The Joke

Written by Milan Kundera (not Milan in Italy), this writer can be compared to Nobel Prize-acclaimed writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Although it is quite a good read (no f-s, no vulgar language), it contains sexual innuendos that you might find laughable - literally or repulsive.

Well, I won't give out the plot unlike the three books before (albeit subtly)...


"According to Durex condoms’ global sex survey: “Czechs have sex as often as the French; they start their sexual life as early as the Dutch; and they fear venereal disease as little as the Italians.”"

Well, this was reported in the Newsweek article today, and it would be rather apt to use this to introduce the next book.

Laughable Loves by Milan Kundera

Did I forget to say that Milan Kundera is a Czech writer?

This book, is overly based on sexuality itself. It might be hilarious, but there are many instances of sexuality - enough to make you puke blood. Plot not described again, if you really have this kind of liking, take it.

Or then, be like me, and the next time you visit the library and learn to read the critic's reviews and the summary.

My Estonia

Although it claims just about a book about the author's life in Estonia, and his time in Estonia, the realization of its culture and his marriage to an Estonian, it's not all.

My Estonia, talks more about it, but everything you will need about Estonia. Although placed (inappropriately) in the travel section of the NLB library in Marine Parade (only copy they have!), it tells us its culture (don't be late or get scolded badly), or try to be American ("I eat porridge that taste sweet"). Well, although its a masterpiece embroidering his autobiography, love life and his trip to Estonia, it also shows Estonia's large improvement in terms of economy and well, anything since its re-independence in 1991 to 2000.

Although its good (I feel so), don't expect to find a copy in Singapore unless getting it at the Community Library at Marine Parade. Or ordering on The Book Depository.

Nine Parts of Desire

Let us continue on a darker tone. This book, by Geraldine Brooks, is not like any books on Islamic Studies in the world. It is seriously, unparalleled. Nine Parts of Desire, covers Islam from late King Hussein's marriage to Queen Noor (an American-Lebanese-Jordanian) from Beirut and the Jordanian's reaction to this, to the darker sides such as the Islamic man's killing of his wife for adultery. Although most books either sympathize with Islam, or denounce it like a heretic ideal, Geraldine Brooks' craft in creating this book as almost a exposition - her first non-fiction book - and her knowledge and ability to get close things as a journalist shows different viewpoints, strongly backed, of Islam, from Turkey to Jordan.

P.S. I Love You


Well this is the book I quoted from alot for the TKAM Questions. Well, this book is by Cecelia Ahern, and although many critics and bloggers deride on the fact that it made Holly go "drinking and going mad as an instance to forget [Holly's husband, Gerry]", it is a new exposure. No books in shelf there won't have these elements, unless they add smoking and doing drugs and etc, which these books are rather bland in the case. Thick, but enough to read until you fall off your chair (either sleeping, or laughing.)

Well, TMOV is going to end, and well, to end this properly, an essay question should be done. :)

This goes.

1) “All that glisters is not gold.” How is this theme reflected in The Merchant of Venice?

In The Merchant of Venice, this theme is reflected time after time, on different characters on the play. To introduce, as an example, the Prince of Morocco, chose the gold casket and was greeted by a skull.

Firstly, the theme of “All that glisters is not gold.” can be evidently seen in Bassanio's description of Portia. Although it is evident that he started by saying “In Belmont is a lady richly left...” , and continuing to “fair, fairer than the word itself...” and ending with “ of wonderous virtues”, it can show that Bassanio's attraction to Portia is not only of her wealth, but of her beauty and of her virtues. This shows that “all that glisters is not gold” as it shows that Bassanio's attraction is only due to her wealth, but the other appreciable qualities that Portia had, signifying that not only gold (or money in this case) is glistering (glittering).

Subsequently, the theme can be seen in the Prince of Morocco's botched casket test. It is evident, that he chose the gold casket, and was aptly greeted by a skull and the quote itself, “all that glisters is not gold.” This can also be elaborated as part of Portia's deceased father's trickery to choose the most suitable lover for her. In gold, it shows Prince of Morocco's attraction due to her wealth, and her status, whereas silver shows the person (Prince of Arragon in this case)'s attraction to her beauty . Whereas, lead shows the person's devotion. Thus, it can be shown that gold is not all that glisters, in this case, where gold is held in high regard, but the person's truthfulness and possible devotion to Portia.

