Three quick poems on an evening

In vino veritas, as the Romans said.

In vino veritas, as the Romans said.

In wine, truth.

The Best Show Ever

The poetry scene in Hong Kong might not be massive, but if it were, it wouldn't be as cool. Poetry OutLoud is located at the Cabaret Theatre of the Fringe Club, the first Wednesday of every month. Some poetry readings, drinks, and an atmosphere one usually doesn't find in Hong Kong.

I banged out the following poem (if it qualifies as such) yesterday for the open mic section of the evening. The room was more packed that I expected, really, and the honestly intimidating thing was that everyone seemed to know each other but us. We found out later that was because most are regulars at "Joyce Is Not Here", where they gather the other Wednesdays of the month, something more cozy, more crazy, and more poetry.

Why High School English Sucks

And why studying literature can suck in general

Symbols are things that, because of their placement, gain meaning through the story. Not random, superfluous insertions.

Themes arise from stories. They can't substitute for the stories.

A story is not a mystery to be solved for its meaning. It's not a maths equation to be 'figured out'. 

A story is an experience to be appreciated. The author is sharing something with you. 

Bertha Mason (Jane Eyre; Brontë, C.)

, the first wife of Mr. Rochester.

I seriously don't think she was insane when Rochester married her. She may have become insane since, but only as a consequence of being locked up.

DISRESPECTING Jules Verne

I recently remarked to a friend that Jules Verne's "adventures" tend to be rather anticlimatic.

I have, of course, only three of their number to reference. Around the World in Eighty Days (henceforth 80 Days), Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (henceforth 20000), and Journey to the Centre of the Earth (henceforth Journey).

A submarine and subtextual adventure.

First impressions of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. (Verne, J., 1870. Translated by Allen P.S., 1922)

In my first reading, I went in without any preliminary research, and had no idea what to expect.

As I traversed the chapters, it seemed to me much more of a travel log than something with substantial plot. Often, when the narration went for large stretches describing the local wildlife instead of furthering the plot, I grew impatient. Verne's attention to scientific and technical detail was impressive, but uninteresting.

Ned Land needs land

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Verne, Jules)

Part II, Chapter VIII, Vigo Bay

Comments:

Ned Land needs land. Intentional pun, surely.

Looking deeper into the allusions in _A Streetcar Named Desire_

The many allusions Tennessee Williams uses in (Streetcar) are incredibly meaningful. In particular, I want to explore the following three in more detail: "My Rosenkavalier!", "la Dame aux Camellias!" and "Wien, nur du allein."

Hong Kong International Young Readers Festival

Mirrors with Memories yet again. We were invited to speak at the "Hong Kong International Young Readers Festival". So there were 7 of us ESF kids.
There's really nothing to say.
Some pictures:

Flash Fiction

6-word stories:

It's a nice day, sir. (zzz...)

Creativity steers clear of the writing students.

-----

Nanofiction (55-word stories):

Based on real events that happened the day they were written (yesterday).

The character Stanley in _A Streetcar Named Desire_. Not so inhuman?

Just a little follow-up to my previous post about the _Streetcar_ characters. (http://literatureeh.blogspot.com/2012/01/thoughts-on-characters-of-tennessee.html)

At the end of scene 11, right after Blanche has been taken away, this happens:

Stella: Blanche! Blanche! Blanche!

…
[… Eunice descends to Stella and places the child in her arms. … Stella accepts the child, sobbingly. … Stanley has gone out on the porch and stands at the foot of the steps looking at Stella.]

Creativity at SIS

I was asked by my Chinese teacher to give her some quotes about "creativity" for the Languages department in an Art department project called 'Creativity at SIS'.

So I just drew this up off the top of my head:

"To create is to bring something into existence where before there was nothing. Creativity raises us above mortality."

"Creativity is how we violate the laws of the universe. It is our greatest power."

"The first thing to exist was God. The second was creativity, so God could create the world."
- maybe this one isn't really suitable... but I included it anyway because it's cool. I'm not even religious...

 ---
Got a reply saying she wants quotes related to language, Chinese if possible.

I could only think, 'What... languages aren't creative...'

I gave her this: "Languages by themselves are not creative. Speaking and writing languages? Now that's creativity in action."

Article: IB English A1

Visit howtoib.com, the almost definitive guide to the International Baccalaureate as taught at South Island School, Hong Kong.

English A1 - the predecessor of “English A Literature”

- Kenneth Chan

Last updated January 28, 2012

I am always thankful that I am able to appreciate literature, for I feel that the study of literary works allows me a glimpse of the essence of human nature and the nuances of society. Yet, what I love most is that, as much as it is human, literature is composed of time, place and culture, transcending the limits of ‘here’ and ‘now’.

What’s studied in the course?

English A1 is a literature course. That means it’s focused on textual analysis, not language. In HL, 15 texts are studied. Yes. 15. SL does 11. (evil smirk)

How far has setting served to carry or underscore thematic concerns in fiction you have studied?

Practice IB English A1 Paper 2 essay.
Date: July 2011

In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1899 semi-autobiographical short story, The Yellow Wallpaper (henceforth YW), the narrator, a woman who has recently given birth to her first child, is tormented by isolation enforced by her husband. Similarly, Ernest Hemingway’s 1933 semi-autobiographical short story A Way You’ll Never Be (henceforth Way) describes the tormented mind of Nick Adams, an American volunteer in the Italian army in World War One, as he tries to complete a propaganda mission. In both stories, setting is all-important in carrying and underscoring the themes presented, using the protagonists’ placements within their settings as well as their interactions with the physical setting. The identification of the microcosm settings with the larger world serves as warnings in both YW and Way, of the misguided nature of Victorian ideals and the danger of glorifying war, respectively.

Update: "Song of forgetting"

You may remember this pathetic thing from two or three years ago: http://literatureeh.blogspot.com/2010/04/that-day.html

At that time, I submitted it for consideration to be included in the ESF Anthology of students' creative pieces.

So, 'lo and behold:

Incredibly, I got published. The book's called "Mirrors with Memories". You can buy it at Commercial Press, I think. (Hong Kong publisher)

Can't believe they took 2-3 years to get this thing out, though...

Thoughts on the characters of Tennessee Williams' _A Streetcar Named Desire_

Author's note: Wow. Haven't been here in a long time... I should pick it up again...

Blanche has a dream. She wants a new life. She wants to escape from her past. She want to succeed in this last bid for happiness. But Stanley and Stella have their own lives! Their own dreams! They just want to live happily together, raise their baby, indulge in the normal passions of a young couple and have fun with friends like Steve and Eunice! Everything was fine!

Why does Blanche have to intrude? -That's what she is! An intruder! She's not the only one who's struggling. In case she failed to notice (which she did), the Kowalski's aren't rich. Sure, you should be able to rely on the kindness of family, and Stanley was in no way right in his disposal of her, but I definitely don't begrudge him his hostility toward Blanche.