Fahrenheit 451: Burning Bright

After reading the 3rd section of Fahrenheit 451, I have to say, it is a very interesting and well-written book.  In the end they actually show how important the meaning of books actually mean. The knowledge within the books and within themselves. I really enjoyed reading the last section of the book because it has so much figurative language, and so much meaning. I mean, it sums up everything. But then again, I guess that's because it's the last section. I really liked how Montag becomes a whole new person for the first time.  He finally gets to find the real him. He finally summed up everything, and he finally found a group of people like Faber, or like professors and intellectuals. I really liked the ending in how one of the professors compares mankind to a phoenix rising again and again from the ashes, because as well all know, the phoenix is very short-lived but re-lives right after. Which when you come to think of it, is very much like mankind, or humans. Us humans, there's always this change in live for everyone of us, and that shapes us to who we are now. There will be small twists and turns of changes. And then there are those huge changes and completely changed who you are. And I feel like this book telling us that no matter what your profession or belief or religion or anything, there's always a possibility of changing into something/someone "Better".

Fahrenheit 451: The Sieve and the Sand

This section of Fahrenheit 451 is when Montag starts reading the books, and tries to find the key or answer to help him our of his ignorance, but he doesn't know what the books are talking about, so he goes and finds a substitute, Faber, a man that he met in a park long time ago. He finds Faber, and Faber says that he's not going to find the reason for his unhappiness within the books themselves, but the meaning behind each one. This section, I would have to say to me is about the truth. By the title of the section "The Sieve and the Sand" is talking about how Montag's childhood memory, and he compares it to him reading the books, by how fast he reads the books, the more information will stay in his memory. The sand is talking about the authentic truth Montag is trying to search for, the sieve means the human mind seeking the truth (Source: Sparknotes.) The way I see it, I feel like it's trying to show us, that even in such a controlling society, the human mind will in some point in their life want to find some meaning of why do they do these things? And they would want to question, ask, and find the truth, what's really happening now, what is it like in the real world? Also, I think it shows, that no matter how distorted the society is, humans are still in some sort of way, "humans", and we still have a bit of emotions, or deepness in us, and it's because of the books and make us real. And not cardboard like.

Fahrenheit 451

After finishing the first third of Fahrenheit 451, I think it's a very interesting book, I think you can learn a lot from it. It's basically showing Bradbury's prediction of what the future would be like, and how people were forbidden to read books; and reading books was a crime. So this guy, called Guy Montag, is a firefighter. It's a funny thing, how firefighters actually burn houses later on, when now, firefighters actually stop the fire from happening. I think this book, is an absolute must read, it tells us a lot I think, in many different levels, it depends on how deep you see it, to me, I think the author is trying to show us and trying to warn us that books are important, are they not only important, but they give pleasure in life. When I was reading this book, the image it gave me was black and white, but when Clarisse shows up, everything around is colourful, there's actually life to it. There's actually something to appreciate, and value. But, I think Montag himself, is not completely brain washed by the society he is in. He starts to question after Clarisse shows up. I think the first third of the book is kind of reflecting to our society now, how media, television, government is limiting us with our minds. It makes us think only this path, and doesn't make us think outside the box. It doesn't make us think beyond, I'm not saying that we should come up with ideas that are irrational and unreasonable, but then again, I question myself, what is irrational and unreasonable? What is right and wrong? We have been taught all our lives to think this to think that, but what if we think another path? Are those people the so-called "crazy" people in our society today? The first third of the book makes me question all these human morals.

