Week 13

Dear all,

Once you finish your D2E3, the workload will be leashed enormously. No more essays (except for D3E3, XD) will be assigned. However, the story to be written and told in your digital story shall be carefully addressed in accurate, natural, and powerful English to make your story presentable. The whole multimodal experience shall be helpful in your learning in another professor's class and other courses to come. I will still give you extra time in the last half hour to discuss this in class, and I will be on call whenever you need me. Please don't forget your progress report, which shall be uploaded weekly (to Daisy).

Tomorrow, we will continue reading essays that demonstrate how a topic is argued using multiple strategies. This may help greatly for your video story if your purpose is to introduce a place significant to you, its shining characteristics, unrevealed problems, or unheard voices. Then, you'll have to narrate what happened, describe the situation, compare it with other places/countries with better conditions, and then argue how we can improve it. Or, you can also introduce a new idea, a new invention, so as to improve human life quality. Some examples will be shown on my website (https://ntustmultiliteraci.wixsite.com/website-2). Since our time is limited, we can be flexible when choosing your topic. 

After reading essays and viewing some videos, I'll return to discuss your essays and how you can use software to self-assess for improvement.  (Paper Pater & ChatGPT, slide Week 13).

I believe you have found some essays I posted on Moodle were not talked about in class. They are for you to read, especially the one I uploaded a couple of weeks ago, "Community Service Work," hoping it may give you some ideas if you are interested in telling a story about your community, a place you are the most familiar with, and the stories in that community. However, I realized the time hasn't treated us too gently, making you feel tight about the schedule designed for this project. Then, I'll accept a broader range of topics, e.g., anything mentioned in the previous paragraph. Is that ok? My original intent is for you to experience developing your idea/ideal for a specific purpose you have yet to have the chance to do and express it by experimenting with multimodal semiotic choices we explained in class. We are not yet professional, so let's just enjoy the process and create a work that's memorable, fun, and proud. 

But, if AI is involved (which is okay), please still show how you work with AI. OK? See you tomorrow morning. Have a nice sleep!

Log 6

 Chapter 5 of Twilight left me with a sense of growing mystery and anticipation. The tension between Bella and Edward is almost tangible, and their interactions feel like a delicate dance between trust and fear. As I read, I couldn’t help but feel drawn into Bella’s emotions—her confusion, her excitement, and her growing determination to uncover Edward’s secrets. It reminded me of how curiosity can sometimes overpower caution, especially when someone or something feels extraordinary. The chapter also made me think about how we perceive danger. Bella knows there’s something different about Edward, something that could even be harmful, yet she doesn’t back away. It’s fascinating how emotions, like fascination and attraction, can override our instincts to stay safe. This reflects a very human trait—being drawn to the unknown, even if it might hurt us. What stood out to me the most was the underlying struggle of trust. Both Bella and Edward seem hesitant but intrigued by each other, creating an emotional push and pull. This dynamic made me reflect on how relationships can be complicated, especially when we feel vulnerable or uncertain. Overall, the chapter left me feeling both curious and unsettled, eager to see how their bond will evolve amidst the tension. 

Although my reading journey of this book only reached log 6, the novel has a unique charm that keeps me wanting to continue. I feel a strong pull to learn more about what happens to Bella and Edward as their story unfolds. The suspense, the tension, and the mystery surrounding their relationship make me curious about how their bond will develop in the face of challenges.

This book has sparked my interest in reading its sequels. Perhaps during the winter break, I will borrow the next book in the series to continue the journey. Not only would this satisfy my curiosity, but it would also be a great way to improve my English reading skills. The language in Twilight is accessible yet engaging, making it a good choice for building vocabulary and understanding different writing styles.

Reading Twilight has shown me that learning and enjoyment can go hand in hand. Immersing myself in such an emotional and gripping story motivates me to read more, not just for the sake of practice but also for the joy of experiencing a richly imagined world. I look forward to discovering what lies ahead for the characters and seeing how their choices shape their journey.

Log 6

True freedom is more like what the book describes: facing all the hidden secrets within yourself, no matter how embarrassing or dark they may be. It might be painful and unbearable, but only when we truly liberate those hidden secrets and the buried parts of ourselves can we achieve genuine freedom. That happiness comes from finally opening your heart to confront the sides of yourself you once considered ugly. This secret doesn’t necessarily have to stem from a specific event. Sometimes, it could simply be your own self-doubt or an inexplicable sense of anxiety.

In the past, I buried all my negative emotions and even self-destructive behaviors deep inside, believing that by doing so, no one would notice anything wrong with me. But deep down, I knew that keeping this secret — the secret that "I am not okay at all" — felt like a blade piercing straight into my heart. Yet, I couldn’t scream or seek help.

It wasn’t until my struggles were discovered that I started receiving treatment. I began taking medication and attending therapy sessions, but even during therapy, I refused to admit to that secret. I didn’t want to acknowledge that I was truly unwell. It wasn’t until I read the part of the book describing this idea that I realized I had always thought burying my secret was far easier than confronting it.

But after reading that passage, I finally understood that maybe all these treatments and therapy weren’t helping because I hadn’t faced my secret. Only when I confronted it and admitted that I wasn’t okay did I feel, for the first time, a slight sense of relief.

 

Week 12

Dear all,

Since we are moving toward the final project, the work will be more intensive but proceeding fast (meaning it'll end soon, too). 

Since the final project doesn't follow any specific format, the story itself will be the most essential element. In order for you to present your ideas clearly and powerfully, we have discussed comparison/contrast writing as a way to argue and analyze. This week, we'll discuss how argumentative/persuasive writing strengthens your position and assertion with evidence and arguments. Handouts have been uploaded on Moodle. Alert: there are quite a few pages for you to read and discuss, so you may want to bring coffee to class!

Second, we'll view more videos (stories and ads) as input to expand your possibilities when brainstorming your ideas. If time allows, I'll show you the website of your individual videos and practice analyzing with the metalanguage framework discussed before. Finally, we'll vote for the best three videos according to your analysis and preferences. 