Consequently, the theme is again expressed in the trial scene. This is evident in which Shylock requested his “bond” and refuted the large amount of ducats offered by Bassanio. “The quality of mercy not strained” is also not practiced by Shylock, who insist on having his “bond” and his “pound of flesh”. However, the theme is reiterated again in this scene, in which mercy is portrayed over justice, and gold is not all that matters in which Shylock got retribution for trying to claim his forfeiture and the loss of the 3,000 ducats and its interest.

In addition, the theme can be seen in the characters itself. This is evident in which from Act 1, Antonio is accompanied which acquaintances and friends, such as Solanio, Salerio, Bassanio, Gratiano, Lorenzo, Portia, Jessica and Nerissa whereas Shylock is only accompanied with Tubal, and Chus, who is not even shown in the play. This show of numbers, although may mean little, but shows that all that glisters is not gold, as there is the mix of friendship and romance.

Furthermore, the difference can be shown between Shylock and Antonio. Shylock takes his money in regard, and blame Antonio for an “ancient grudge”, for letting him lose “half a million” and for bringing the rate of usury down in Venice by lending out gratis. However, the theme is display once again, with Shylock having to almost give out all his money and lose everything he has, lose his daughter to Christianity and Lorenzo, whereas Antonio got a few of his ships returning to him, and having his friends come back all married.

Thus, showing that gold is not the integral item in every part of the play Merchant of Venice, it can be seen that the theme “All that glisters is not gold” is well portrayed, having people who likes money and gold, the Prince of Morocco and Shylock as shown, lie in misery, such as a loss of something dear to them, the moneys, a wive and a daughter.

Since I have the time today - having to be stuck on the computer for the character analysis, I'd decided to revisit Animal Farm - context, parallel to history and whatever not.

This may span over a long period of time after even I've posted more posts, SO DO COME BACK AND CHECK.

Today's my sister's birthday. Although it is supposed to be her to be growing another year, it seems more that I am. In these 6 months, you can see the overall improvement in this blog...

Well, isn't that the aim of education?

Seriously, I don't think I learnt anything last year... Let's see, not really. I do remember part of Nothing but the Truth and Hyperbole?

But in contrast this year...

-TKAM
-TMOV
-Unseen Prose and Poetry
-Annotation
-SPECS and SLIMS
-so many, so many.

So maybe what Yu Gene said was true, after all.

I hope - maybe wish at most, to write daily. After all the 2nd test this term is an essay

Yesterday on Facebook I was planning to write this as a note - but it came out disorganized and unplanned. So - this comes back here.

Identity -

My learning abilities are much based around Math-Logic, Linguistic, Interpersonal and Kinesthetic. For others, they are either above average... or just average.

But I did the one on Naturalist. And now Intrapersonal. So I will do something short for the Visual ones.

So, who do I want to make friends with? Maudie Atkinson. Her all rounded attitude in Maycomb, and her being the only one as lively as Scout, yet not as young, and wise as Atticus, and to be impermeable by the disease that's lurking around, its rare. She speaks nothing but the truth, and is as curt as John Proctor in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, but she has the moral conscience to say that. (John Proctor committed adultery.)

She is unique in the sense she's not fervently religious like the foot washing Baptists, nor does she go over to the other side. She's herself, and it is a kind of trait inexistent in Maycomb, a place where being same is the norm.

Then, you ask, why not Atticus? Atticus reads his books, he's not going to bother you unless Scout or Jem takes you as Arthur Radley and come a'knockin' your door down, and trying to get you out of your house when you are snug or comfortable reading newspaper, cutting and pasting items.

Atticus is also wise and impenetratable by racism, but he fails to go out of the second box. He is as boring, as tired as Maycomb itself, and he does not actually have the moral conscience to tell the kids some things (he lies himself!)

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Offtopic:

Mr. Chen was talking about Atticus did not actually have true courage. He was appointed to defend Tom Robinson, and etc. However, you ought to note that he did defend him and gave him a fair trial. To not have courage, is such as escaping from the fact that you are appointed. He did not. He gave his best. Just like in the book P.S. I love You by Cecelia Ahern, Holly is depicted to have true courage by her younger sister Ciara. Did Holly's husband, Gerry died cause she wanted to? She got the courage, to avoiding the truth, and rebuilding her self-esteem, and her life without Gerry. Holly depicted Ciara as courageous cause she dared jump off bridges and do bungee jumping. Ciara denies it as foolhardy courage, and this is the kind of case we are facing in TKAM.
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Back from offtopic.

Now Visual, draw a map of Maycomb. Take into consideration of the locations of homes, the street etc.

I won't draw, since I have completed my two tasks, but I shall recite what I want to say (linguistic is the second highest), through a narrative.

