Illustration Analysis

Bug has a human shadow. Bug is how he is being perceived, but his true identity is human.

The physical bug caged the human character.

Trapped, forced, imprisoned.

Lighting on half of the face, character in difficulty. Red. Font like bug crawling. Bug is part of him the whole time. Bug can represent anything, a negative feeling. 

Class Discussion

What do you know about Gregor Samsa’s life?

Devoting to family. Have to work very hard, with high pressure. Salesman, travel. Expectation, responsibility. But the family is not grateful for that. No freedom, happiness, feel trapped. But he is doing it voluntarily and very motivated because he loves his family.

What had happened to Gregor when he woke up in the morning in Chapter one?

He turned into a bug.

What could his transformation be a metaphor about/ what does it symbolize?

He became a burden to his family. His function of earning money no longer exists.

Possibility: 

Magical realism, literally is a bug.

High anxiety leads to him thinking that he is a bug.

The whole story is metaphorical.

What topics do you think are being addressed in the Metamorphosis? Think about the topics you have identified in other works read/ viewed during this unit.

Capitalist society. Gender, man work, woman marry. Family relationship. Hierarchy. Identity. Desperation. 

What do people need to be happy?

1. Meet physical needs. Physically comfortable
2. A reasonable future. (hope)
3. Social connection
4. Able to do what the person wants to do (short term happiness)
5. Self respect and self esteem, sense of purpose (long term happiness)

Class ranking

1. Money
2. Purpose
3. friends/family
4. Health

Does modern life support those needs or work against them?

Modern life needs the individual to work towards happiness.

https://bookbookbookblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/fat-boy-by-owen-marshall-men-coming.html

This short story portrays a fat boy in the town but implies that it is a collective lie and there isn’t actually a fat boy. The fat boy is symbolic of an outsider. The narrative voice encourages readers to join the town people. I kind of know the fat boy didn’t do those crimes, but at first, I didn’t think about if he really exists. I think it’s interesting that the short story gives an experience to the reader that increases the feeling of relevance to the themes.

I read this article: An Open Letter to the International School Community: Our Role in the Black Lives Matter Movement and Anti-Racism Work  It is very insightful.

New words：

exempt = 豁免                                                     contingent on = 取决于

expatriates = 外派人员                                      exacerbates = 使恶化; 使加剧

bourgeoisie = 资产阶级                                     proletariat = 无产阶级

staunch = 忠实的; 坚定的                                 delineate = (详细地)描述，描画，解释

complicit = 有同谋关系的                                 grapple = 扭打; 搏斗; 努力设法解决

This article is quite informative and reflective of what does it mean to be part of an international school community. I am very aware and grateful for the shelter that’s provided by the school. I will be aware to be prepared. I am starting to reflect on my identity and my position on these things. I am starting to adopt the idea of global citizenship. Thanks to the friendly international school environment, I can personally feel that any place is someone’s home, instead of a distant country. People who only lived in their own social bubble are quite cold towards things that happen on the outside. I’m not saying people with different nationalities, because people in the same nation might lack understand and people from different nations might share similar values. It’s quite amazing to realize that. It’s more “amazing” to realize that so many people did not realize it. Hongkong protest, Covid-19 outbreak, Covid-19 spread to the west, black life matters movement. People’s reactions …… make me think a lot. When I first heard the news that some people listened to Donald Trump and drank detergent, my first reaction is to laugh and think that’s funny. I still feel very sorry and regret that. I have to do better. I really have to.

More often it’s not really a question of right or wrong, it’s more of a question of which side I am on. As recognized by the article. In an international school, everyone’s position would be different. Every perspective has its own valid arguments. Especially when the majority of Chinese and my school always hold very different opinions EVERY TIME. I’m not even sure if I have my own thinking or my own judgment. I’m just floating and conflicting. But being a Chinese and being a global citizen shouldn’t be conflicting. It really shouldn’t. I’m also thinking, are international schools having the same problem but we just don’t realize? Are we giving room for different perspectives? You might think there’s an absolute right or wrong on things. That’s before you know anything about the other person’s life. This time I do lean towards “stand by is wrong”, but I still feel like I might just end up not doing anything. I am busy, my EE is dying, it just doesn’t motivate me that much. Maybe I’m just selfish. I’m not sure if it’s valid for me to say that I don’t have the power to help others because I can’t even help myself. (now I feel like I need to delete this post before I apply to universities …) I don’t think I can ever be so firm and passionate like the author of this article or like some of my classmates and teachers. I’m finding my way. Please wait for me, world.