Finally, I have prepared a small practice on effective sentences. After reading your essays (midterm writing), I feel the need to equip you with the ability to write well without AI, though it is still of very good use occasionally. But please bear with me, a very traditional, aging scholar who still believes in the power of words!

See you in the morning. (Note: Please remember to submit your D1E3.)

log 6

 

Justin describes his Valentine’s Day with Olivia. He gives her a necklace, and she gifts him a creative messenger bag made from floppy disks. Olivia is talented in crafting but aspires to be a scientist, inspired by her brother Auggie’s condition. Justin also recalls his nervousness about meeting her parents, which intensifies his tics. Despite this, Olivia’s parents warmly welcome him. The narrative highlights the subtle dynamics at dinner, like how everyone avoids commenting on the waiter’s reaction to Auggie. In this paragraph, the way he admires her creativity and supports her aspirations reflects his deep affection for her. However, his nervousness about meeting her family reveals his vulnerability and the ongoing struggle with his tics. Despite the tension, the warmth of Olivia's parents and Justin's efforts to fit in underscore the theme of acceptance and family.

Justin shares his involvement in the school play Our Town. Olivia convinces him to audition for the lead, which he surprisingly gets. Olivia, however, doesn’t land the main female role and instead takes a smaller part. Justin speculates she might have intentionally blown her audition, as Olivia dislikes being the center of attention. The section ends with Justin feeling overwhelmed by the packed schedule leading up to the spring show, balancing school, band practice, and time with Olivia. This paragraph shows the pressure of balancing rehearsals and finals, and his personal life emphasizes the challenges of juggling responsibilities while pursuing passions, a theme that mirrors the broader struggles of many characters in Wonder.    

Log 6

The more I kept reading Tigers In The Mud, the more interesting thoughts and descriptions that I had found. The author, Otto Carius saw things from unique perspectives, for he was in a different position, country and era. For example, the German soldiers at that time never had a good evaluation for their equipment, which was totally opposite to the common sense nowadays. When Otto met his new tank: the fierce Tiger tank, all readers could receive was his complaint. The shape looked just like a metal lunch box. Compared to their opponent: Russian’s T-34, it seems like the engineer didn’t put too much effort on it. The appearance of Tiger just looked not reliable or advanced enough. And the mobility only met their minimum requirement, the weight of Tigers just made it couldn’t be fast. Overweight also puts a huge burden on the suspension, increasing the time and the cost of maintenance. These evaluations showed a totally opposite fact that is out of people’s expectations in our generations. 

In video games, movies or TV series nowadays, people always tend to have an infinite delusion for Germany technologies during World War 2. In their imagination, out of this world, there were always certain “Hitler’s super weapons” that were hidden in a secret abandoned bunker. They could be anything, sometimes they might be elements in sci-fi movies, like nuclear weapons or biological monsters; Sometimes they also could be something more fantasy, like magic or a teleport gate. Well, usually they played the role of MacGuffin in a story, no matter what they were. But they definitely showed people’s ridiculous creativity and imagination for that wartime history.

I always thought that this kind of fiction just popped up in recent years. I finally found myself wrong after I found out about this alternate history novel: The Man in the High Castle. Written by Philip Kindred Dick in 1962, The Man in the High Castle described an alternative history of the war in which the Allied Powers conquered the whole world. Even judging it with a modern view, the plots of this novel were still extremely amazing and bizarre. But that’s the spirit of an alternate history novel, I think. No matter what kind of unbelievable plot or assumptions were made, they must be based on true true history, and answer a “What if” question logically. By that, we readers can find our joy from the combination of truth and absurdity. After finishing the book I was reading right now, I think I would like to read this interesting  novel, see how people imagined this kind of subject matter sixty years ago.

 

Log 6

 

For log 6, I want to talk about the practical source for machine learning. This is the first time I have actually discovered something useful and practical in this genre of books, which is why I am quite amazed and impressed. Most books only provide theories, information, datas and suggestions, as a result, we often stop discovering about that specific topic once we finish the book. However, this book not only gives out fundamental theory, but an actually existing and useful website for us to dive into the topic of our interest deeper and clearer with more practice and understanding. The website the book provides, Kaggle, is a site especially made for data science and machine learning. Kaggle hosts competitions in which data scientists and global companies compete to find out who can calssify or predict most efficiently, and the competition topics vary and change all the time. It's quite intersting because the winner's algorithms are featured on the site, meaning we can take a look at it, do a little research on it, and understand why the winner could do it the best way, thus learning from the masters of this field and makes Kaggle a really good resource for researchers interested in machine learning and data science. Moreover, it actually provides you with the data you need! If there is a topic in which you are interested, and the data is difficult to obtain, you can count on it. The data uploaded to Kaggle can be pre-tested to guide the overall direction and determine the progress of your research. The information it provides is quite abundant. For each competition it holds, Kaggle uploads a competition data set and a variety of data including text, images, and sound for researchers to test and analyze. It surprises me with the various types of information it offers, ranging from visual to aural data, the idea of analyzing an aural data makes me feel fascinated because we are so used to analyzing and sorting visual texts, data, etc. But what about sounds? I think we rarely hear about that, however, I find the idea of decoding the potential patterns in animals' sounds and trying to understand what ideas they are actually communicating engages my interest enormously, and I would love to explore this subtopic of machine learning more in the future.

I searched Kaggle on the internet and after browsing it and looking into it for a while, I found that the website offers more than the book told me. It was a huge and significant breakthrough for me! I found that it offers more than just simply data sets. It even offers machine learning models that are pre-trained and ready-to-deploy, they have models like Gemini by Google and Llama by Meta, and there are so many models that can do different works like audio command detection, speech-to-text, audio synthesis, and even text segmentation and image text recognition. I clicked into the Llama model by Meta and was astonished by how easy it  was to access the information and learn it. They would put the different versions of their model's code on the website and you can easily copy it and try it out yourself, with footnotes explaining what that specific line of code is for. I consider it quite easy for me to learn because I can understand each function and process of the model while it's analyzing data with the information provided on the website.

