Hi,
I would like to share my view on the different types of narrative viewpoints and each of their purposes.
The first-person point of view uses a narrator to recount the story to the readers, hence containing the word "I". It is used mainly to provide a subjective view of the events that happened, allowing the readers to pick out important characteristics of the narrator as well by looking at some of the narrator's thoughts and feelings. For example, the first-person point of view can bring out the narrator's state of mind very well as compared to the third-person point of view. Furthermore, this point of view is usually used to make the readers feel close to the narrator and know him/her better. This is done by sharing some of the thoughts and feelings of the narrator. Finally, it is mainly used when the author wants to focus on the characters or themes of the story.
In contrast, the third-person point of view uses a narrator who is not mentioned at all in the story. The narrator can follow one character around or can be omniscient. This helps the readers to identify the main character of the story and see how he resolves the conflict he is facing. The third-person point of view can also be used if the author wants his readers to feel close to all the characters in the story. This narrative viewpoint is very useful, as it allows the readers to know every characters' feelings and thoughts, so enabling them to understand each and every single one of them. Finally, the third-person point of view is used when the author emphasises more on the plot and setting of the story, as the narrator is objective and can hence describe the setting more and can develop the story fully too.
In conclusion, I think that choosing an appropriate narrative viewpoint for a story is very important, as it can affect the way our story turns out to be. By analysing the gist of our story and the aspects that we want to emphasise on, we will be able to use the best narrative viewpoint.
Loo Nathanael
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Setting of a Beach
Hi,
This is the setting of the photograph of a beach I was given:
Standing on the balcony of the three-storey villa, I could feel the salty breeze caress my face and sting my eyes. The view in front of me was astounding. The coast was full of footprints, possibly belonging to children who had went there to play. Waves slowly formed as they rushed eagerly to the shore, like a puppy running to welcome his master home. The sea seemed like it was divided into two by a wall; slightly turquoise near the shore, but turning dark blue after a certain point. A solitary motorboat spurned through the clear blue waters, sending droplets of water up in the air and leaving a trail of bubbly white foam behind it. On the left of the sea, a bumpy hill, dotted by countless greeneries, gave off fresh oxygen that mixed with the smell of sea salt, giving off a soothing smell of Mother Nature. I closed my eyes and tried to remember the picturesque sight that was right before me.
Loo Nathanael (18) 2I1
This is the setting of the photograph of a beach I was given:
Standing on the balcony of the three-storey villa, I could feel the salty breeze caress my face and sting my eyes. The view in front of me was astounding. The coast was full of footprints, possibly belonging to children who had went there to play. Waves slowly formed as they rushed eagerly to the shore, like a puppy running to welcome his master home. The sea seemed like it was divided into two by a wall; slightly turquoise near the shore, but turning dark blue after a certain point. A solitary motorboat spurned through the clear blue waters, sending droplets of water up in the air and leaving a trail of bubbly white foam behind it. On the left of the sea, a bumpy hill, dotted by countless greeneries, gave off fresh oxygen that mixed with the smell of sea salt, giving off a soothing smell of Mother Nature. I closed my eyes and tried to remember the picturesque sight that was right before me.
Loo Nathanael (18) 2I1
Sunday, January 23, 2011
BECOMING
Hi,
This is the comic that I made using toondoo:
I chose to write on the theme on "Work or Family?" because I find this problem very imminent in many Singaporean households. I also find this problem very serious and think that this should be eradicated from Singapore. Singapore is getting busier and busier, which results only in making people more stressed and tired. I believe that we should adopt the steps taken by countries such as Denmark, where there is a 4-and-a-half day week.
I tried to bring out the theme strongly in my comic by constantly putting John in office clothes. This represents his business and that he even thinks about work when he is at home. I also set half of the panels in the office and the other half at home, to show the struggle on prioritising certain things in our lives. I also put clocks in some panels to represent that time is important, thus we should treasure it and spend it on something worthwhile. This again brings out the theme on whether we should choose work or family as the number one priority. I also used various emotions for John, in order to bring out his character and his feelings at a specific point in time.
In conclusion, I find that this online learning task is very beneficial to me because it makes me think and reflect on how Singaporeans have become ever since the country placed a huge emphasis on business and industry. I hope to do something like this again!
