Lifelong Student

Scottie Doesn't Know

2010-06-05T23:22:00.002+08:00

I like my English name "Scott" even better when I saw the movie, "Eurotrip". It's really a must, especially by any chance you are one close friend of any "Scott".

This clip is one of my favorite scene from this movie. Our protagonist Scott was dumped by his hot girlfriend Fiona, and his father videoed his desperate plea in the very beginning of the movie. Like usual, the funny parts are always built on other people's suffering. So Scott's younger brother played his plea repeatedly, mocked him, and imitated his plea. It's really a fun time for the boy, epecially when he had the chance to bully his elder brother.

Another climax in the movie is the performance of the new boyfriend, for whom Fiona has cheated Scott for a long time. The guy made out with Fiona publicly on the stage and gave us a song, which told us every detail they did behind Scott's back. Yes, to my surprise too, it's Matt Damon.

Just like the Scott in the movie, no, I don't know, either.

Scott Scottie Scottland

2010-06-03T23:42:00.006+08:00

        I wish I am as brave as a Scotsman, as strong as a highlander warrior.

        Most English names have their own meanings behind them. Some are saints' names, some are angels' names, and other names come from various sources. I picked the name "Scott" , because I like the NBA star Scottie Pippen for his team spirit and energy. One day I checked the meaning behind the name "Scott" on the Internet ...and found that it means Scotsman. Yes, a man from Scottland and also another meaning, the painted warrior. Have you ever seen the movie, "Braveheart"? An epic movie about the history of Scottish people fighting for their freedom and independence.

        OK, it's just something came to my mind when I listened to this music clip. Thank you for reading my nonsense. Let us keep our minds both independent and free. Sure, we have to be brave.

中國文學賞析作業

2009-01-08T18:11:00.000+08:00

Life's a struggle.

2008中國舉辦了奧運
煙花都很燦爛,世界都在歡呼，
壯觀美麗以饗我們的眼睛
所有國家都很興奮，準備著迎接比賽

贊助商都很高興，加入喧譁，
比賽順利進行，獎牌源源不斷，
所以我們把公理賣掉，翻開歷史的新頁，
就在一頁假的新啟蒙時代開始之後，
點燃自由的火炬，並且在此階段燒光所有的道德，
原來每個國家都有價格是真的，
我們賣掉了我們的同情心，藏起了這個恥辱，
然後假裝正義已然伸張。
忘記壓迫，然後好好慶祝，好像這一切都是值得的。
噢，那個欺負人的得到握手，還有來自各處的讚美。
對於人類犯下的罪行被忽略，好像並不存在一樣，
公理還不會贏得任何獎牌，
因為我們都好好地坐著。
而他們艱困的日子依然，
是，我們都好好地坐著，
而他們艱困的日子依然。

中國的知識份子研習了醬缸陋習,
自己日子過得好就忘記這個社會上還有許多日子過的很辛苦的人,
社會上有許多自詡為知識份子菁英的人,
他們藉著自己的聰敏,藉著自己的口才伶俐,
藉著手裡握有的媒體工具,
為了自己的利益或政治取向去當資方和政府當局不義的打手,
不斷的對社會廣播著,洗腦著.
於是,許多自詡為知識份子的人,
忘了自己也是人,和這些困苦的人沒什麼不同.
催眠自己是知識份子是菁英的一員.
是高人一等的.

醒醒吧!知識份子沒有比較了不起!

在這個時代,資訊爆炸跟競爭更激烈的時代,
這個世界需要什麼樣的菁英?
能夠站在弱勢的角度去考慮事情的菁英.
能夠聽到勞方聲音的菁英,
能夠真正奉行所有人是平等都該受重視的菁英!!!

ORACLE APP R12 Install, Patch, and Maintain

2008-06-02T23:08:00.001+08:00

荒廢了很久,也很久沒想過要再拿張認證了,
有時候覺得不是自己學什麼決定自己去念些什麼.
反而常常是來了什麼工作,於是又再投入進去.

從前的階段性任務一段一段,完成後好像都沒留下些什麼?這點實在不是個當IT或是任何知識性產業工作者該犯的錯誤.我又特別的糟,不是寫在書上,就是都用PAPER印出來筆記寫在上頭,時間一久,要用到或是朋友問起,都只剩下很微薄的回憶,然後從亂七八糟的文件堆裡翻,常常最後又求助於萬能的GOOGLE,枉費了念過測過整理過的一些東西.