Besides, they provide free online courses! They have a comprehensive and gradually increasing in depth and complexity course design.  From introduction to programming with different subtopics and stages like from variables to functions, to data types and lists. Then after finishing this big topic, they allow you to go deeper to python and to introduction to Machine Learning. I especially adore the progressive learning journey, not to mention it divides them into smaller subtopics and sections so you don't feel too overwhelmed while trying to absorb the knowledge and feel the beauty of data science and machine learning. Last but not least, worrying about whether your computer can handle it? Absolutely no worries because the website got us all covered! Kaggle provides computing power like GPUs and TPUs that costs zero dollars and allows you to compoute and work in a powerful environment they call as "Kaggle Notebooks", and you can use it to write and run your code with an accelerator(GPU).

To conclude, Kaggle is really a powerful and useful platform for people who are interested in machine learning, data science and it greatly engages my interest. I will definitely look into it and try to learn something from the online courses and try out the cool feature of taking advantage of someone else's computing power instead of mine.

Log 6

Chapter 15-18

In these chapters, I am reminded of how easy it is to judge people based on first impressions and what others say about them. Elizabeth quickly trusts Mr. Wickham’s story about Mr. Darcy, even though she doesn’t really know him. This made me think of times when I believed what I heard about someone before getting to know them myself. It’s easy to make judgments based on other people’s opinions, but I’ve learned that those opinions may not tell the full truth.

Elizabeth also sees Darcy as proud, which blinds her to some of his good qualities. This is a reminder of how important it is to look past surface impressions. I’ve had moments when I didn’t connect with someone right away because they seemed distant or reserved. But after I got to know them, I realized they were just cautious around new people. This helped me understand that being open-minded is key when meeting new people.

Lastly, Elizabeth’s interest in Wickham shows how we can be drawn to charming people. Wickham appears friendly and open, which makes Elizabeth believe his story. This reminded me to be careful with charm and friendliness. I’ve learned that someone who seems very friendly at first may not always have the best intentions. Taking time to see someone’s true character is more valuable than quick impressions.

These chapters remind me of the importance of forming my own opinions and giving people a fair chance. In both friendships and everyday life, I try to look past first impressions and take time to see who people really are.

Log 6_The Queen's Gambit

 

As I read the chapters of The Queen’s Gambit, I felt a connection with Beth Harmon’s isolation at the orphanage. Although her loneliness is extreme, I think many people, including me, feel lonely at times, especially when adjusting to new places. Beth finds comfort in playing chess, which reminded me of how I found comfort in my family and how I’ve learned to cope with loneliness through my love for them.

When I was younger, I lived with my grandmother and two sisters, and my relationships with them were my foundation. The time we spent together felt so safe, whether we were eating, talking, or just being together. This closeness became a big part of who I am. Later, I moved to live with my parents. Though we didn’t have as much time together because of busy schedules, I learned to appreciate every moment with them. I began to see that time spent together is precious, even if it’s not always as much as I’d like.

Now, as a college student living in a dormitory, I experience a different kind of isolation—being away from my family for the first time. At first, my homesickness felt like a negative reaction to being in a new place. I often missed the warmth and familiarity of home, feeling overwhelmed at times. But gradually, I started seeing my homesickness differently. Instead of feeling weak, I saw it as a sign of my love for my family. Missing them didn’t mean I couldn’t handle being away; it simply reminded me how much they mean to me. It showed me that my family is an important part of my life, just as chess becomes important to Beth as she faces loneliness.

Beth’s story shows me that while loneliness is hard, it can also help us appreciate the relationships that mean the most to us. Feeling homesick now makes me feel grateful because it reminds me of the strong bonds I have with my family. In a way, my homesickness has become a way of showing my love for them, even from a distance. Like Beth, I’m learning that while isolation is tough, it can also help me grow by reminding me of the people who give my life meaning.

Log 6

 log 6

summary: 

Dorian met Sibyl at the theater, and although they hadn’t known each other long, they were deeply infatuated with each other. One day, Dorian brought his friends to the theater to watch Sibyl’s performance. However, that night, Sibyl’s acting was poor, she wasn’t up to her usual par, making Dorian deeply disappointed. Sibyl later told Dorian that because of her genuine love for him, she could no longer act the romance role on stage. Then Dorian felt that she no longer had any artistic value, and decided to end their relationship. Afterward, he noticed that the expression in his portrait had twisted into a distorted smile. This sight prompted him to reflect on his actions, and he resolved to apologize to Sibyl and propose to her. Unfortunately, Sibyl had already taken her own life. Overcome with pain and guilt, Dorian confided in Lord Henry, who advised him not to blame himself or be in sorrow and instead suggested they go see a play together. Later, Dorian met Lord Henry’s sister, Lady Gwendolen, and an acquaintance from the theater, Patty.

reflection:

When reading this chapter, I strongly feel Dorian's obsession with love and beauty. However, I think Dorian has been influenced by Lord Henry too much. Although Lord Henry teaches him to pursue and appreciate beauty, art, and love, Dorian should have his own perspectives and understanding of them. Perhaps because he lost his parents at a young age and received little love from his grandfather, he doesn’t have much understanding of love. Additionally, Lord Henry’s teachings about love are incomplete, so Dorian’s grasp of love is shallow and perhaps even a bit of a misunderstanding. Under Henry’s influence, Dorian combines love with art and equates love with perfection. When someone fails to meet his ideal standards, he chooses to abandon them. This influence is frightening. In Chapter Nine, Dorian describes Sybil’s death as:

“Her last night of acting—the night you saw her—she performed poorly because she realized love truly existed. When she understood love didn’t truly exist, she died, just like Juliet. She re-entered the realm of art. She had the spirit of a martyr, her death containing all the tragic uselessness of martyrdom, all the wasted beauty.”

