Celebration for Lying Cotton Review

This Wednesday, we held a small celebration together with another two English classes to celebrate our current achievement for journal Lying Cotton Review. It is a simple but lovely ceremony before the end of this quite busy semester, which is organized well. We had two more professors include my history professor Harrison joined together with us, talked our thoughts and experiences about the process of making this journal, and presented awards to those make great contributes to this journal. The short video made for the ceremony is nice with our journal members’ photos, Jeniffer's short speech, and also beautiful music. Though the most exciting part is the moment to cut and eat that big cake looked like a thick cloud and tasted not bad. I am glad had joined in designing and editing for this journal, it was a new experience and I have learnt some skills from it. Also, all the members involved in creating this journal had worked hard and did a very good job. I hope that the Lying Cotton Review can keep making progress and will be developed better and better in future.

Thoughts on Journal Work

This is almost the last week for this semester. The weather is getting colder and our study is going to the last busiest phase. Till now, for our Journal Lying Cotton Review, my mainly work to design the art section webpage and design posters have been finished generally. I am happy that the website our group designed and continually revised has eventually received good comments when it was displayed in this week’s group presentation. In fact, the process of designing was not so easy, sometimes there were unexpected problems appeared that troubled us, and we need to figure out reasons (sometimes can be just website’s own system problem but it takes long time to figure out) to fix them. The procedures to design and edit by using WordPress was also more complicated than blog and also had limitations with different factors. But anyway, this project is going to be accomplished and everyone involved in had put effort on it. Next week there is going to be a party for the journal and I am expecting it. 

--Dec.12

Infographic -- Design

This is our Design Team Infographic for Journal Presentation：

Discussion about Appropriation of Images

As we have discussed the difference between copy and creation for the appropriation work earlier, if an appropriation is considered as only copying and derivation, then this work must be just simply copy the elements from the original one such as its image, style, or similar ideas; and for the creating, it is necessary to change many things from the original work, not simply the appearance like the image and style, but also create a new meaning which is to subvert its original meaning and has a strong distinction. With this idea which is agreed by most in this class, we looked at the image “Mrs. Richard Yates” which is an original work by Gilbert Stuart. The subject in this painting is a noble madam sitting with an elegant posture. However, her expression is bored, disdainful, and superior, which creates a distance from audience. Then the other image is the appropriated work by Rodney Pike, he used the iconic of Mr. Bean to replace the distant face of Mrs. Richard. This created a striking contrast that Mr. Bean is characterized with humorous and funny, it gave audiences the friendly feeling and relaxing which subverted the original meaning. I think this gives a good example to understand the difference between creation and copying in appropriated work.

Thoughts about Design for Art Section

Our webpage’s design is still changing and tries to make progress that provides a more professional appearance which also matches the theme and topic of the journal. My mainly work for design team is to design and edit the art section webpage and design images like posters. For the design of art section, I think those art works chosen for the journal are really worthy to appreciate. The art section is a particular and part for our journal which contains many great writings, it is an area we can relax and enjoy the beauty of those photographs which came from our real life. It gives quite different feeling when reading this section of the journal, and might inspires the audience when looking at the specific images with some thoughts or emotions from photographers recoded at the bottom of photographs. 

Discussion about Hypertext Essay and Electronic Literature

Discussion about Hypertext Essay and Electronic Literature

The hypertext essay can be usually seen from the internet in today’s network world. It is the essay published in the electronic platforms, and has richer elements and contents combined with the texts. Hypertext essay has the advantages for extending details and information related to the original essay, which provides audiences who have interests to these aspects to understand more specific knowledgeable. However, for readers who just search to learn general information about some specific subjects, the hypertext may causes distractions that make readers misunderstand the main idea or neglect some important information.

The electronic literature as a new literature carrier is popular which can be read with various forms and in different platforms on website. The electronic literature can change version, be updated regularly and revised easily with computer technics, but at the same time, unlike the print literature, it is directed by poster rather than self-directed, and its contents focus more on information than plots. The resource from electronic literature may causes money for its value, and its permanence cannot be guaranteed.

The Benefits and Detriments of Electronic Literature

How is electronic literature different from print literature?