這次K老大( 我以前公司老大,很厲害,由其是唸人,XD ) 非常好心的給我一個機會,於是我踏入除了ORACLE DB外,ORACLE的另外一塊天地,坦白說有點惶恐,因為除了有基本的DB觀念及UNIX的基本操作外,我對ORACLE APP R12實在是陌生倒不行.

我這個人,做事情其實不是挺行學東西也沒很快,不過既來之則安之,最少不要以後被人家說,喔有用過ORACLE APP R12怎麼什麼概念也沒有啊!以下的內容來自於oracle官網的Oracle EBS R12 Applications Database Administrator Certified Professional考試編號1Z1-238,沒打算去考,只是拿這個當一個學習的大方向.(html 弄TABLE太麻煩了,所以用Google Docs XD)

接下來要再接再厲把每個章節我有用到的給整理下來.希望能夠越來越上手

macabre:Word of the Day

2008-02-21T16:37:00.001+08:00

macabre (mə-kä'brə, mə-käb', -kä'bər)

Pronounced: click here

Function: adjective

Comparative and superlative forms: more macabre; most macabre

Meaning:
: involving death or violence in a way that is strange, frightening, or unpleasant
Examples:
<a macabre story of murder and madness>
<Police discovered a macabre scene inside the house.>

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Word of the Day: bear

2008-02-19T15:18:00.000+08:00

bear (bâr)

Pronounced: click here

Function: noun [count]

Plural: bear or bears

Meanings:
1 : any one of a group of large and heavy animals that have thick hair and sharp claws and that can stand on two legs like a person
Example:
<a mother bear and her cubs>

Note: Bear is sometimes used figuratively to describe a large man.
Examples:
<a tall, friendly bear of a man>
<My father can be a grumpy old bear when he's tired.>

Note: In informal British English, a person who becomes angry or annoyed very easily is (like) a bear with a sore head.
Example:
<My father can be like a bear with a sore head when he's tired.>

2 finance : a person who expects the price of stocks to go down and who sells them to avoid losing money
Example:
<The bears outnumbered the bulls on Wall Street today.>

3 US, informal : something that is difficult to do or deal with
Example:
<This oven is a bear to clean. [=this oven is very hard to clean]>

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vulgar:Word of the Day

2008-02-11T18:48:00.000+08:00

vulgar (vŭl'gər)

Pronounced: click here

Function: adjective

Comparative and superlative forms: more vulgar; most vulgar

Meanings:
1 : not having or showing good manners, good taste, or politeness
Examples:
<He was a vulgar man.>
<She had a coarse, vulgar laugh.>
<vulgar table manners>
<a vulgar [=tasteless] display of wealth>


2 : relating to the common people or the speech of common people
Example:
<vulgar Latin>

Derived form:
vulgarly adverb
Example:
<vulgarly sexual jokes>

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tamper:Word of the Day

2008-02-11T17:04:00.000+08:00

tamper (tăm'pər)

Pronounced: click here

Function: verb

Inflected forms:
tampers; tampered; tampering

Phrasal verb:
tamper with
Construction: tamper with (something)
Meaning:
: to change or touch (something) especially in a way that causes damage or harm
Examples:
<They don't want to tamper with tradition.>
<It looked like someone had been tampering with the lock.>
<The evidence has been tampered with.>

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prevail: Word of the Day

2008-02-11T16:36:00.000+08:00

prevail (prĭ-vāl')

Pronounced: click here

Function: verb [no object]

Inflected forms:
prevails; prevailed; prevailing

Status: formal

Meanings:
1 : to defeat an opponent especially in a long or difficult contest
Example:
<Our soccer team prevailed [=won] despite the bad weather.>

Note: Prevail is often followed by against or over.
Examples:
<He prevailed against/over last year’s champion.>
<She prevailed in a lawsuit against her doctor. [=she won a lawsuit against her doctor]>

Note: Prevail is often used figuratively.
Examples:
<Justice will prevail.>
<Truth will always prevail [=triumph] over lies.>