Although his description seems artistic, I feel he has become obsessed with the pursuit of art and beauty, even involving his own life and perceiving it as an audience. Just like the changes in that incredible painting, his image gradually becomes ugly, showing a weird smile, his mind has already started to decay.

Dorian's behavior was despicable, much of it is due to Lord Henry's influence. What angers me is that Henry treats Dorian as some kind of human experiment, and he doesn't have to bear any responsibility for it. Even as he gradually influences Dorian, he has no guilt for Sybil’s death. In the future, Dorian might have to bear the consequences of his over pursuit of artistic perfection, which has made his inner self horribly corrupted.

A few days ago, I read Lu Xun's “Blessing” and felt the story is somewhat similar to these chapters. “Blessing” depicts the tragedy of Xianglin Sao, who is cursed as an "impure" woman and treated as a "freak." She is diligent, kind, and strong, but in the old society, not only was she unable to have basic rights as a human being, but she also became a figure trampled upon, persecuted, and despised, eventually consumed by feudal customs and misguided values. I think these two stories are similar because they both discuss how the negative impacts can be when people have limited understanding of something and are influenced by misguided values.

Log 6

•  Chapter Summary: 

    This chapter explores human traits that cannot be fully captured by data or logic. The author emphasizes that many real-world decisions are not solely based on rational logic but are influenced by emotions, experiences, and individual perspectives (something that cannot be illustrated in spreadsheets). Various historical examples are cited, from business management to military decisions, illustrating that even seemingly flawless logic can lead to significant errors or failures if human nature is overlooked.  

• Examples:

    1. Firstly, when Henry Ford II hired the calm, data-driven McNamara to save Ford Motor Company, McNamara succeeded in improving operations through data analysis. However, in the Vietnam War, his reliance on data to manage the conflict led to misjudgment, as he failed to quantify the emotional commitment of the Vietnamese people to their cause. The Vietnamese people's resistance and patriotic sentiments were not reflected in statistics, which directly influenced the war’s outcome. This example illustrates that excessive reliance on data, while ignoring emotional factors, can skew analysis away from reality.

    2. Another example is the Battle of the Bulge. Based on Germany’s limited resources and troop shortages, U.S. generals rationally concluded that Hitler would not launch an offensive. However, they overlooked the fact that Hitler was by then entrenched in an irrational mindset, leading to a surprise attack that caught the Americans off guard. This incident shows that relying purely on rational thinking, without accounting for human factors such as obsession or irrationality, can result in significant misjudgments.

• Reflection:

    Through these examples, the author strongly disagrees with relying too heavily on rationality or data to explain everything. The historical examples discussed in this book show the risks of ignoring human nature. Data is undeniably important, but when dealing with a world full of emotions and unpredictable variables, we should acknowledge its limitations and leave room for the unquantifiable aspects of human nature.

    As a student, I’m struck by how this perspective challenges the way I approach learning and problem-solving. I often rely on data or strict logic when completing assignments or projects, as that’s the approach we’re taught in school. However, I now see that ignoring softer, unmeasurable aspects—such as the unique perspectives of each person can be a disadvantage. Sometimes, we might achieve a deeper understanding by considering factors beyond what’s measurable.

    For example, in my group projects, I’ve noticed that success often depends more on the team’s dynamics and trust than on purely logical planning or data. A project could have a perfect blueprint, yet it might fail if team members don’t feel connected to the goal or to each other. This book’s discussion on the importance of human unpredictability makes me realize the value of paying attention to these dynamics, even if they aren’t quantifiable.

    Moreover, I’m starting to view my own decision-making habits differently. I used to believe that relying on logic and credible data was the best way to make unbiased choices, but now I understand that leaving out emotions might actually narrow my perspective. Rather than seeing emotions as obstacles, I am beginning to see them as crucial parts of the decision-making process, often helping me make choices that are more in line with my true values. 

    In future studies and life decisions, I want to keep an open mind to the “human side” of data, and remind myself that understanding complex issues often requires a blend of analysis and empathy. This way, I’ll be better equipped to make decisions that respect the unpredictable nature of human experience.

Log 6

 

       I finished reading the Boy in the Striped Pajamas. To be honest, I felt very sad about the end. Because Shumel's father were missing, Bruno puts on a striped shirt and joins Shumel in the concentration camp to look for him. Unfortunately, they didn’t find Shumel’s father. Instead, they both inhaled toxic gas and tragically lost their lives. Also, all the Jewish prisoners in the concentration camp lost their lives, too. 

        However, when I read the plot that before Bruno walked into the concentration camp, he thought the life inside is as same the outside. Everyone lives happily ever after. It made me reflect that people tend to view the world through their own lens first. Being someone who can truly empathize is challenging.

        Then, I take a course called "From Korean Culture to Explore Korean Society" The professor shared something about the North Korean Defectors with us. After hearing the stories of North Korean defectors, I can’t imagine if I were a North Korean, whether I could endure living in a society without personal freedom and marked by poverty. It made me reflect—if I were in their shoes, would I have the courage to leave everything behind and seek a better life? Defecting involves going through many difficulties and risking one's life at every step.

        These stories of North Korean defectors made me realize how much strength and resilience it takes to escape that kind of life. They risk everything just to find freedom, to search for a better future. This made me reflect on how, in our own lives, it’s hard to truly understand what others go through. While I can’t fully imagine their pain, hearing their stories made me appreciate my own freedom and think about whether I would have the strength to change my fate if I were in their place.

        Overall, in my opinion, the Boy in the Striped Pajamas is worthy to read. We can know the story which was based on concentration camp and how merciless it was. 

Log 6

This time, I’m writing Log 6 after a two-week gap, which gave me plenty of time to finish reading the book. Over the past two weeks, I read chapters 5 to 10: "The Ponytail," "The Brewsters," "Aunt Rose's House," "The Betrayal," "A Pretend Boy," and "The Top of the Greasy Pole."

