Log 3

 

When I read the middle part of the book, about Annie and Buster’s daily lives and work were affected by their parents' strange performance art. In the end, they were forced to return home and reunite with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Fang loved performing in public, blending reality with art to provoke reactions from onlookers. Sometimes, Annie and Buster were even forced to participate in their parents' performances.

What made me angry on behalf of Annie and Buster while reading was that I felt Mr. and Mrs. Fang did not fulfill their responsibilities as parents. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them enjoying performance art, but forcing their children to do things they don’t like is really terrible. They never considered how much psychological harm or external impact this would have on Annie and Buster when they grew up. After all, from what I’ve read so far, I can already see that their jobs are completely affected and they are facing difficult situations.

I feel lucky to have great parents who never force me to do things I don’t like and always support what I enjoy and want to do. They always tell me, "As long as you're doing the right thing, be brave and do what you love!" Although I haven’t had the same experience as Annie and Buster, I can empathize and think from their perspective: How would I feel if I were them? What would my life be like when I grow up? I think my answers would be very negative. I’d probably grow up feeling very unhappy, unable to find a sense of security. Feelings of depression, fear, and anxiety would likely be constantly on my mind.

Actually, I often hear friends complain to me about being forced by their parents. For example, I have a friend who is always forced to learn many different things, like instruments, dancing, and languages. Every day, he is made to study things he doesn’t enjoy. My friend has told his parents many times that he doesn’t want to learn these things, but every time, his strict parents just suppress him. In the end, after a long time, he became sick…

From the whole situation, I believe his parents love him deep down and want the best for him, but they’re using the wrong approach, which has seriously affected him. No one likes being forced because it’s a really unpleasant feeling. Going back to the book, I feel that Mr. and Mrs. Fang, as parents, failed to fulfill their duties. They didn’t show care or empathy, and it made me feel uncomfortable even though it’s not happening to me.