2 : to be usual, common, or popular
Examples:
<Mutual respect prevails among students and teachers here.>
<the music that prevailed in the 1980s>

3 : to be or continue to be in use
Examples:
<The tribal custom still prevails [=persists] after hundreds of years.>
<The law still prevails insome states.>

Phrasal verb:
prevail on/upon
Construction: prevail on/upon (someone)
Meaning:
: to ask or persuade (someone) to do something
Example:
<They prevailed on/upon me to play a few tunes on the piano.>

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kite:Word of the Day

2008-01-24T15:30:00.000+08:00

kite (kīt)

Pronounced: click here

Function: noun [count]

Plural: kites

Meanings:
1 : a toy that is made of a light frame covered with cloth, paper, or plastic and that is flown in the air at the end of a long string
Example:
<The children were flying kites.>

2 : a type of hawk that has long, narrow wings

Idiom:
as high as a kite
Status: informal
Meaning:
: greatly affected by alcohol or drugs : very drunk or intoxicated
Example:
<The driver was as high as a kite.>

Idiom:
go fly a kite
Status: US, informal & old-fashioned
Meaning:
Go fly a kite is used to tell someone who is bothering you to go away.
Example:
<When I asked her what was wrong, she told me to go fly a kite.>

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underbelly:Word of the Day

2008-01-22T15:12:00.000+08:00

underbelly (ŭn'dər-bĕl'ē)

Pronounced: click here

Function: noun [count]

Plural: underbellies

Meanings:
1 : the bottom part of a body or large object
Examples:
<the underbelly of an airplane>
<whales with white underbellies>

2 : an area that is easy to attack or criticize — usually singular
Examples:
<the underbelly of the enemy army’s defenses>
<They exposed the underbelly of the nation’s economic policy.>

3 : a part of society, a city, etc., that is hidden or secret and usually unpleasant — usually singular
Examples:
<the sordid underbelly of city life>
<the industry’s dark underbelly>

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vengeance: Word of the Day

2008-01-15T22:49:00.000+08:00

vengeance (vĕn'jəns)

Pronounced: click here

Function: noun [noncount]

Meaning:
: harm done to someone as punishment for an injury or offense they have done to someone else : revenge
Examples:
<The fire was set as an act of vengeance.>
<He swore vengeance against his son's kidnapper.>
<Angry protesters wanted to inflict vengeance on the killer.>

Idiom:
with a vengeance
Meaning:
: with great force or effort
Examples:
<After losing the first three games, the team came back with a vengeance to win the next four.>
<She set to work with a vengeance and finished the job in two hours.>

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teeny-weeny:Word of the Day

2008-01-15T22:36:00.000+08:00

teeny-weeny

Pronounced: click here

Function: adjective

Comparative and superlative forms: teeny–weenier; teeny–weeniest also more teeny–weeny; most teeny–weeny

Status: informal

Meaning:
: very small : tiny
Examples:

<Aren’t you even a teeny-weeny bit jealous?>
<a teeny-weeny little house/bug>


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ignoramus:Word of the Day

2008-01-12T16:09:00.000+08:00

ignoramus (ĭg'nə-rā'məs)

Pronounced: click here

Function: noun [count]

Plural: ignoramuses

Meaning:
: a person who does not know much : an ignorant or stupid person
Example:


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whoop:Word of the Day

2008-01-11T09:49:00.000+08:00

whoop

Pronounced: click here

Function: noun [count]

Plural: whoops

Meaning:
: a high, loud sound that expresses enthusiasm or excitement
Examples:
<The coach let out a big whoop when the team scored.>
<Whoops and cheers erupted when the runner crossed the finish line.>

Idiom:
big whoop
Meaning:
Big whoop is used in a sarcastic way to say that something is not important or impressive.
Example:
<"Their team is going to the playoffs." "Big whoop." [=so what?]>

Note: Big whoop is often used in the phrase no big whoop.
Example:
<It might look special, but it's really no big whoop. [=it is not a big deal]>

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nifty:Word of the Day

2008-01-09T09:38:00.000+08:00

nifty

Pronounced: click here

Function: adjective

Comparative and superlative forms: niftier; niftiest

Status: informal & somewhat old-fashioned

Meaning:
: very good, useful, or attractive
Example:
<a nifty pair of shoes>
<This nifty little machine can do just about anything.>

