. I later sent my comments to Ryan's group. Samuel's group still needs to submit your draft, so I might give feedback before it's too late for you to improve it in the right way.

For the final presentation, here is the structure you may follow; however, you can change it if you have a better way to present your design. I welcome it. During the 20 minutes (including Q&A), it should cover:

1. The seven items in the progress report will help you review the development of your project.

2. I see some of you went on a field trip to the community where you introduced and interviewed people. Please explain why you considered this procedure essential and necessary.

3. Show your storyboard and tell how you planned and structured your story the way you did and how the action was designed using the multimodal resources you collected. 

4. Play your video, and then give a short conclusion about this video project and how you might do better if you have another chance. 

   We will have evaluations from your peers, Paulina, Louis, and me. In the end, we plan to select and award the three best videos. 

Week 15

Dear all,

Tomorrow, we'll begin to wrap up the course by doing three things:

1. An in-class writing test, as you did for the pre-writing task in week 1 and midterm writing in week 8. 

2. A Vocabulary test, as you did in week 1. This shall take you no longer than 30 minutes. Guessing is not encouraged, for it is not helpful to know your progress.

3. For the third hour, you will review your own video and discuss how you might improve your arrangements, visuals, sound, speed, etc. I will visit each table and help. Since I will not receive your videos until midnight, I'll try to view them during your test time. Louis will view them (in Hong Kong) and give you his professional opinions later. 

4.  Don't forget your D3E3, due by 11:59pm, 12/11.

See you tomorrow!

Week 14

Dear all, Are you Happy about not needing to read and blog anymore? Ha! But please keep reading (viewing) for your final projects. You need input/materials to make your video story convincing. 

Here, I'd like to give some overall comments on your D2E3, a comparing/contrasting essay with a tone of persuasion/argumentation. This time, I found a couple of topics were popular among you, and more than one student developed their essays on the same issues, such as the different considerations when selecting college/university or comparison/contrast between lives in the city or the countryside. While most of you asked ChatGPT to generate something or polish texts, the differences are apparent, especially the following three aspects: 

1) Whether you cite information, numbers, or quotations of authority (e.g., professionals or well-known organizations). 

2) Whether you use your own authentic and personal experience as evidence. In so doing, you would apply descriptive, narrative strategies into your comparison/contrast essay with solid backup to argue for your position.  

3) whether the way you introduce your thesis (introduction) is sufficiently appealing to those (your target audience) who may find your essay helpful. (I bet you have forgotten the lecture I gave about how to begin your essay.)

Another minor thing, but still bothering me, is that your language use is full of AI, and you cannot tell whether the suggested words and phrases are proper or suitable for your text.  

This is the last essay; please revise it and provide your revision based on my comments. I'll still check the comment table with your revision.

For tomorrow's class:

First, I'll give the last lecture on writing as a reader response to literary works, including image and literary analysis. This is helpful for your critical thinking when reading and writing with a good structure and arguments. Please check for readings on MOODLE. 

Second, we'll have one or two more videos for your reference.

Third, I'll return you D2E3 and conduct individual conferencing (if you need).

Lastly, you will have group discussion time to work on your storyboard with scripts.