Difference

1. Need electronic reading devices

2. Used many hyperlinks in the website

3. We can revise something even though it has already been published.

4. Used to a lot of digital images to match certain texts; combined with digital arts

5. Used code to make the website such as CSS to change the size of texts.

Benefits:

1.    Easy to preserve

2.    Production cost is low

3.    The transmission is wider

4.    More convenient to revise

5.    Easy to search information

6.    Larger capacity of information storage

Detriments / Limitations

1.    Higher technology requirements

2.    IPR protection

3.    Read Habit

4.    Lower creditability 

Response to Class Question on Monday

It was once thought that electronic literature would be hypertext essays. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

I think it is true that the electronic literature would be hypertext essays, for the reason that the hypertext as a way of connecting pieces of text is frequently used in the electronic platform and is familiar to netizens. To follow the tendency, it is much possible that the electronic literature would be hypertext essays in the website or at least with this feature, so that the audience could find more extended information with the hyperlink created for the electronic literature.

What does electronic literature look like now?

At the present time, the electronic literature is widely accepted and read with the forms of digital texts by some electronic reading devices. It is rapid developing as a new literature carrier, and has the tendency to get equal shares with print literature. But moreover, the electronic literature can also be showed in the website with various forms and richer contents which include not only essays but also visual and audio elements, and its platform is still increasing with technical and its own improvement.

Art Section Design for the Journal

It is the webpage screenshot of art section I involve in editing for the journal Lying Cotton Review. There are more information and detailed elements added into the page after improvement, such as the main sidebar which has hyperlinks to provide easier access for readers to find specific art work with its information, and the page also added the awards and winners part according to the voting results this week.

Ending of Killing Alec

Ending of Killing Alec

When we are thinking, Alec is standing quietly. He looks quite beautiful, almost perfect, shinning in the sun and makes both himself and the surroundings look illusory and unreal. We are still thinking, more deeply and quietly, as if the time is freezing. We actually love this static so that we can enjoy appreciating our pretty Alec in a moment without disturbing.

Well, finally our thinking have a result when Caroline speaks first to break silence. “It is a quite lovely place, I just not really satisfy with the grave for Alec. It does not match him.” We then look around, pick some beautiful flowers and cobblestones to intersperse the grave Alec dug for himself, and decorate it nicely. “It is the time.” We are happy when saying that, there are no regret leaving for both us and Alec. He looks at us, soulful, and Tiffany gives him a drink with pills dissolved in it. “Have a lovely dream, Alec.” He says goodbye with gentle smiles, and lying into the grave.

Things go smoothly and nicely. We drive home with a happy mood, and everything about Alec will then be a lovely memory of every of us.

Appropriation

Appropriation

The Original Piece is named Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer who was one of the greatest painters of the Dutch, but his life was miserable that he didn't sell one painting when he was alive, and he had been forgotten by people for more than one century after he died. Until the middle of the 19th century, his talents and achievements were finally recognized.

This oil painting is one of his famous works which drew a girl who wears a pearl earring is watching towards the painter of the audiences. Her lips open slightly, as if she is telling something. And her eyes are beautiful and pure, which just like the pearl that symbolizes the pure soul of the beautiful girl.

 This is the new image I appropriated. The icon I use is Marge Simpson, who is a cartoon figure in the famous animated sitcom The Simpsons. This animation by showing family lives of the Simpsons to humorously satirize the lifestyles, social and cultural phenomena in America.

For the appropriation, I subvert the original painting which is beautiful and makes people feel comfortable and serene into the new image which is funny. The appropriation gives the new meaning that when the girl is looking at you with the face of Marge Simpson, it has no longer the feeling of pure beauty which is aesthetic but restrained and distant. Instead it gives the sense of humor and intimacy, which makes audience feel easy and closely as if she is looking at you as your friend. 

Reconsider Traditional Definitions of Love

How to get the reader to reconsider traditional definitions of love (or at least not dismiss the new idea immediately).