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from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
something that is nifty is good because it is clever, skillful, or effective:
<a nifty little gadget for squeezing oranges>

vegetate:Word of the Day

2008-01-09T09:30:00.000+08:00

vegetate

Pronounced: click here

Function: verb [no object]

Inflected forms:
vegetates; vegetated; vegetating

Meaning:
: to be very lazy or inactive : to live or spend your time without doing things that involve physical or mental activity
Examples:

<I'm worried that after I retire I'll just sit at home, watch TV, and vegetate.>

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epic: Word of the Day

2008-01-06T22:49:00.000+08:00

epic

Pronounced: click here

Function: adjective

Meanings:
1 : telling a story about a hero or about exciting events or adventures
Examples:
<an epic poem>
<an epic film/novel>

2 [more epic; most epic] : very great or large and usually difficult or impressive
Examples:
<The football game was an epic battle between two great teams.>
<The bridge was an epic achievement.>
<The company is engaged in an epic struggle for survival.>
<an accomplishment of epic proportions>
<undertaking an epic journey>

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typo:Word of the Day

2008-01-06T22:43:00.000+08:00

typo

Pronounced: click here

Function: noun [count]

Plural: typos

Status: informal

Meaning:
: a mistake (such as a misspelling) in typed or printed text
Example:


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highlight:Word of the Day

2008-01-06T22:31:00.000+08:00

highlight

Pronounced: click here

Function: verb [with object]

Inflected forms:
highlights; highlighted; highlighting

Meanings:
1 a : to make or try to make people notice or be aware of (someone or something) : to direct attention to (someone or something)
Examples:
<Unfortunately, the media insisted upon highlighting his troubled past.>
<The speech highlighted [=emphasized] the importance of improving education in rural communities.>

1 b : to be a very interesting, exciting, or important part of (something)
Example:
<Our trip was highlighted by a great jazz concert we attended.>

2 : to mark (something, such as text) with a bright color
Examples:
<The students highlighted important vocabulary words in their textbooks.>
<Important names and dates in each chapter are highlighted.>
<(computers) Use your mouse to highlight the text that you want to revise.>

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Wedge:Word of the Day 01/04/2008

2008-01-04T09:55:00.000+08:00

wedge
Pronounced: click here

Function: noun [count]

Plural: wedges

Meanings:
1 : a piece of wood, metal, etc., with one pointed end and one thicker end that is used to split something, to fit into a space, to separate two things stuck together, etc.
Examples:
<He used a wedge to split the firewood.>
<A wedge held the door open.>

2 : something that is shaped like a triangle or wedge
Examples:
<wedges of cheese>
<a lemon wedge>

3 : a golf club that is used for hitting short, high shots

Idiom:
drive a wedge between
Meaning:
: to cause disagreement or anger between (people who had been friendly before)
Example:
<A fight over their parents’ estate drove a wedge between the brothers.>

"A Doll's House" by Ibsen, Henrik 相關資料

2007-12-24T11:58:00.000+08:00

The Author Ibsen, Henrik from Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Ibsen
A Doll's House from Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Doll%27s_House
The Play Context from Project Gutenberg( under Ibsen, Henrik, 1828-1906)
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/i

How to Answer Essay Questions in a Mechanical Way

2007-12-03T23:49:00.000+08:00

Though I did give poor answers on guided reading in the mid-term this semester, but I was glad to know what mistakes were made by me. The following steps of procedure was my suggestions for us to write a precise and organized answer(a naive effort to make a SOP for essay questions). I will use the part 1 of question number 7 on "The Chrysanthemums:How do you interpret Elisa’s asking for wine with dinner?" as an example.

1. Read the question clearly and define the main target of the question.
           a.Try to understand what the question does want and focus on that correct topic.
              -- We can see "wine" is the main point.
           b.Focus on the topic of the question instead of the topic of the story.
              -- So we have to answer the question around the wine, neither the chrysanthemums
                nor the garden.

2. Write down the topic sentence for the answer.
           a.Check again if you are using the correct topic according to the Step 1.
              -- Again, it's not anything else but wine. Don't get confused. Other things might be
                more important to the story but not to this question.
           b.Compose a precise and right-to-the-point topic sentence.
              --e.g. The Author uses wine as a symbol to reveal Elisa's feeling.