Contrary to popular belief, I feel that Maycomb is not located as Monroeville, with the help of Google Map. Maycomb Junction is just outside Maycomb County, and Maycomb County could not have been so big. A ride takes 14 miles (22km) from Meridian, Mississippi to Maycomb Junction. From the Amtrak Station (which obviously isn't the point, but its better than the exact center of town), 22km brings us just outside of Mississippi, into Alabama. Should he take a walk, he couldn't have take a boat, as Dill's recount didn't have a boat-ride. So, Monroeville, which is across the river, couldn't have been the site for Harper Lee's story.

Contrary to the title, I WON'T go into Mockingbirds first. Lets start with the Bluejays. (Note, every info here is from a book dedicated to the study of birds, not any website you see online).

Bluejays (Cyanocitta cristata)

Skipping the unnecessary info for this study...

Very bold and noisy; hops rapidly from branch to branch

Eats fruits, seeds, insects and other invertebrates, small mammals lizards nestling birds and eggs, and carrion

Habitat areas are in wooded areas, including forest or parks


Moving on to the Northern Mockingbird, we can see the habitat of the neighbourhood Scout & Jem lives in. Then, we'll compare the plants Miss Maudie Atkinson, (presumely) Mayella Ewell and Mrs. Layafette Dubose grows in comparision to climate, and habitat, and the possibility should there be an inaccuracy in Nelle Harper Lee's book for its habitat and... etc.

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

Feeds on lawns, vigorous defender of territory and food sources (Atticus is completely wrong; the mockingbird don't do one thing but to sing their hearts out; they feed on the Dubose, the Radley's lawn, and maybe Maudie had some difficulty chasing the birds to grow her flowers)

Diets on fruit, insects, worms, and occasionally small lizards (This can validate part of Atticus' saying. The bird certainly doesn't give trouble to the people who grow flowers. They don't eat flowers.)

Habitat areas include parks, thckets, woodland edges and suburbs.

Both reside in the Southeastern United States. So we can see that the community Scout & Jem lives in is at one edge of the town; a suburb. This shows that Maycomb may be a far larger town, or more isolated than it seems, as it takes Atticus only 2 miles to go into town proper; compared to 20 miles to work for those living in Montgomery participating in the Montgomery bus boycott.

2: Dubose and her Camellia

Well, it seems confusing, as there's two camelias. One is the green tea leaves kind of camelia (that's called camelia) and the Snow-on-the-Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) that is in temperate US. Of course its the latter.

It is however, small and numerous, and Jem could not have destroyed ALL of Dubose's camelias. However, since Dubose can afford to give her prized Snow-on-the-Mountain, it is definitely not a plant in which has only one flower, and thus the description by the scientific community perfectly fits Nelle Harper Lee's or vice versa (which is more logical).

Now, about Maudie Atkinson and her azaleas. Azaleas can be grown also everywhere, and Wikipedia says Mobile and Dothan, cities in Alabama has festivals. This makes her azaleas compatible in Maycomb's habitat.

Nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus) also fits in the description, as it spreads from Florida to New England.

Lastly, we have to check Mayella Ewell's geranium. However, the variety includes 522 exotic plant species, and it is impossible to check as it was only called geranium. Although it is noted that geranium in the world is usually attributed to geranium pelargonium, the pelargonium sub-type includes 200 exotic species.

Thus, it can be said, that mockingbirds live in Maycomb for its variety, and Nelle Harper Lee has been careful to make sure that all info on the habitat is perfectly correct.

Through a person's writing it can be told of the person's thoughts or ideas.

Well, I've concluded that I'm alone, in the world where darkness doesn't exists.

Gerald went to the grim parts alone, and uh, if you take a bit of time to explore no one has the time to be happy.

Yeah, yeah, teenager period etc. This may be able to explain that and why Gerald thinks that way.

So why me alone. It's ironical, me being alone, in a happy place. Aren't I'm supposed to suffer instead.

This school year was really fun.

Uh. Test tommorow. Not good.

I do want to remove this post. It's not up to standard. Well, if I have the time to bother I will...

Just two weeks ago, there was an assembly and there was one group presenting their Service Learning Project? Well, most should remember cause of someone's body. But I remember it for another, better reason. One which made me quite sad too.

To give you a recap, it's about helping orphans who lost one or both of their parents in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. I... I've had one of my friend losing their sister there. Well, if its now I wouldn't feel the ache. But given that that was a time in which I've few friends (I'm not one which are made to make friends.), and my sisters are just more of an enemy than a friend (that applies to now too.)

Life is too short. I mean it. Any day, anytime you might lose someone around you.

...