Nathanael
This is the comic that I made using toondoo:
I chose to write on the theme on "Work or Family?" because I find this problem very imminent in many Singaporean households. I also find this problem very serious and think that this should be eradicated from Singapore. Singapore is getting busier and busier, which results only in making people more stressed and tired. I believe that we should adopt the steps taken by countries such as Denmark, where there is a 4-and-a-half day week.
I tried to bring out the theme strongly in my comic by constantly putting John in office clothes. This represents his business and that he even thinks about work when he is at home. I also set half of the panels in the office and the other half at home, to show the struggle on prioritising certain things in our lives. I also put clocks in some panels to represent that time is important, thus we should treasure it and spend it on something worthwhile. This again brings out the theme on whether we should choose work or family as the number one priority. I also used various emotions for John, in order to bring out his character and his feelings at a specific point in time.
In conclusion, I find that this online learning task is very beneficial to me because it makes me think and reflect on how Singaporeans have become ever since the country placed a huge emphasis on business and industry. I hope to do something like this again!
Nathanael
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Reading a Novel
Hi,
I would like to share my views on the historical and cultural background of a novel and how it relates to reading a novel.
Firstly, I think that it is necessary to understand the historical and cultural context of a novel before reading it. I find this essential because I believe that doing this aids the reader in understanding more about the context of the story and from there, he can be able to relate to the story better and understand certain parts of the story that depicts a scene of the history. For example, take the book "Animal Farm". It was written during the time when Communism ruled Soviet Union. This motivated George Orwell to write the novel to illustrate what was happening at that time. However, if one does not know these facts, he may just think that the novel is a fantasy story where farm animals can talk. Thus, it is necessary for a reader to understand the historical and cultural aspects of the story as it reveals a lot of secrets and helps the reader understand the true meaning behind the story.
I also think that understanding the author's backgrond helps us a lot in finding out the purpose the author wrote the book and the prejudices he might include in the story. Let me use the example of "Animal Farm" again. Geogre Orwell was against the system of Communism as his personal experiences taught him that greed is imminent in every part of the world. Therefore, he wrote the novel to criticise it. Thus, reading up on the author's background can help us to identify the key message of the story.
Finally, although I think that the historical and cultural contexts, and the author's background are important when reading a novel, I have to admit that it is still possible to appreciate a text without reading up on either one. This definitely applies to non-fictional books, where most of the reader's creativity is put to use. I also have to say that since young, I have always enjoyed reading good books but have never put these skills into practice. Thus, it is possible to do without reading up on the backgrond of a novel, but it will definitely bar the reader from finding out more secrets beneath the surface of the story.
Loo Nathanael (18) 2I1
I would like to share my views on the historical and cultural background of a novel and how it relates to reading a novel.
Firstly, I think that it is necessary to understand the historical and cultural context of a novel before reading it. I find this essential because I believe that doing this aids the reader in understanding more about the context of the story and from there, he can be able to relate to the story better and understand certain parts of the story that depicts a scene of the history. For example, take the book "Animal Farm". It was written during the time when Communism ruled Soviet Union. This motivated George Orwell to write the novel to illustrate what was happening at that time. However, if one does not know these facts, he may just think that the novel is a fantasy story where farm animals can talk. Thus, it is necessary for a reader to understand the historical and cultural aspects of the story as it reveals a lot of secrets and helps the reader understand the true meaning behind the story.
I also think that understanding the author's backgrond helps us a lot in finding out the purpose the author wrote the book and the prejudices he might include in the story. Let me use the example of "Animal Farm" again. Geogre Orwell was against the system of Communism as his personal experiences taught him that greed is imminent in every part of the world. Therefore, he wrote the novel to criticise it. Thus, reading up on the author's background can help us to identify the key message of the story.
Finally, although I think that the historical and cultural contexts, and the author's background are important when reading a novel, I have to admit that it is still possible to appreciate a text without reading up on either one. This definitely applies to non-fictional books, where most of the reader's creativity is put to use. I also have to say that since young, I have always enjoyed reading good books but have never put these skills into practice. Thus, it is possible to do without reading up on the backgrond of a novel, but it will definitely bar the reader from finding out more secrets beneath the surface of the story.
Loo Nathanael (18) 2I1
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Prejudiced Group
Hi,
I would like to share my experience of my being in a group of people that were unkind to one or more individuals. This experiences happened in my primary school.