3. Use 4W1H questions on your topic, and filter out the improper questions. Answer these questions to support your topic sentence. Not every question has meaning for your specific question, and the order you answer the questions is arranged through your own judgment. I suggest you put the most direct answer at first.
           a.When
              --When did Elisa ask for wine at dinner? After what event happened?
           b.Who
              --To whom did Elisa ask for wine at dinner? How was Henry's reaction?(You may put
                this question under "How".It's OK)
           c.What
              --What's the function of wine?
           d.Why
              --Why did Elisa want wine for dinner.
           e.How
              --
           (We want a mechanical way,so isolate your questions as well as you can)

5.Choose answers of those questions you make. Compose and organize these answers into your supporting sentences for your topic sentence.

6.End your essay with a conclusion. Give your topic sentence a comment or emphasize again in other words.

Suggested Reading
"Writing Essay Exams" from Purdue University Online Writing Lab
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_essay.html

Cathedral by Raymond Carver

2007-11-06T16:43:00.000+08:00

What is a "Cathedral" From Dictionary & Thesaurus

WordNet Dictionary
cathedral (adj.):
1: relating to or containing or issuing from a bishop's office or throne; "a
cathedral church"

cathedral (n.):
1: any large and important church
2: the principal Christian church building of a bishop's diocese

Plot Summary
Characters
Style(Narration and Point of View)
Themes
Alienation and Loneliness
Compare & Contrast

The Source
"The Cathedral" by Raymond Carver
Author Biography
Raymond Carver from Wikipedia
From Turkshead library
Notes on Raymond Carver's “Cathedral”

A Review on "Cathedral" from NYT
By ANATOLE BROYARD; Published: September 5, 1983
Books of The Times

A Review on "Cathedral" from NYT
By IRVING HOWE; Published: September 11, 1983
STORIES OF OUR LONELINESS

A Book Review of "THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES 1982 Selected from U.S. and Canadian Magazines. "
By ELIZABETH SPENCER; Published: November 21, 1982
EXPERIMENT IS OUT, CONCERN IS IN

"To Build a Fire" by Jack London

2007-10-31T08:59:00.000+08:00

Questions
1.Roughly how much of London's story is devoted to describing the setting? What particular details make it memorable?

2.To what extent does setting determine what happens in this story?

3.From what point of view is London's story told?

4.In "To Build a Fire" the man is never given a name. What is the effect of his being called simply "the man" throughout the story?

5.From the evidence London gives us, what stages are involved in the process of freezing to death? What does the story gain from London's detailed account of the man's experience with each successive stage?

6.What are the most serious mistakes the man makes? To what factors do you attribute these errors?

相關連結
To Build a Fire原文
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/To_Build_a_Fire
To Build a Fire 朗讀mp3檔 from LibriVox(mp3@64kbps - 19.2MB)
http://librivox.org/short-story-collection-003/
Jack London作品集(from WIKISOURCE)
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Jack_London
To Build a Fire:Plot Summary (Read the original story first. Trust me. The summary is not much shorter than the story itself.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Build_a_Fire

"A & P" by John Updike

2007-10-21T10:17:00.000+08:00

"A & P" (1961)

by John Updike

elements of fiction
 -character
 -setting of time,place
 season or month: like summer or July
 location: A&P supermarket
 -plot
 -narration
 tone: serious, humorous, ironic, sincere

1st person point of view :provide the narrowest point of view
This story is all Sammy's observation and assumption(guesses).
He also judged.

the narrator: Sammy
 -the observant
 -imaginative
 -prejudiced
 -sense of beauty
 -sense of justice
 -guts

exposition:
expose: to explore
 to provide details of background
 characters

gap between cultural or social classes

characters(characteristics)
-Sammy
 Age: 19
 job: cashier
 personality: passionate, thoughtless,
 action he took:
-Lengel
 Age: maybe fourty something
 job: manager
 personality: stubborn,religious,pious,propriety, conservative,meticulous,serious
 action he took: humiliated the three girls
-Stokesie
 Age: 22 and married
 job: cashier
 personality:
 prospect: One day he would be a manager.
-3 ladys
-other customers
 'sheep',housewives,
 house-slaves:narrow-minded

symbols
"Sammy" name on the apron<-----------------------> identity

"A&P" is an initiation story, a story of growth(gaining maturity)
We look at the whole thing through Sammy's eyes.
(first person narration, by first person narrator)
If this story were written by 3rd person point of view,it will be more objective