From the fiction Killing Alec, it is clear that the love showing in this story between Alec and his four girlfriends is not a love in traditional meaning. To consider the traditional definition of love, it should be loyal, devoted, kind, and harmless. However, in the story Alec is dating with four girls at the same time, and the girls therefore plans to kill him. The story makes this causality quite naturally, which is wired and makes us doubt the real definition of love. The girls actually quite love Alec, but they are also very excited when discussing how to kill Alec, and seem enjoy the process of killing him a lot. And Alec, on the other hand, although is dating with four girls, but he shows his sincere love to them all. Therefore, although it is a bit unacceptable to many audiences, there is the possible that the romantic love between people can be un-single. It may be alike to family love that we love the one as much as we like another. So maybe the universal love is not less than the exclusive love, and though it is not well-recognized, we could not reject it. 

When Does Appropriation Become Creation?

Answer to the question: "When does appropriation become creation? When is it only copying and derivative?"

Firstly, to define appropriation, it is an action to borrow some ideas or similar elements from the original work which is famous or well recognized as successful one. In my opinion, if an appropriation is considered as only copying and derivation, then this work must be just simply copy the elements from the original one such as its image, style, ideas, or the similar meanings. It is the same when we say “appropriation” in a painting or picture. The copy does not have its new creation but merely piece two different icons or images together, which seems like to have fun and tell others never be too serious to art. However, if we want to make appropriation become creation, it is necessary to change many things from the original work, not simply the appearance like the image and style, but also create a new meaning which is to subvert its original meaning and has a strong distinction. The contrast will be showed striking and make the audience to think the new meaning rather than what it used to express. 

Response to the City of Tanfy

Response to the City of Tanfy

It is an interesting fiction that the story happens in a strange place Tanfy with many strange things occurrence. Firstly, the story creates the overall atmosphere of the city very well, which is unknown, mysterious, and wired. It arouses the feelings of a bit scary and curious which make the audience want to understand more about Tanfy. Secondly, the story is quite creative. From the plots the narrator begins to know the strange custom of the city has that people eat cold food and they dance in a crazy party. It disturbs narrator, the consumption of cold meat is threatening and makes both narrator and audience feel uncomfortable, and the description of the taste of meat makes it seems like cannibalism. Then the show up of the butcher makes the plots change a bit that he seems like a helper that brings the narrator warm food, or in another possibility he could be the evil person who condemns him to a bad end. Generally, the story puts a lot effort in making the city Tanfy more mysterious and has many unknown factors; nevertheless, it also brings audience much confusion without giving enough information or explanation in the story. The writer mentions lots of issues but not describes them clearly, and some the plots are not connected very closed or naturally.

The Story "Killing Alec"

This fiction tells the story of four girls (include narrator) who find out they have the same boyfriend named Alec who is cheating on them, and therefore they decided to kill him. In the story, it can be seen that all the girls love Alec very much and they care about him a lot. But yet they still decide to kill him without hesitate but even feel very excited when discussing which way should he die. And Alec is a careless and muddleheaded man. At first, he made the mistake that dating with four girls, but then when they decide to kill him, he did not agree but also not show strong opposition. He even took a stand that he liked manhunt most as the way he died.

I think what is working in this story is the element of absurdness. The whole events happened in this story seemed very abnormal and wired, but the narrator tells them in a very normal mood just like they are the ordinary things happen in daily lives. And this feeling makes the story more interesting and mysterious that the reader wants to know more with the story developed. And the thing need to be change is that this story seems to please the reader with absurdness and unreasonable plots which is very interesting and creative but also make confuses. So maybe in the end of the story there can be something happen that are more rational and arouse the audiences’ emotion which gives the story a meaningful ending.

Visual Art Appropriation

Visual Art Appropriation

The Original Piece is named Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer who was one of the greatest painters of the Dutch, but his life was miserable that he didn't sell one painting when he was alive, and he had been forgotten by people for more than one century after he died. Until the middle of the 19th century, his talents and achievements were finally recognized.

This oil painting is one of his famous works which drew a girl who wears a pearl earring is watching towards the painter of the audiences. Her lips open slightly, as if she is telling something. And her eyes are beautiful and pure, which just like the pearl that symbolizes the pure soul.

This is the new image I appropriated. The icon I use is Marge Simpson, who is a cartoon figure in the famous animated sitcom The Simpsons. This animation by showing family lives of the Simpsons to humorously satirize the lifestyles, social and cultural phenomena in America. For the appropriation, the new image looks funny because of Marge Simpson is identified as a comedy character. But also, she is a mother and wife that full of tolerance. So when looking at her eyes, in some moment I can also feel the tender emotion just like I feel to the original one.