Malaysia and Singapore

So, we went to Singapore and Malaysia for our graduation trip. Malaysia seven days, Singapore five. There isn't really much to say about Malaysia because I mean, it has beautiful fireflies, great food, we learned a lot of their culture there, but for some reason, it doesn't really touch me that much. I mean, when we were in Malaysia, it was fun, cool, very hot I must say. But, I don't know what I actually learned from Malaysia. Singapore to me, is something. I remember, that Sunday night, when we were on the bus, on our way from to Singapore, when we were crossing the bridge, it was, I don't know how you describe that feeling, I felt complete, I felt happy. I cried, I mean, it's Singapore. It was home. To others, they don't really care, I mean they don't have that experience I had in Singapore, maybe Singapore meant something else to them, but to me, Singapore is home. To them, the bridge from Malaysia to Singapore, may be just a bridge differing from one country to another, but to me, that bridge meant so much more, that bridge, is not just differing from one country to another, but it differs from one country to home, to where I belong. To me, home is not where you were born, or race, religion, colour, nationality...etc. You cannot define "home" by just these things you were born with. Yes, I was born in America, and am by blood Taiwanese. Yes, I am Taiwanese, and American (since I have an American passport), but that doesn't mean either Taiwan or America is my home. The definition of home to me is where you think you belong, it doesn't need to be a place, it can be a person, a website, anything. It makes you feel comforted, it makes you feel whole. It's where you belong. The feeling of home, it doesn't matter how long you've stayed in a place, I've lived in Singapore for only four years, came back to Taiwan almost for five years now, I still believe Singapore is my home, it's not the matter of how long you spend in a place, it's the matter of how well you use your time there. When I was in Singapore, I may have only been in elementary, but because of my parents, my parents made my time there worth while. Singapore to me, it was the only four years, I actually remember being happy with my friends and family, and actually spending time with my family. When I was in Singapore, it was the only time I remember spending time with my family as a whole. When we came back to Taiwan, my sister and I got so caught up in school, I could barely speak any Chinese that time, especially when Taiwan is really competitive, pressure got in the way. Then, after 1 year, my sister moved to Hsin Chu because she transfered schools, and then a year later my dad got transfered to Thailand, then after a few months, I basically lived in my school because it was a boarding school, leaving my mum all alone in our house. And that is why Singapore means so much, and that is why Singapore, to me is home. Especially when we had a dog, which made it even more like home. It doesn't matter where you're from, it doesn't determine your home, for example, an Australian man who has lived in Australia for all his life doesn't feel like this is his home, but he's very interested in Italy, so he flies to Italy, he's never been there his whole entire life, but at that moment, he just gets this feeling, he feels like he belongs here. He believes Italy is his home. And it is, nobody can say no to that, no one, no one can tell you how you feel, if he believes and feels like Italy is his home, regardless of how long he's stayed there, Italy is his home. Exactly like me and Singapore, regardless of how long I stayed there, the feeling it gives me is more than words can ever describe. I am home. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JAqLGSd2ac

North and South

I don't really have much to say about North and South, I think the book is giving out a message, saying, it doesn't matter what "class" or "rank" you're in, if you act in a "higher-class" way, but not like a wannabe, then, who cares about what your dad or mum does? Do the secular things really do matter that much? Are they really that important? So what if he/she is the most respected person in the world and yet acts like a jerk? Does he/she just get respected because of his position on Earth? That's a little bit sad don't you think? Margaret, may have come from a middle-class family, but her attitude, and her elegance says way much more than that. She is smart, she knows how to deal with people, she's not afraid of speaking up, and that is what I love about her, she has so much confidence in herself, which is what I admire the most. Because one day, I hope to have a mindset like her, maybe not as stubborn, but at least the same mindset, she knows how to make a conversation going, and she makes people like talking to her. She makes the people around her take her seriously, and yet, she can also say a few jokes. She's witty, street smart, knows how to deal with people, has great self-confidence. I really do hope that I can learn how to be able to socialize with people in the future like her.

King Lear

After reading King Lear by the respected William Shakespeare, I honestly had no idea what was going on in the story, I mean the beginning I was going with the flow, but the the middle, when Edgar and Edmund came up, I was like what?! I had no idea what was going on, I don't know what does Edmund and Edgar and their father have to do with the King, and I don't get it. At all. But I will say my reflection on the parts that I do get, which is the beginning on the story, when King Lear is about to die, and wants his daughters to please him with words and see how much land he is going to give them. Okay, honestly, I think this is absolutely absurd, what does words mean to King Lear? Huh? You can't describe your love to someone with only words. Words to me, are at the same time, the most shallow and yet the most deepest expression of all. It's all the matter of how you take it. Words, are very important, one word, one sentence, can affect the person completely, and because words mean so much, many people take advantage of words, they say things that they don't really mean, and this is what I mean by the most shallow. You can't just say words that you don't mean, it's called a lie. The importance of words depends on the situation, like this situation, I would say words don't mean anything. Seriously, King Lear is just going to hear what the daughters have to say, in order to determine how much land he is going to give them, two totally different things. They're "parallel" they never intersect. If he favors Cordelia the most, there must be a reason why, I'm pretty sure it's not the reason she could speak well, or knows how to please people, but because she is honest. Not because she kisses a**. (I apologize for the improper language) So my reflection on King Lear is, to not take advantage of words, and always think twice before you say it, because once it's said, it's out. Also, becareful of what you write, because same, once it's written, it's forever there, a mark right there, you can't erase it.

My Favourite Author

My favourite author right now, I would have to say is Elizabeth Gilbert. She wrote the book "Eat, Pray, Love" and the sequel to "Eat, Pray, Love, "Committed". I would have to say Elizabeth Gilbert's books aren't really the type of books people our age would read, even though I have only read two books by her, I heard that her older books were more related to... Adult stuff. But I would say, what I love so much about Elizabeth Gilbert is that she's really witty, she uses a great variety of words and vocabulary, also, she's a very strong women. Like, she speaks her mind, she's very smart, and wise, also very street smart, intellectual...etc. I really look up to her, because I mean, who wouldn't? She's like what every women wants to be, well to me at least.