What songs matter to you now?

What is your reaction to the essay you read and the song you listened to?

I briefly listened to the songs. My favorite song among the 25 Songs That Matter Now is ‘Old Town Road’ by LIL NAS X. I like the emotion conveyed in the music. I like the pace. I don’t actually know how to analyze music but I like it. I haven’t heard it before.

What is your favorite song right now? Was it included in the 25 songs list? How did you first hear that song? Did someone share it with you or is it from an artist you follow? What do you love about the song? Are there certain lyrics that you find powerful or moving? Is there something about the beat that you like dancing to? Does the musician’s personality or identity resonate with who you are or how you identify?

I don’t listen to songs that often right now. I used to have a list of songs in my music apps, a low accumulation over years for songs I like. But then I changed the phone and lost that list. A lot of songs are sometimes available sometimes not depends on how the apps buy from musicians. More trouble. Now I saved this collection: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Us411W7VE?from=search&seid=430287970353342676 A collection of Japanese instrumental music, without lyrics, just to play in the background to relax and calm down. I find myself prefer these eastern music instruments and the style. These music are all different in emotions. For the sections that I strongly resonate with, I will pay more attention.

Is It Immoral to Increase the Price of Goods During a Crisis?

Yes. This behavior is taking advantage of someone else’s suffering. It might also indirectly lead to the deaths of others.

Some masks cost a few dollars more, this is because the factory needs to pay for overtime and other things because a lot more masks are needed. In this case, the rise in price is completely understandable. But the middleman trying to earn more price difference than normal is absolutely shameless. I’m not saying that their labor doesn’t have a value. They can earn what they normally earn, but not more than that.

How much responsibility do online retailers like Amazon and eBay have to prevent price gouging during a crisis? Do you think these companies did the right thing in restricting sales of any coronavirus-related products from certain sellers?

They should try their best to ensure that everyone has equal access to products that are essential for survival because lives are equal. Equal access means that the price of masks and hand sanitizers should not place a barrier between people in different economic status. We trusted those platforms to be holding justice. Otherwise, if there’s no trust, no one dares to buy things online. They are doing good. There’s a saying in Chinese “不患寡而患不均”, basically means unevenness is more harmful than lack. Our society has to be together. If we want to overcome this COVID-19 crisis, we have to work together.

 How Can We Help One Another During the Coronavirus Outbreak?

‘People Need Immediate Relief,’ and Online Donors Make It Happen

What is your reaction to the efforts of people like Shea Serrano to help others during this crisis? Does it give you greater hope during a time of fear and anxiety? What strengths is the coronavirus revealing in our society?

I really admire people who can think of others during this hard time for everyone. Everyone is experiencing economic problems to some degree. I’ve seen lots of examples online. My family is relatively less impacted. To some people, a few months of no income could actually be deadly. We are so lucky that we have the internet and we can support each other. Those online donation systems give me confidence that the world is becoming better. However, I find it hard to trust strangers, especially online. There are many liers. People would pretend like they have great difficulty when actually they are capable of solving it by themselves. While people like Shea Serrano are nice and generous, some other people are just lazy or greedy instead of actually need help. I would just borrow the money instead of giving it directly, or go to a creditable organization for donations.

Read each article. What are the main ideas of each article? What do they have in common? Complete this diagram.  

Write a post reflecting on your initial thoughts in response to slide 4 in light of the two articles and the Home Fire extract. 

Consider also:

• How does language use vary amongst text types and amongst literary forms?
• How do texts offer insights and challenges?
• How might patterns remain or change within and among texts?
• In what ways can diverse texts share points of similarity?

The character of Karomat Lone argues that citizenship is a privilege, not a right. It can be revoked if the government thinks appropriate. Do you agree with him?