Poster Design for the Journal

Poster Design for the Journal

For this Wednesday, my small group (Martin, Sherry, and me) designed a poster for the propaganda of our Journal Lying Cotton Review. We will send this poster within the e-mail for this journal, and also post it in school buildings.

1.  

2.      We decided to use this one as our propaganda poster. In this poster, there is the Oscar statuette which is a trophy for the winner. It suggests the meaning of competition as the title written in the below, and also to attract more people join this competition and win an award. 

(The final poster will make a little change than this one.)

Website Design for the Journal

Website Design for the Journal

I am one member of the design team for our journal Lying Cotton Review. For the designing of website, we try to decide the main style of our webpage at first. For this purpose, we divided ourselves into small groups, and every group designed the webpage with different styles from each other.

Our group designed two webpages by using “MIX" website design software.

1.      Website style: traditional, artistic

2.      Website style: entertainment, colorful and youthful

Here are the links of all five different styles our team designed for journal website:

http://lyingcotton.wix.com/lyingcotton

http://lyingcotton.wix.com/lyingcottonsimple
http://zhujing.wix.com/art-style
http://zhujing.wix.com/entertainment
http://lyingcottonreview.wordpress.com/

Reflection of the Story about Vietnamese Priest

Reflection of the Story about Vietnamese Priest— “What does the story want to be?”

We watched the two film clips tell the different stories of the Vietnamese priest. In Marty’s story, the characters are not complex and the plots are too simple. The Vietnamese priest is an entirely anger and vengeful person who does not show any other emotions in the film. There is a scene he kills people in a very violent way that shows the intensity of his anger, but this violence and anger have no real meaning actually, which are gratuitous. And the hooker in the film is just sexualized and objectified. She is careless and ignorant, and lacks depth and emotion. Ultimately, the story tries to be interesting and complex, and it uses the intense historical violence of the Vietnam War to give it certain meaning. In Han’s story, the characters are much more complex. The Vietnamese has violence directed but is also extreme selflessness that he self-immolated to protest the war. This story reflects his destruction in a much more complex and meaningful way than Marty's story. And the hooker in second clip is more humanized and emotional. She has a high level of education, and she has pity for the priest who burns himself in the end. Generally Han’s story corrects the problems or flaws in Marty’s story, and he makes it much more complex and meaningful.

Response to Billy's Story

Problems:

1.      Jack shows up in a graveyard alone and unarmed to return the dog and get peace, while he knows that the mafia boss is a psychopath.

2.      The gunfight just begins without any reason or forebode.

3.      One of Jack’s friends is carrying a white rabbit when he is shooting.

4.      Marty is taking notes during the gunfight and did not get injured.

5.      Kaya just wanders in during the gunfight to say sorry and she loves Marty, and she’s got killed. Billy says her head does come off.

6.      The Mafia boss’s head exploded after being shot with an arrow.

7.      The story ends with all the people are died except Marty and Hans, but the animals are both survived.

8.      Every character in Billy’s story is simple and not thoughtful.

To fix the problems, I want the characters in this story become more complex and have more contact with each other, to make the story plots more reasonable. In new story, Jack gets the Mafia boss’s dog and asks him to release Marty’s girlfriend Kaya who is kidnapped by Mafia boss. They make a deal and Jack agrees to meet Mafia boss in a graveyard tonight. He also asks some of his friends include Marty and Hans to come together with him in case of emergency. However, something unexpected does happen. The Mafia boss is inconsistent, and he just shows unsatisfied to the deal they already made, and disagree to give Kaya back even if they will return his favorite puppy Bonny. He is overbearing and impatient, and since Jack and Marty not allow him to break his promise, he gets really angry and orders his men to kill then all. So the gunfight begins. Jack and his friends are not afraid. They are very brave and they fight back. Marty is the smartest one of them that he observed the overall structure of this graveyard and brings his notes here. With the help of notes, he presumes the most possible place the Mafia hide his girlfriend Kaya, and he finds her successfully. Kaya is also a clever and calm girl. She distracted the people who monitoring her by persuading them to help their associates who are fighting with Jack and his friends. And she gets out eventually when Marty came to find her. They escape, but right before they reach a safe place, the Mafia boss noticed them. “Don’t try to escape from me!” He lifts the gun and aims at them. A gunshot rings out. But the Mafia boss falls down slowly. And they see Jack in behind, who still looks tense with a gun in the hand. This is a successful rescue, Jack finally gets to save his best friend Marty’s girlfriend. He sets Bonny free before they leave the graveyard, which he believes is a right way to get peace. 