Chapter 5 describes how Sam notices physical changes in his brother Jason, the most obvious being that Jason has grown a ponytail. This detail puzzles Sam, and he still can't fully understand the difficulties Jason is facing. One night, Sam sneaks into Jason's room, cuts off Jason's ponytail, and hides it, thinking that doing so will make his brother "normal" again and bring the family back to how things were. At this point, I feel that Sam is too naive. The core of the issue can’t be solved by cutting off a ponytail; this action could actually backfire. Moreover, he underestimated Jason's firm identity as a transgender person and hurt his feelings. If it were me, I would also be furious and might even consider running away from home if something I cherished was taken away by family. This leads directly into Chapter 6.

In Chapter 6, after an argument with their parents and Sam on Christmas Eve, Jason leaves the house to stay with Aunt Rose for a while. Waver’s mother feels that the atmosphere of having only three people for Christmas dinner would be too heavy, so she invites the Brewster family over. The Waver and Brewster families talk politics at the dinner table, but suddenly, the Brewsters ask why Jason isn’t home for Christmas dinner. Waver's wife lies, saying that Jason is volunteering, and the Brewsters express confusion over Jason’s appearance and behavior. This makes the Waver family and Sam feel uncomfortable. I feel that the Brewsters' critical attitude makes Sam realize for the first time how being transgender can cause discomfort and misunderstandings in social situations. After all, explaining Jason's transgender identity takes a lot of time and energy, and even then, it might not be clear. It’s often easier to avoid talking about it with others, and I can understand why Waver and her husband would want to avoid mentioning it in front of strangers.

In Chapter 7, Aunt Rose sends a letter and money to Sam, asking him to take the train to visit her. After meeting Aunt Rose, Sam is puzzled by many of her actions and ideas, such as having taken in homeless people and Syrian refugees, developing relationships with them, and even marrying them. She also sold her car and switched to riding horses because she thought driving was too expensive and the emissions harmful, whereas horses don’t consume oil, and there’s no need to pay taxes or buy insurance for them. When Sam asks Aunt Rose where Jason is, she only says that Jason has gone elsewhere but that her friend Jessica will be visiting later. When Jason arrives, however, Sam sees that "he" has now become "she" — Jason has transitioned into Jessica. To me, Aunt Rose seems not only to be a unique and open-minded woman but also one of the few people in the family who supports and understands Jason. Unlike his parents, Aunt Rose shows an open attitude, encouraging Jason to express his true self and offering emotional support. This provides Jason with some comfort in his struggles and also allows Sam to see a different way of responding compared to their parents.

In Chapter 8, Sam faces a major blow—his best friend Laura betrays him by revealing his brother’s secret. Laura was one of Sam's closest friends, and Sam had confided in her about his confusion and struggles with Jason being transgender. But Laura breaks Sam's trust and tells others about Jason's identity. This betrayal deeply affects Sam, and at the same time, it impacts his mother’s political campaign. Setting aside the political campaign, I can understand Sam’s pain. I’ve experienced the hurt of having a secret spread around, and I can empathize with his sense of betrayal. However, the consequences of Jason’s transgender identity being exposed go far beyond what I have experienced. The Waver family is under intense scrutiny, with all of Britain watching their every move, while I am just a small, anonymous figure. It’s hard to imagine how immense that pressure must be.

In Chapter 9, after Jason's transgender identity is exposed, the Waver family is surrounded by reporters every day. News outlets and newspapers focus on them, and the parents are overwhelmed with the demands of the campaign and public opinion. One day, Sam encounters Laura, who explains that she didn’t mean to reveal the secret, and Sam accepts her apology. That evening, when Sam returns home, he finds his parents and political leaders discussing the campaign. His mother decides to withdraw from the race, realizing that family is more important than becoming prime minister. As they head to the door, ready for her to announce her withdrawal to the press, Sam sees Jason in the crowd. Jason is now sporting a buzz cut, unshaven, wearing a sports jersey and jeans, looking unwell. Sam feels that Jason now looks like a "fake boy," and despite all the struggles Jason has faced, he has compromised and abandoned his preferred appearance for his mother's political future. As reporters swarm Jason with questions, Sam shouts, “There is no Jason. My brother’s name is Jessica.” After reading this chapter, I cried. As a Cancer, I’m particularly sensitive to family emotions, but what moved me was the changes everyone made for the sake of family: the parents putting family first, Jason's compromises, and Sam standing up for the brother he has always admired and loved. This familial bond is so precious that people are willing to let go of their individual convictions for the sake of family unity.

In the final Chapter 10, after the interaction with the reporters, the mother’s approval ratings soar, and she wins the election for prime minister. After she becomes prime minister, the parents' attitude toward their children changes. They go from being consumed by politics and ignoring their kids to making time to meet with the family every week and discuss everyone’s life. Jason also gets into college and truly begins living as Jessica. She takes special medication to gradually transform her physical appearance and starts dressing beautifully, embodying her feminine charm. As for Sam, he no longer faces exclusion from his peers and openly tells others, “My sister is Jessica.” In this last chapter, I finally see how the Waver family has gone through the process of accepting their differences and redefining their family relationships. However, I also feel a bit confused about the "happy ending." How could the parents and Sam suddenly wake up and accept Jessica after all the earlier arguments? But perhaps life is like that—at some point, under certain circumstances, we realize that our previous views were wrong, and we change our attitude.

Reading this book made me realize how important it is to be true to yourself and live courageously as your authentic self. Jason began exploring his identity during his school years and was no longer afraid of outside judgment. His courage is something I can learn from, as I tend to worry about what others think. Many people in life never truly get to know themselves, and the process of self-discovery is often accompanied by challenges and difficulties. In the story, the Waver family works hard, from their own perspectives and emotions, to understand and accept Jason’s choices. This made me reflect on how love doesn’t always come easily—it requires time, understanding, and tolerance. I hope to learn to be kinder and more accepting, giving others the time they need to accept and understand, especially within families, where everyone’s efforts and intentions deserve more patience and support.