Lone’s belief that citizenship can be revoked if the government chooses to is disagreeable. The government has the responsibility to handle guilty citizens. For those who believe citizenship could be revoked, their belief is that the person chose to betray the state, therefore is no longer belongs to the State. It may sound like an argument, but first of all, join ISIS is not the same as joining an enemy country at war-time. Especially they didn’t actually do harmful things. Secondly, in a more Chinese or collectivist view, if a person betrayed an organization that he or she belongs to, that organization is responsible to punish that person, even to kill that person. Can never just say “we are not related anymore”. So that’s what I believe is right. But I do understand that the western governments don’t have that many responsibilities to their citizens. It’s sometimes a protect too but not in this case. Especially young people are vulnerable to the manipulation of terrorist groups such as ISIS. If the government failed at protecting it’s children from those dangers, how can it just left the consequences all to the victim? It’s such a shame for that government. 

Newspaper Elements Terminology

Instructions for Newspaper Analysis

Article: The UK’s Covid-19 strategy dangerously leaves too many questions unanswered

Journalist: Anthony Costello: professor of global health and sustainable development at University College London and a former director of maternal and child health at the World Health Organization.

Date: Sun 15 Mar 2020

Summarise the main points of the article:

• It outlined how the Chinese followed WHO guidance and stopped the virus, including population testing and mobilizing the community.
• China and others now face the challenge of loosing up for the economy. The virus is in control and we just need to wait for a vaccine.
• But the UK government decides to let the virus spread and do nothing about it.
• They recommend only testing cases in hospitals and self-isolation only for people with symptoms, which doesn’t make sense.
• Mitigation might not work; herd immunity might not work
• We need local strategies and share of information around a national policy.
• We can suppress this epidemic in the way that China and other countries have done.

State the purpose of the article: persuade the UK to make proper plans to control the virus

Explain your choice of purpose:

“I had assumed that the UK would do the same, that the authorities would be building their resources and plans around nationwide testing, contact tracing, quarantine and progressive policy of social distancing.”

“But we need to act now. Every day of delay will mean more people become infected or die.”

Identify the tone: Sarcastic

Justify your choice of tone with evidence from the text:

“They appear to have concluded” -> Indicating that the author doesn’t agree with the conclusion

“Won’t this strategy ensure that the spread of the virus is intense and will cause more infections and more deaths in the near term?” -> rhetorical question shows the sarcastic tone

“Does coronavirus induce strong herd immunity or is it like flu” -> directly points out the flaws of the UK’s strategy.

Identify 3 techniques:

Rhetorical question. -> emphasize the absurdness of herd immunity strategy. Make the audience think and reach the conclusion by themselves, to avoid sounding like a lecture and increase people’s acceptance.

Contrasting the UK and China (and Singapore, South Korea)  -> Emphasizing the difference (and distance…) to let the audience understand the consequences of different policies.

Quoting authority (WHO) -> reference WHO a few times to raise reliability.

Quote 3 words from the article that are unfamiliar to you. Look up and provide their definitions from a dictionary or www.dictionary.com.

quarantine: strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.

nudge: to push slightly or gently, especially with the elbow, to get someone’s attention, prod someone into action, etc.

plummet: fall or drop straight down at high speed.

Personal response: I agree with this article. The UK government really should be more active in this. When coronavirus is China’s problem, all the Western media criticized us for our mistake on the beginning stage, and “no human right” for Wuhan lockdown. Now they do worse. And then the media starts to recognize China’s strategy and effort. Such a big attitude change within a few days. How sarcastic. The UK really shocked everyone this time. Not sure how they would do afterwards.

These two photos might show the other side of introverted teenage girls.

Winnie took a photo of me. We normally see really young children playing on those slides and nets. So people assume that only young children are interested in those activities, and then there’s this stereotype that older children who like it are childish. Since I was like 12, I won’t play on those kinds of playgrounds although I sometimes want to, because other people would mock me. But since I grew up to 16, I stop caring about that and just do whatever I want.

I took a photo of Winnie. Winnie always wears a short skirt and makeup and doesn’t do sports. I was surprised to find out that she enjoys physical activities too. (climbs up and down)