Oct. 27 Class Discussion

In Monday’s class we have a discussion of Martel’s “Manners of Dying” and talked about how we understand the story, and how to understand these different versions of the same event.

There are several possibilities to this question. Firstly, the author just wants to compare how one person but with different characters would behave when facing the same event happen to him. It is an interesting but also challenging practice because sometime it is difficult that we creates many characters in one story, and they both have distinctive image features so we need to describe them differently since they must not behave the same even in the same plots. I think the author did very well that he writes a same story with the same protagonists Kevin who shows different characters in nine versions. Another possibility is that these nine letters are separate templates that the warden Harry Parlington keeps in his office and just filling out the name of the individual when necessary. It is a reasonable way to understand if we related it with story plots. The third understanding to this question is that we consider these 9 situations that are all equally real or possible, the just happen in parallel universes. Therefore, Kevin is a person really exists and is going to face up his execution. In one universe he is timid, and shows extreme fear before his death. But in other parallel worlds, Kevin can be clam, humorous, spiritual, or thoughtful which reflect in different letters. 

Response to “Manners of Dying” by Yan Martel

“Manners of Dying” is a epistolary fiction composed with 9 letters written from Harry Parlington, who is a warden of Cantos Correctional Institution to Mrs. Barlow, whose son Kevin Barlow faced up to his execution by hanging for the crimes which he was convicted. The letters record and tell about all the things happened to Kevin during the last twelve hours before his death. And the letters are written with objective and official tones without much personal emotions.

However, what makes this fiction particular is the way that the author writes 9 different letters just with the same protagonist whose name is Kevin and the same events happened to him. I think it is a very interesting fiction to read, although the generally same plots just like to make fun. In these nine letters, the protagonists and story plots are not changed, but in every version, Kevin has different characters and he has very different behaviors when facing execution every time. It is interesting to see one thing repeated happen to the same person but different characters, and how he would behaves with every different character. I think it is a good fiction, because the general fiction creates a protagonist with specific character, and describes and enriches it with the story plots goes on. But it is more difficult when we create a character but changes his characters and describes what would he behave differently when facing the same event happen to him. It is also a good way to practice for describing various different persons created in fictions.

Response to “Happy Endings” by Margaret Atwood

This is an interesting fiction written by Atwood with very creative writing techniques. It contains six different short pieces of stories labeled from A to F which all related to the protagonists John and Mary, and all the stories finally return to the same ending as the story A.

Except the structure, the main idea this fiction tells about is “happy ending.” However, from the contents, we can find every piece of story is end with death. This is kind of weird to call “death” a happy ending, but I think this is not what the author real wants to express since she puts a quotation mark to the title, it is however to suggest her satire to the happy ending of other fictions. As she writes in the conclusion, the only authentic ending is “John and Mary die. John and Mary die.” Therefore, it is more important to pay attention to the description of reasons, which is “how and why” the things happen that lead to the ending, rather than simply tells the plots which is “a what and a what and a what.” The author also proves this idea in this fiction. We can find that all the following stories are more interesting than the A story, since they all tell with detailed description about the reasons that cause the end of death, which shows the importance of “how and why” to a “happy ending”.

Position Choice for the Journal

I would like to choose the position as an art editor for our journal, for the reasons that first of all, I am interested in the visual design and layout for site page, such as the design and edit of headline, fonts, and photographs or other visual contents for the articles. Also I like looking for and collecting good images when I was reading a website at ordinary times. And I think I have some skills of page design and layout since I have designed the blackboard newspaper during high school times, and I have learnt to use Photoshop and Illustrator for picture processing and web design in the visual art course. 