Differences from Different Point of View
1st :what, how
3rd:what, how, why

Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin 1(Introductoin)

2007-10-14T21:53:00.000+08:00

Introduction

Frequently anthologized, James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" tells the story of two brothers who come to understand each other. More specifically, it highlights, through its two main characters, the two sides of the African-American experience. The narrator has assimilated into white society as much as possible but still feels the pain of institutional racism and the limits placed upon his opportunity. Conversely, Sonny has never tried to assimilate and must find an outlet for the deep pain and suffering that his status as permanent outsider confers upon him. Sonny channels his suffering into music, especially bebop jazz and the blues, forms developed by African-American musicians. "Sonny's Blues" was first published in 1957 and was collected in Baldwin's 1965 book, Going to Meet the Man.

The story also has biblical implications. Baldwin became a street preacher early in his life, and religious themes appear throughout his writings. In "Sonny's Blues," Baldwin uses the image from the book of Isaiah of the "cup of trembling" to symbolize the suffering and trouble that Sonny has experienced in his life. At the end of the story, while Sonny is playing the piano, Sonny's brother watches a barmaid bring a glass of Scotch and milk to the piano, which "glowed and shook above my brother's head like the very cup of trembling." As Sonny plays, the cup reminds his brother of all of the suffering that both he and Sonny have endured. His brother finally understands that it is through music that Sonny is able to turn his suffering into something worthwhile.

Summary

Two brothers--->two sides of the African-American experience

Narrator--->assimilated into white society
                     still feels the pain of institutional racism
                     limits placed upon his opportunity

Sonny ------>never tried to assimilate
                  must find an outlet for the deep pain and suffering
                  permanent outsider

Through Sonny's music------>Two brothers come to understand each other.

Bibliography and Further Reading

Bibliography of James Baldwin from Wikipedia
James Baldwin (writer)

One good article in Chinese the writer cited "Sonny's Blues" to express her own feeling
Sonny's Blues／〈薩尼的藍調〉之手足情感

For the Jazz and Literature Unit of Literature and Social History from UC Davis
An AP Class in English Literature

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

2007-10-14T18:49:00.000+08:00

"The Lottery"
by Shirley Jackson(1919-1965)

Structure:   I . Preparation
                 II . the Lottery
                 III. the Result

What does the word "Lottery" mean?
       Origonal    : a money game

       In this story:   'Lottery in June, Corn be heavy soon.' indicates this tradition is
               for a rich harvest.
               A tradition, uncivil, cruel,
               Individual right is going to be sacrificed for collective good?!
               A chosen one will become the scapegoat, the victim.
               A woman, a villager, a neighbor, a friend of other villager was
               stoned to death.

                   ironic,sarcastic
       The writer was using a harsh tone to question human nature. Why people keep
       foolish tradition without thinking.

Setting
   time   : modern time, the villagers were already using tractors. summer June 27th
   place   : some anonymous small village. Most people make a living by agriculture.
   It's a universal story: it could happen at any time ,any place

   Try to describe how Shirley Jackson pave the story.

   People prey to the goddess Demeter to earn her blessing.

I .Preparation of the lottery

   atmosphere: tension, anxiety

   gathering:    children: boys, girls
           adults   : men, women

   some names   distinguished (these names are quite symbolic)
           Bobby    Martin
           Harry   Jones
           Dickie   Delacroix: of the cross, pious, religious
           Mr.   Summers: host ->who conducts the ceremory
           Mr.   Graves
           Old man Warner: gives warnings, reminder
           the    Hutchinsons: a martyr
           the    Adams: first sinner

square is a place for social activities

Black wooden box------>tradition
color symbolism
shape: shabby
it suggested a coffin

details of the further preparation

count heads ------------->households
           families

incident: Mrs. Hutchinson came late hurriedly.
dramatic irony

"You're in time." is a dramatic ironic line of this story.
Mrs. Hutchinson is in time for death, sacrifice.