Log 6

 

"People who smile a lot tend to have good luck."

This is something we often hear in life, and perhaps it’s because a positive and optimistic mindset can truly impact a person.

In the chapters I recently read, Mary and her servant Martha developed a deeper friendship. As Martha shared stories about her family and background, Mary started to understand their differences. Even though Martha came from a poor family and lived a hard life, she didn’t lose hope. Instead, she maintained a positive and optimistic attitude. Mary also started to become friends with her cousin Colin, who had been sheltered and overprotected due to health issues. This caused him to become self-conscious, closed off, and pessimistic. However, with Mary’s care and encouragement, Colin gradually turned into a lively, self-confident young boy. Through this story, we can see that whether it’s having a positive outlook yourself or spreading kindness and encouragement to others, positivity helps people face challenges with courage and believe in their own abilities.

This resonated with me. I’m in a dance club, and we often need to learn new dance routines. I only started learning to dance in college, so I don’t have much experience. Some moves are hard for me to do well, which can be frustrating when I’ve practiced a lot but still can’t get them right. During these times, my friends encourage and reassure me, saying things like, "Don’t worry, you can do it!" Their words warm my heart and help me believe in myself, giving me the strength to keep practicing. When I finally succeed, it feels incredibly rewarding, and I grow to love dancing even more.

I think both the story and my own experience show how a positive and optimistic attitude can make a big difference. Having a positive mindset changes how we see things and can lead us to different ways of solving problems, so it’s very important to stay optimistic and open.

Log 6

 

These few weeks, I kept reading the book – How to stop breaking your own heart and there was one chapter that impressed me a lot. The chapter talked about “perfection.” In order to earn other’s affection, the author worked so hard to be that “ideal” child. From then on, she always kept it in mind that she needed to always be perfect. This makes me reflect on my own, I always ask myself to be perfect, too. When I scroll through Instagram, I always admire others and hope that one day I can be as perfect as them. To attain my goal, I will try to imitate them, like dressing up as them and doing things the same as them. Gradually, I lose the meaning of who I am. 

After reading, I gained a lot and it really changed my mind. As the book mentioned, perfection is an unattainable goal and it simply doesn’t exist. It’s a myth, a construct that we desperately need to detach ourselves from. Everyone progresses everyday, and we all want to be better and better. Besides, we don’t have the same goal for our lives.  Accordingly, there is no true standard of what perfection is. Now, I want to change my bad habits and understand what I really want instead of imitating others or admiring others because we all work hard on our own lives. 

By the way, there is one sentence I really like in this chapter and I want to share with you. “Our idea of perfection is flawed; we measure ourselves against others, without recognizing that we’re all walking a unique path that was destined solely for us to pursue. We will never find our true essence by emulating someone else.”

Log 6

 

There are plenty of punches in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, however, none hit harder than when Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson during the trial. This is a chapter you cannot forget, it is the culminating point of everything in the novel, tying together those themes of justice and courage to confront long-believed racist ideals that were terribly prevalent during the 1930s. It is a moment that makes readers  and I  examine the extremes to which individuals will go to do the right thing in an all-too-fair world.

The trial itself is intense. Here is Atticus, facing an all white jury as the odds against him are actually never in his favor. But he does it anyway. His deconstruction of Mayella Ewell's testimony is almost brutal, but not cruelty  a consequence of his commitment to truth. It was watching him labor fully aware that he is risking his reputation and being ridiculed by the neighbors that was a demonstration of fighting for truth at all cost. Atticus said, “The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience. It reminds me that people will always do the simple and wrong thing, and when you see someone doing the right thing, which is rare, you have to come out of your shell.

One reason this chapter is so compelling is the way the courtroom serves as a microcosm of the whole town. The Black people in the balcony understand precisely what this trial signifies. This is not only the fate of Tom Robinson at stake, this is for their standing in society. And below them, the white townspeople sit an unspoken ground between the two groups that speaks volumes without uttering a word. As unfair as a guilty verdict is given the gaping holes in the prosecution's case, it shouldn't have been a surprise. It is a gut punch of the reality that this system was not only broken, but it was never a system that had planned for people like Tom at all.

The punch of emotion found in this chapter hits properly when viewed through the lens of Scout and Jem. The trial is a rude awakening for Jem, who learns to his dismay that justice and goodness don't always prevail. He enters that courtroom believing in the triumph of truth and exits with the painful realization that it does not always prevail. His disillusionment is palpable and watching it unfold feels like a personal assault, the way you feel when someone with whom you share your realities learns that this world doesn't make many of them fair. Scout feels confused, angry and just starting to understand. She is too young to understand it all completely, but not old enough to realize that something has gone awry. It comes at a time in her life that seeds are being planted about what it takes to piece together why people act the way they do.

What lingers for me is Atticus’s quiet courage. He doesn't necessarily seem to do the ‘heroic’ thing, he's simply a man doing what he thinks is right, even if he is acutely aware that he will lose. And I thought: Who the hell has that kind of guts? And would I have it to do what he did. The trial chapter is not merely a tale of injustice but an invitation to all of us to reflect upon ourselves. These are not bombastic or triumphant moments, and it serves as a reminder that fighting for what is right rarely is. But sometimes its one person, standing with no support other than in their heart knowing that they have tried their best and maybe the world won’t change because of it but doing it all the same.

Not only does this chapter stick in your mind, it makes you see things differently. The sort of flick that makes you stop, reflect on those who fought for principle when doing so bore a risk. It's a plea for us to look beyond the simple solutions and face the uncomfortable realities. Perhaps decades old, but this Hawkes chapter reminds us that the battle for justice, understanding and empathy isn't an outdated muse; it's a fight we all have a stake in.

Log 6

 In the final chapters, there’s a sense of closure mixed with lingering questions. Ana and Christian have both come a long way, but it’s clear they’re still grappling with the same differences that defined their relationship from the start. Christian’s need for control remains, but he’s softened in some ways, showing Ana sides of himself that he never thought he could share. He’s more vulnerable now, and it feels like Ana has brought out something in him that he didn’t even know he was capable of feeling.