Review of the Short Film “10 Minutes”

“10 Minutes” is a short film by Ahmed Imamovic. The film uses the frame narrative technique to shows two different stories that have strong contrast. It begins with the frame which is about an Asian tourist in Rome who wants to develop his photographs in a photo shop, and he is waiting under a clock for 10 minutes. Then the scene changes to a family in Sarajevo has the same time of Rome, a mother who is busy with taking care of her baby and cooking asks her elder son Memo to go out and get some water and bread. Memo walks a long way to get food. In his way, he meets a soldier and asks to have a look at his gun. This place is in a war and the situation of Memo looks very dangerous. Finally, he gets home in a hurry but sees the horrible sight that all his families are killed in the firefight.

The sense changes back into the clock. It is 10 minutes after, and the Asian tourist gets his photos which are taken with his family in scenic spots. 10 minutes is a short and leisurely waiting time for the tourist, but for Memo in Sarajevo, 10 minutes changes everything in his life. The film ends with a family photo and relaxing music, but it only emphasize the contrast between two stories and the different fates of protagonists. I think it is really a good way to use frame narrative technique that makes this film more impressive and have enlightenment meanings.

My Thoughts about the Short Films

Last Saturday we watched three great short films in the class. By comparing these short films with the long films, I think there are many differences. Firstly, the short film tells the story plots and main points in a very brief way. It draws the audience into the story very fast, and audience can catch the styles of film at very beginning. Because of the length of short film, the audience may not understand the whole story until the last moment of it, but also it is a good way that gives audience a sudden feeling and makes them feel inspired or impressive. As for the long film, the audience is able to be familiar with the main characters and knows more details about the story plots, so that they can have a better understanding to the meaning of this film. But also, the long films may waste some times to tell about something unimportant to the main idea that make audience feel tired and abstracted. Anyway, in general, both short films and long films have their advantages, and a good film is no matter short or long that will make audience feel impressive and inspired. 

Response to “No One is Here Except All of Us”

The fiction begins with telling the history of a group of people who live on a remote island. They are ancestors who first build their houses, tilled the fields, and raises children. However, as the narrator says, they are also migrating people even in the beginning. The tribes traveled a lot, when their homeland was destroyed and they were cast out of it, they had to leave and begin again. With so many years, the tribes becomes the forgotten people who across the face of the earth, begin again and again to find the place where is peaceful.

It is a good fiction for the reasons that at the beginning, the endless escape and re-begin make people feel tired and hopeless. The tribes are scared when there comes the war that force them to leave, and they worry about their future. Like the narrator indicates: “All the while, they told the story back: In the beginning there was a beautiful garden, and we were cast out of it, and we began again.” However, in the endless loop of stories of wandering, being lost, and starting again, what makes this repeat meaningful is the faith of re-beginning. The tribes want to recreate their world where is safe, peaceful, and full of love. When there is nowhere else to go, the world begins again. The darkness foreshadows the dawn, and the tribes realize that when menace approaches, then there is the time to create their own perfect world that without fear and death. Therefore, the ending of the fiction is full of brightness and hope that makes the audiences’ heart soars. 

The Story of a God of Death

The Story of a God of Death

In a big and silence office building, a group of well-dressed young people are waiting quietly. “Is everyone here? My name is William Stephenson.” With a cold and serious voice, a young man wears a business suit and carries a folder walks in. “I will be responsible for guiding your during the internship, and you can ask me if you have anything do not understand.”

William is a god of death, who is now working on teaching and screening the new Death. The job of Death is to recycle the spirit of dying human bases on the spirit list. And before recycling, he needs to use Death's scythe to check up this people’s life record and memory, in order to confirm and judge if this people really deserve death and recycle his spirit. If someone who is benefit for the world, or if his existence can bring big changes of the world, then his name can be deleted from the list and exempt from death. However, that situation is not possible to happen generally, so the confirmation is just in case.

Looking at this young face, William thinks back to the time when he was taking the final examination before becoming a formal Death. The final test was to check up one specific human’s spirit and recycle it. The person on his spirit list named Thomas Wallis, and in order to complete the task better, William found him and observe him carefully. Thomas is a poor but diligent youth. He works in a factory during the day, and writes novels at night for his dream to be a novelist. However, his works have never been accepted by any publisher so far.