I had a clique of friends who were good in soccer and we also stuck together on the same team when we played soccer during recess. This meant that we placed all the better players on one team, while the others formed another team, making it a heavily lopsided match in terms of skill. Furthermore, there were a few bullies in our group who decided to misuse their "power" and control the rules of the game. For example, when the opponent team scored, they would find a way to explain that it was disallowed, eg. offside. This made our group feel high and mighty. However, it hurt the others' feelings. This eventually led to class lessons. A few people in our group tormented others and made fun of them, causing teachers to take action.
At first, when I realised that we would never lose the daily soccer matches, I felt quite good and decided to play along with their plan. However, I had not enough courage to bully others, so all I did was to join their group but not defend the victims. As the days went by, I felt quite bored and frustrated because it was more interesting to lose at times and my groupmates were beginning to carry things too far. I began to feel guilty and so I did not really linger with that group already. However, it was quite hard to do so because I feared the prospect of being bullied by them. Therefore, I took a quiet role in our group until we departed for our own secondary schools. Fortunately, after the teachers intruded into our affairs, my groupmates turned for the better and started making friends with the people they once bullied.
Looking back now, I feel really guilty for joining their group and not having the bravery to stand for what is right. I felt that I was prejudiced against those who could not play soccer better than me. I hope that they will forgive me for my selfish actions and that I will not do such a horrid thing in the future. It is so true to say that "making 1 more friend is better than making 1 new enemy".
Nathanael
I would like to share my experience of my being in a group of people that were unkind to one or more individuals. This experiences happened in my primary school.
I had a clique of friends who were good in soccer and we also stuck together on the same team when we played soccer during recess. This meant that we placed all the better players on one team, while the others formed another team, making it a heavily lopsided match in terms of skill. Furthermore, there were a few bullies in our group who decided to misuse their "power" and control the rules of the game. For example, when the opponent team scored, they would find a way to explain that it was disallowed, eg. offside. This made our group feel high and mighty. However, it hurt the others' feelings. This eventually led to class lessons. A few people in our group tormented others and made fun of them, causing teachers to take action.
At first, when I realised that we would never lose the daily soccer matches, I felt quite good and decided to play along with their plan. However, I had not enough courage to bully others, so all I did was to join their group but not defend the victims. As the days went by, I felt quite bored and frustrated because it was more interesting to lose at times and my groupmates were beginning to carry things too far. I began to feel guilty and so I did not really linger with that group already. However, it was quite hard to do so because I feared the prospect of being bullied by them. Therefore, I took a quiet role in our group until we departed for our own secondary schools. Fortunately, after the teachers intruded into our affairs, my groupmates turned for the better and started making friends with the people they once bullied.
Looking back now, I feel really guilty for joining their group and not having the bravery to stand for what is right. I felt that I was prejudiced against those who could not play soccer better than me. I hope that they will forgive me for my selfish actions and that I will not do such a horrid thing in the future. It is so true to say that "making 1 more friend is better than making 1 new enemy".
Nathanael
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Prejudice
BEFORE:
KNOW: What do I already know about prejudice?
I know that prejudice means being biased to a certain group of people because of their characteristics or way of life, which will influence one’s actions towards a matter concerning that certain group of people.
WHAT: What do I want to learn/know about?
I want to learn about the different types, effects and causes of prejudice and some of the generalisations of prejudice.
AFTER:
LEARN: What did I learn about prejudice?
I learned that prejudice can arise from stereotypes of a person. I also learned that some prejudices may not be right and that bigotry means stubborn and complete ignorance of any opinion different from their own.
KNOW: What do I already know about prejudice?
I know that prejudice means being biased to a certain group of people because of their characteristics or way of life, which will influence one’s actions towards a matter concerning that certain group of people.
WHAT: What do I want to learn/know about?
I want to learn about the different types, effects and causes of prejudice and some of the generalisations of prejudice.
AFTER:
LEARN: What did I learn about prejudice?
I learned that prejudice can arise from stereotypes of a person. I also learned that some prejudices may not be right and that bigotry means stubborn and complete ignorance of any opinion different from their own.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Poem Extract
Hi,
I would like to share a poem that I enjoy reading and share what I learned from it.
"One picture puzzle piece
Lyin' on the sidewalk,
One picture puzzle piece
Soakin' in the rain.
It might be a button of blue
On the coat of the woman
Who lived in a shoe.
It might be a magical bean,
Or a fold in the red
Velvet robe of a queen.
It might be the one little bite
Of the apple her stepmother
Gave to Snow White.
It might be the veil of a bride
Or a bottle with some evil genie inside.
It might be a small tuft of hair
On the big bouncy belly
Of Bobo the Bear.