Ana, too, has grown so much. She’s no longer that uncertain girl caught up in Christian’s intensity. She’s learned to stand up for herself, to challenge him when she feels he’s crossed a line, and, most importantly, to define what she wants from life. There’s a quiet strength in her now that I didn’t see in the beginning, and it makes me feel proud of her journey. She’s come to understand herself better, both in relation to Christian and on her own terms.

But, despite all this growth, the story ends with a bittersweet feeling. There’s love between them, no doubt, but there are still parts of Christian’s world that Ana struggles to accept fully. And you get the sense that maybe she never will, or maybe she shouldn’t have to. It’s like they’ve reached an understanding, yet there’s this unspoken realization that their differences might never fully go away. They’re both changed, but it’s hard to say if they’ve truly reached a place where they can be at peace with each other.

As the story closes, I’m left feeling a mix of emotions. There’s relief in seeing Ana grow, hope for Christian’s journey toward healing, but also a bit of sadness in realizing that love alone might not be enough to bridge every gap between them.

Log 6

 The climax of the story finally came up. Kino injured his wife with his own fist and killed a man, all because of “the pearl.” I think “the pearl” not only puts Kino and his family in danger but is also turning Kino himself into a danger, as he has hurt the person he cares about the most. It is eroding Kino’s humanity, driving him insane. He still insists on keeping “the pearl,” despite it already bringing many evils and dangers to him and his family. Now, they must flee from the village they once called home after Kino killed a man. On one hand, I feel sad and furious about Kino’s clouded mind, but on the other hand, I admire Juana(Kino’s wife) for being far wiser and more persevering than her husband. I have a bad feeling that the story will not end well—someone in the family will die due to Kino’s decisions.

After reading this chapter, I really want to tell Kino to give up on the pearl, give up on the pursuit of wealth and power, and to return to his original, simple, yet happy and peaceful life. What’s the point of gaining wealth and fame if you lose everyone who loves you and everyone you love?

Log 6

 

I read The Girl Without Hands from Grimms' Fairy Tales.

First, the miller traded his daughter's happiness for wealth because he was greedy, and it ended up hurting his family. This reminds me that chasing quick rewards can harm the people closest to us. I learned that we should stay calm in the face of temptation and not sacrifice long-term happiness for short-term gain.

Second, the miller’s daughter didn’t complain or give up on herself, even in hard times. Her faith and strength helped her overcome the devil. This shows me that when we face challenges, keeping faith and believing in ourselves can lead us to a solution.

Then, the father hurt his daughter because he was afraid, but the daughter still forgave him. This taught me that family relationships need forgiveness. Everyone makes mistakes, and understanding and forgiving each other makes family bonds stronger.

Finally, the king searched for his wife and child for seven years and finally reunited with them. This shows the importance of loyalty and persistence. When facing hardships, we shouldn’t give up easily—sometimes it takes time and effort.

In conclusion, this story taught me to be cautious with temptations, to stay strong in difficulties, to be forgiving with family, and to never give up on the ones we love.

Log 6

 

The book is called "The 39 clues", which is my second book for the sustain reading project. It depicts the boy, Dan and the girl, Amy found out their family was one of the most influential family in the world.

They strived to deal with kidnappers and others who envied of their strength and wealth. At the first peek of this book I was amazed by the cover. The vivid image of Medusa made me shiver and it represented a dangerous threat. I really enjoy this book although I only finished chapter 2 so far. After reading through the concept of this series it gave me the idea that when you are showering in fame and wealth, maybe there are so many eyes gazing at your prestigious status and money. When you earn the higher place in the society, there are so many notorious hands wanting to drag you into despair. Money and fame can have a profound effect on our mind. It may change you from an innocent villagers to a brutal murderer. When the family members of the protagonists encountered kidnapping, the contrast is horrible. They all were having a vacation around the world, all of a sudden, they were captured by

black linen sacks. The results were devastated. No one knows their whereabouts.The clues maybe hide in this book waiting us to find out.

Week 11

It is going to be the 11th week of this semester. Time does fly! We are almost done with our reading logs (I have read two really good log 6s!), have only one essay to go, and have the final DST project to be done in groups. Isn't that nice!

For our last essay, we'll approach it using the comparison/contrast strategy. As an example, we have read an advertisement analysis essay that compares two brands in terms of their rhetoric strategies and implied and explicit messages communicated throughout the text.  The images coming along with the ad lines in each ad attract different groups of audience/potential buyers and indeed make their intended meanings more interesting and vividly represented. This week, we'll read other essays to explain how to write with the comparing/contrast pattern to communicate, argue, and persuade readers.   

Then, we should start our final project in no time. This project invites you to share ideas about the community you engage in daily, or the one you are the most familiar with. I found one posted reading log is quite relevant! More explanation will be provided in class. See ya!

Log 6

 

For me, finishing a book is a difficult task. Since I don’t have a regular reading habit and I read slowly, I often lose interest halfway through. Although this time I had to read a book for a course, I’m still happy that I successfully finished one!

After reading this book, I realized there are actually a lot of topics to explore, such as family relationships, performance art, and self-expression. However, the theme that gave me the most thoughts and reflections is family relationships, as it feels close to my daily life. Each family’s dynamics and issues are different; for instance, in the story, the Fang family’s problem is that Mr. and Mrs. Fang ignore Annie and Buster’s feelings. Reading it, I felt that these two kids were merely tools used by their parents. In my own family, I also see similar issues, like how my grandma has the traditional mindset of favoring boys over girls. Her treatment of my brother and me is very different. Whenever we eat at her house, not only I but also other family members can feel her favoritism toward my brother. Nevertheless, my grandma is very stubborn, even if my aunt gently reminds her that times have changed, my grandma remains unmoved and might even get upset.