And It count the villagers from A to Z in sequence. No one was excepted.
Can we call this lottery democratic ?

Listen to
NBC Short Story, NBC radio, 1951

Everyday Use by Alice Walker

2007-10-07T15:51:00.000+08:00

Structure
1.Preparation for Dee's homecoming
2.Dee's visit
3.Dee left; after Dee Departed

Setting: at first the atmosphere was pleasant
the surroundings were friendly,peaceful,harmonious

structure
-beginning
-middle development
-end

waiting -prepartion
living room: to welcome guests, receiving
separation for a long time

a foil: a minor character, similar to the protagonist in age, ...and in many aspects of background.

character
Mother: Nameless,sacrifice,protect,unconditioned love,raise the daughters, patience
labor class, colored, blur collar
Dee: confident,aggressive,have no contribution to the family

Maggie:

Waiting for Dee's homecoming
Maggie :nurvous
The Mother: recalling the TV show she'd saw
make believe
TV shows: reunion, endearing (she tried to make believe, )
illusion <-----------------------------> reality

one foot raise in flight: ready to run
enveloped: wraped
lame: cripple

grade - for elementary school
year - high school
college- freshman, sophomore, junior, senior

/---- Dee: to force word
/ to torture
reading to show off
\
\---- Maggie:pleasant

1st house was burned down 10-12 years ago. It's shabby, tacky

Dee wanted to cut off the connection with her family.

people's name: identity, background

change one's name: denial to the old name
want a new identity

Dee -----> Hakim Abarber: a long name suggests Dee wanted to be important
Dee was a family name. continuity

trip over: walking through many obstacles
a blue streak: a lot of praises

Civil War(1861-1865)

churn-------->everyday use
quilt---------->protection also for everyday use

Dee ---> rich ---> decoration
selfish,self-centered

Climax: Mother felt like hit by the thunder and realized how nice maggie was.
true awareness, enlightenment, illumination

Ending:
Mother and Maggie enjoyed their yard and restored harmony.

How "Everyday Use" functions as an initialion story: a process, how a person grow up

---->awareness---------------------------------->more mature recognition

through Dee's home-coming and the event occured,
mother and Maggie had a groth, an inspiration.

"No One's a Mystery"

2007-09-29T07:28:00.000+08:00

"No One's a Mystery"
by Elizabeth Tallent

narrator: the girl , first person point of view
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
characters:
Jack: middle-aged, occupation?
        drove a truck
        smoked
        wore jeans
        talked ill of his wife

18-year-old nameless girl
        who was under age when she met Jack

Jack's wife: middle-aged,by the car and the way she drive
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Situation:birthday celebration and a 5-year diary as a gift

Setting of time: the girl's 18th birthday
autumn: the wheat was fawn and yellow

Place : in Jack's truck
2003年人口普查,懷俄明州(Wyoming)有501,242人,是全美國人口最少的一州,也是在全美國中印第安人比例最高的州.

Every details adds up to the meaning and is suggestive.

Vocabulary

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plot:
The girl was pushed down --> Her position was low.
Her posture suggests her position of their relationship.

diary ------------> a private record of life
keeps secrets/mysteries

Girl: innocent, naive, unrealistic
Jack: sly, disgusting, selfish, insincere

	Jack	girl
tonight	she loves Jack	agrees
in a year	she parts with Jack	get married
in 2 years	she forgets about Jack	They have a son little Jack
in 3 years	he laughed at the name Rosamund	They have daughter named Eliza Rosamund

middlename: sometimes mother's last name

Story's title is from lyrics of the song "It Hasn't Happened Yet"
No One's a Mystery

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions:
1.How does Jack's present to the narrator, the "five-year diary with a latch and a little key," function symbolically in the story?

2.What do we learn about Jack's marriage? Through what details are these insights communicated?

3.What does each character's version of their future tell us about him or her?

4.The story ends with Jack's words,"if you want to know the truth." Do you think that the narrator does want to know the truth? Explain.

5.A quoted phrase can often take on new meanings in a new context. Consider the story's title:Is its application to the story literal or ironic?

How is the title related to Elizabeth Tallent's story?