It might be a bit of the cloak
Of the Witch of the West
As she melted to smoke.
It might be a shadowy trace
Of a tear that runs down an angel's face.
Nothing has more possibilities
Than one old wet picture puzzle piece.
Picture Puzzle Piece by Shel Silverstein "
This poem left a deep impression on me because it relates to my life as a student and the big future that lies ahead of me.
Firstly, I will talk about what the poem means. The poem illustrates a scene of the poet walking past a single puzzle piece on the sidewalks. He is interested in it and starts to ponder on the possibilities of what it could be, instead of other passers-by who would treat it as a lost item or simply rubbish. He lists all the characters and things related to fairy tales to help children to understand the poem better.
I think the poet is trying to target people who are very straight-minded and cannot think out of the box. As a single puzzle piece is small and does not portray a complete picture, there are a lot of possibilities of what the puzzle could be. Thus, I think that the poet is trying to tell us to look at a matter more optimistically, by pondering on what paths it could take us to if we look at it differently and not just looking on one side of things. For example, a choice of what courses to pick up in university is a puzzle piece. We should not just take the course which seems the easiest or the one that sounds the most interesting and stick to it no matter what. Instead, like the poet, we should consider all the possibilities and imagine what our future would be like if we should join a certain course. When we do this, we would be able to list our choices better and decide what is best for us.
I learnt important lessons from this poem. I learnt that we should be more optimistic and take time to ponder on a matter, especially studies because it will affect our future greatly. Therefore, we should exercise our critical thinking skills to ponder on the possibilities of what it could hold. We should also not be so greatly let down by a setback, because it may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Finally, I learnt that we should not jump at conclusions by just looking at one piece of the puzzle. Instead, we should take an unbiased and full view of the whole matter before making a decision about something or someone. This will enable us to be more objective and will help us to judge something accurately.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this poem and learnt many lessons that I can apply in my life in the future.
Loo Nathanael (18) 2I1
I would like to share a poem that I enjoy reading and share what I learned from it.
"One picture puzzle piece
Lyin' on the sidewalk,
One picture puzzle piece
Soakin' in the rain.
It might be a button of blue
On the coat of the woman
Who lived in a shoe.
It might be a magical bean,
Or a fold in the red
Velvet robe of a queen.
It might be the one little bite
Of the apple her stepmother
Gave to Snow White.
It might be the veil of a bride
Or a bottle with some evil genie inside.
It might be a small tuft of hair
On the big bouncy belly
Of Bobo the Bear.
It might be a bit of the cloak
Of the Witch of the West
As she melted to smoke.
It might be a shadowy trace
Of a tear that runs down an angel's face.
Nothing has more possibilities
Than one old wet picture puzzle piece.
Picture Puzzle Piece by Shel Silverstein "
This poem left a deep impression on me because it relates to my life as a student and the big future that lies ahead of me.
Firstly, I will talk about what the poem means. The poem illustrates a scene of the poet walking past a single puzzle piece on the sidewalks. He is interested in it and starts to ponder on the possibilities of what it could be, instead of other passers-by who would treat it as a lost item or simply rubbish. He lists all the characters and things related to fairy tales to help children to understand the poem better.
I think the poet is trying to target people who are very straight-minded and cannot think out of the box. As a single puzzle piece is small and does not portray a complete picture, there are a lot of possibilities of what the puzzle could be. Thus, I think that the poet is trying to tell us to look at a matter more optimistically, by pondering on what paths it could take us to if we look at it differently and not just looking on one side of things. For example, a choice of what courses to pick up in university is a puzzle piece. We should not just take the course which seems the easiest or the one that sounds the most interesting and stick to it no matter what. Instead, like the poet, we should consider all the possibilities and imagine what our future would be like if we should join a certain course. When we do this, we would be able to list our choices better and decide what is best for us.
I learnt important lessons from this poem. I learnt that we should be more optimistic and take time to ponder on a matter, especially studies because it will affect our future greatly. Therefore, we should exercise our critical thinking skills to ponder on the possibilities of what it could hold. We should also not be so greatly let down by a setback, because it may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Finally, I learnt that we should not jump at conclusions by just looking at one piece of the puzzle. Instead, we should take an unbiased and full view of the whole matter before making a decision about something or someone. This will enable us to be more objective and will help us to judge something accurately.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this poem and learnt many lessons that I can apply in my life in the future.
Loo Nathanael (18) 2I1
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