Although I can’t change my grandma’s mindset, I’ve found an opportunity to learn how to adjust my own feelings to make myself feel better. Regarding these issues in my family, I try first to understand the reasons behind my grandma’s thinking. I think it might be because, in her generation, these were the common values, and she herself may have been treated this way, so she doesn’t see a problem with treating my brother and me differently. After understanding this, I can let go of the expectation that “she will change,” because changing her mindset would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. With this new perspective, even though my grandma still favors my brother, I no longer feel unbalanced. I can still be genuinely happy.

In a nutshell, through exploring the Fang family’s relationships in the story, I’ve realized that an important takeaway is that if there are situations we cannot change, we can try to change our own approach or mindset. Even if the situation remains unpleasant, perhaps by adjusting our perspective, we can live more happily! This is the most profound insight I gained from reading The Family Fang.

Log 6

While reading The Adventures of Tintin: The Red Sea Sharks, I was deeply moved by the courage of Tintin and his friends. In the story, they face dark issues like human trafficking and illegal arms deals. Tintin steps into this dangerous world bravely, exposing the truth and helping innocent people. This made me think about what courage and justice really mean.

Tintin’s actions made me question how I respond to unfairness. In our world, even if we don’t face such thrilling adventures, unfair situations are everywhere. Whether it’s bullying at work, prejudice in society, or human rights issues worldwide, these problems need us to stand up and face them with courage. Tintin always holds on to his beliefs, no matter how tough things get, and this spirit inspires me.

I also realized that justice is not just an idea; it needs action. Tintin’s adventures show that true justice is more than just words—it requires real steps to make things right. This kind of courage is what society lacks today. When we are faced with moral and social choices, can we be like Tintin, not afraid to act instead of avoiding the problem? His story reminds me to stay true to what is right, even under pressure.

Finally, this book made me rethink what a “hero” really is. Tintin doesn’t have superpowers; he only has his mind and a strong sense of justice. But this makes him a hero worth respecting. It shows me that a real hero doesn’t need powers or fame—just a heart that stands firm and helps others. While we may not have big adventures like Tintin, we can still be the ones who speak up and act in our everyday lives.

Reading this comic made me see that books aren’t just for fun; they can help us reflect on our values and beliefs. Tintin’s story teaches us that anyone can be a hero in their own life. Facing unfairness, standing up for justice, and staying true to what we believe in—that’s what really makes us strong. 

Log 6

It’s been quite a long time since I last posted my blog. For log six, which is probably the last reading blog for this semester, I decided to write down the chapter that impressed me the most as my reading reflection. That chapter is called “focus less on yourself.” Before I delved into the content, I was thinking, “Why should we focus less on ourselves? Shouldn’t we focus more on ourselves rather than others’ life trivia? If we put our focus on other people, would we be happier?” With those doubts in mind, I felt more and more curious about what this chapter wants to teach us, so I started my reading journey right after I saw the title. The author began this chapter by giving scientific research showing people focusing on others created more happiness than those who put the main focus on themselves. It divided hundreds of participants into three groups, which were moral deeds group, moral thoughts group, treat yourself group, respectively. The final result demonstrated that focusing less on yourself and your desires will make you happier. It’s because if you care more about others, you will feel greater purpose in life and a sense of belonging that all human beings need. After showing the opinion that people get happier if they care more about others, the author then pointed out three ways to be less focused on our own, including avoid your own reflection, stop judging things around you so much, and spend more time marveling at the world around you. These methods help us put less of our own subjective ideas on outward things and thus achieve the core goal of “focus less on ourselves.” Finally, the author also provided three ways to lower our extent of envy to manageable levels, focus on the ordinary parts of others’ lives, turn off the envy machine, reveal your unenviable self included. Though the last part seems meaningless to the concept of focusing less on ourselves, it actually has a correlation to that concept since when we do those things above, we will naturally lessen the emphasis on ourselves and thus be more interested in others’ lives in a genuine way. 

As I grow older, I’ve become more focused on my own needs than on what others think, especially at the stage of college. It’s probably because in college, we spend most of our time alone, which makes many people seem cold and detached, and I’m no exception. I just want to take care of my own college life and schoolwork rather than concern about others’ daily life. But sometimes, when I take a moment to reflect on my recent life, I realize there’s something missing, which is “human connection.” Although people often chat with each other in class, they usually don’t interact much after class. This limits our ability to truly get to know our classmates, let alone show care for their lives. I think it’s a pity, even though it’s quite common in college. Sometimes, we still need to spend quality time outside the classroom with friends and classmates. After all, we are social beings, and connection and warmth from others are essential in our lives. So, as college students, we should be more proactive in caring for those around us. After reading this chapter, I feel more aware of this need in myself and realize that I should take the initiative to show more kindness to the people around me.

After reading this chapter, I made up my mind to put more focus on the world around me instead of just on myself, just like what the author said in the chapter. It doesn’t mean I don’t care about my feelings or my own needs; instead, it means I will be more open to the outside world and care for people around me rather than just taking care of myself. With that idea in mind, I plan to take small steps by paying more attention to how my friends and classmates are doing. Like if they confront difficulties with which are hard to deal, maybe I can actively help them by providing some suggestions or giving my sentimental support to let them know they’re not alone. By doing so, they’ll feel supported and I’ll get a sense of satisfaction. It’s like the meaning of “killing two birds with one stone.” In addition to caring for people around me, I even plan to take a volunteer job in my winter vacation. Now I’ve got some ideas in my mind, such as being a volunteer in a hospital, taking part in a winter service camp to be a volunteer in rural areas, cleaning the beach, etc. Perhaps I’ll choose to join the winter service club to serve in rural areas, for some of my former classmates have that experience and I’m somehow attracted by that kind of fresh experience! To conclude, while it’s important to take care of ourselves, we should also look out for those around us. When caring for others, it’s important not to be too envious of the positive aspects of their lives or to project our own thoughts onto them. Instead, we should focus on the everyday parts of their lives and try to observe from an objective perspective. Achieving this balance can ultimately lead to greater happiness.