To know him deeply, one day William shows up in front of him and talks to him. Notice the Scythe William carries, Thomas feels curious and asks: “Why you carry a Scythe?” “This is the Death's scythe.” William says with a blank face. “Is this the scythe belongs to Death?” “Yes.” William stands up and looks at him calmly, “I am the god of death, and in fact you are going to die. The reason I come is to check up whether you should die.” unexpectedly, Thomas is not looks frightened, instead, he is so excited and asks: “are you an actor? Is this a new way to perform to audience?” Suddenly, there is an idea crosses his mind, and he hurried away.

Thomas begins to rewrite his novel, which is about William, the god of death he met. The new novel seems very successful that a famous publisher contacts him and agrees to publish his novel after he finishes writing. “The deadline will be December 16^th.”

With a wry smile, William, the Death who knows everything happens to Thomas, feels struggle in his inner heart. The deadline of Thomas’ novel is exactly his expected date to die. Isn’t it too cruel to a life that eventually has his first chance after so many efforts? Isn’t the spirit of a brilliant writer deserve continue to exist in the world?

The day comes anyway. The weather is very cold and streets are covered with thick snow. Thomas carries his novel draft and hurriedly runs to the publishing house. The deadline is today’s 4 p.m., he is excited and full of expectation. “Tick Tock…” the sound of the clock becomes louder and clear, like his heartbeat.

“Watch out!” with the voice, a carriage sped across the street. The draft papers float in the air, blind his eyes. Thomas tries to pick up his draft papers, but he finds out he cannot move his legs. In the blurred sight, everything turns into red, a Death carries the scythe is coming towards him. He has a familiar face, blank and cold, as always.

In the end, William becomes a formal Death. He watches a variety of life stories in the world, and collects them when the stories end. Disregard good and evil, no matter noble or humble, he knows he just needs to fulfil his job, come towards to the dying spirit indifferently, and feel the weight of life.

Response to “The School” by Donald Barthelme

“The School” is a short fiction presents the story with the angel of view of the narrator Mr. Edgar, who is a teacher of the school that witnesses and describes the things happen there. At the beginning of the story, the teacher is teaching his students plant the trees, but the trees are all died. Next, there are a series of death happen in the school describes by narrator: the snakes, herb gardens, gerbils, white mice, salamander, the tropical fish, and later even the Korea orphan and some parents. No matter there are certain reasons or the narrator cannot figure out the cause of some deaths, the matters described above makes audiences feel dark and a bit quirky about the plots.

But what I think makes this a good fiction is that the author try to guide audience have a thinking about life and death. In the story the narrator seems to avoid confronting the matter of death as an adult, but his students think deeper when they ask if its death that give meaning to life? In addition, although in the fiction there are many descriptions about death which make audiences feel depressed, still there are some positive emotional attitudes that shows in the story. For instance, the story starts when children are planting trees, and at the end, Mr. Edgar kisses Helen which is a symbol of love. Both this two parts suggests the hope and happiness of one’s life which the author wants to inspire his audience.

Response to "As We May Think"

1.      What is research like for bush in 1945? --What are the problems with it?

In 1945, with the influence of World War II, the sciences have been developing, and there are lots of researches appear in quantity during that time which likes a growing mountain for Bush. The scientists begin to devote themselves to the scientific research, which develops new equipment that help scientific progress and benefit to people’s life. However, there exist problems of scientific research. The ways to manage and summarizing the research conclusions are truly old and inadequate for people to extract the significant results among a large number of things. Therefore, Dr. Bush came up with the idea of memex to store the results of research.

2.      What is the memex?

Memex is a sort of mechanized private file and library which is envisioned as a device in which individuals would be able to compress and store all of their books, records, and communications. Memex consists of a desk with slanting translucent screens on the top. Memex provides connections between various data, and it is mechanized and is consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility.

3.      Do we have anything similar to the memex today?

I think the memex is similar to hypertext today, since it can find books and films according to cross reference, and also provides the function to establish connection between information so that people can set up links to some microfilm and even add their own comments. It is similar to memex in the way of storing and organizing lots of data.