Julia Chen's Writing Portfolio

Portfolio Introduction

2006-12-27T23:03:00.000+08:00

Chinese name: Chen Zhexin
English name: Julia Chen
From: Shanghai, China
Education: Junior student in Fudan University
Major: Accounting

Writing Background:
Writing used to be my strong point. My essays were better appreciated in primary schools, when the teacher would read to the class what I wrote in my assignments. In junior high school my name was occasionally mentioned when the teacher talked about well-written passages, while in the high school I more often than not had to struggle for a decent score in writing. I think it is mainly because everyone was required to write in a set format then; there were so many restrictions and my interest for Chinese writing was lost on the way. Now in university, with more time and less rules to follow while writhing, my enthusiasm has been resumed and so is the quality of my passages.

My English writing, in general, is better appreciated than my Chinese ones. It is probably because everyone is writing in their second languages, so few ones come out as especially good. But it is not without problems. And I have been trying to find ways to sharpen my skills. I wrote a lot of the so-called "reports" during last semester. That is because I am in the Management Department and we have courses such as marketing and business management, where you are required to do several presentations for each course. Since most presentations were required or at least encouraged to be in English, I had a lot of training in this field. I must confess at first this experience was interesting and I really learned a lot. However, gradually I found myself writing clichés mechanically. So, it is rather doubtful whether my writing skill was improved or weakened in the process.

I chose the course this semester primarily because I want to practice my English writing skills in a more professional and systematic way. The outcome so far is satisfactory. I enjoy writing the reading logs and reading the others’. We are exchanging ideas besides simply writing. This is what makes the experience even more valuable. Because only in writing something one is interested in can he makes progress in the most effective way.

Cover Letter

2006-12-26T08:08:00.000+08:00

December 27, 2006

Dear Portfolio Readers:

The portfolio you are reading is a collection of my writing works in the Academic Writing class. It consists of three parts, touching on different writing skills I have learned.

The first part is comprised of the Introduction, the first entry in my blog, and the Cover Letter I am now writing. The Introduction is mostly about my general information and my writing experience before taking this course. It was the first time I had seriously taken up formal writing and it was not easy but most rewarding. The Cover Letter is a brief summary of achievements I made in the course and the essays I have produced. It is a good chance for me to reflect on and sum up things I have done this semester.

I spent most of the time on the second part of the portfolio: Essay Writing. It is made up of two drafts and one final piece of work. I made no changes in the drafts, so you can see what refinements I have made step by step, after taking advice from my instructor and my peers. The first draft is almost a complete essay, but there are several incoherent points in the passage. After my group members reviewed the draft, I realized where the problem lay and made some adjustments accordingly. I focused on grammar and vocabulary in the final draft, and tried to make the essay as flawless as possible. The experience provides me with a good chance to explore deep into a story, to develop a certain thesis, and to look for evidence to support my thesis. My ability to reason and to develop my idea in a complete essay was much exercised in the process.

The third part is my selected writings: one Reading Log and one Timed Writing. We have read six stories in the class and we have been required to write one reading log for each of them. I chose the one for “the Village”. My essay is also about this story, but I still made the choice because I think in this reading log I explored things I did not mention in the essay. It is a broad opinion about the war against humanity. The timed writing is a passage that we are asked to finish in class within the given period of time. It is less polished than the other writings in the portfolio, but it can give you a general idea of how well I can write under pressure and within time constraints. It also reveals what kinds of grammatical mistakes I tend to make.

That is all for my cover letter to present you with a general impression of my portfolio. Thank you for your attention and I look forward to your suggestions and advice.

Regards,
Julia Chen

Essay Draft 1

2006-12-25T23:18:00.000+08:00

The story “Village”, written by Estela Portillo Trambley, describes a soldier called Rico who struggled between killing innocent people and defying the orders from his seniors. He chose the first alternative at last, was punished by law and despised by his fellow soldiers, but won the praise of many readers who thought he was courageous and upright. However, one cannot overlook the fact Rico was a soldier in the first place, whose doctrine is to obey orders without questions. From this perspective, Rico did the right thing in the wrong position. Such a contrast is caused by one mistake: Rico should not join the army from the very beginning.

To be a good soldier, who should try one’s best to kill and avoid being killed, becoming cold-hearted is essential. Any tender emotions should be abolished when making judgment concerning the battle. Only in this way can one destroy all potential harm safely and thoroughly; otherwise, the unsuitable kindness may be utilized by the enemies to carry out missions. Nevertheless, Rico was possessed by two, instead of one, kinds of fondness towards the village that his platoon would later attack: the love for the village due to its likeness to his own back home, and the love for the mankind as a whole.

At the beginning of the story, there was a depiction of a platoon returning from a patrol mission. The main character of the story, Rico, was resting and chatting with his fellow soldier, Harry. The author here carefully implies to the readers the difference between them. They were feeling “homesick”, but in completely different ways: Rico was being reminded of his hometown at the sight of the Vietnam village and “the special kind of stillness”; he was feeling homesick because “he knew it well, the same kind of stillness that is part of him back home”. Harry, on the other hand, was “just sick of doing nothing”. At this point, readers catch a glimpse for the first time of the difference between Rico and other soldiers (with Harry as their representatives). Harry’s reaction to the war is typical of ordinary soldiers: bored and uninterested, but no more than that; while Rico developed emotional attachment to the village.

Later, when Rico was left alone, such thoughts became more explicit. “The village of Mai Cao was no different than Valverde, the barrio where he had grown up”; “a woman walking with a child” would remind him of his mother. The author then used large part to describe Rico’s mother, which indicates her importance to him, and the consequential importance of the Vietnam woman, and of the people the woman stood for to him. Rico loved this village and the people there, largely because it seemed like a reflection of his hometown. With such a state of mind, it would be hard for him to believe that in those apparent innocent people lied lethal threat; it would be hard for him to join the destruction of the peaceful land simply because “in case the Viet Cong come this way”.

To complicate the situation Rico’s sympathy derives not only from his homesickness but also from his love for the general mankind. He had “the feeling—a bond—people all the same everywhere”. He knew “every human life in the village mattered”. Unlike the other soldiers, who regard the villagers simply as shooting targets, or potential enemies disguised under innocent appearance, he knew they were lively people, too. Their lives mattered as much as the soldiers, as the Americans, as everyone else in the world; so without any concrete evidence it seemed ridiculous for him to shoot these villagers who were still in their peaceful dreams.

Another impetus of Rico’s behavior is his distrust in the propaganda of the army. Rico “didn’t believe they were the enemy down there”. The “combat bible” listed warnings and appropriate actions to take under certain circumstances, but Rico teased it. He thought he was convinced when he was getting training back in the States, but on seeing the peaceful village, “something had struck deep, something beyond the logic of war and enemy, something deep in his guts”. Though surviving soldiers taught them to watch out for enemy disguised as pregnant women, children, or other seemingly harmless people, Rico’s instinct or intuition refuse to believe it.

Rico also lacked the intention and the desire to win honors and awards, to be a perceived hero in the war. Unlike Harry, who was bored because there were no real battle, he wanted “no action”, and he “felt relieved knowing that the fighting was hundreds of miles away from the people in Mai Cao”. Instead of fighting, he treasured more the experience of “mingling with the children, old men, and women of the village” at the stream.

With all these factors taken into account, it is not hard to imagine the reluctance Rico felt when he received the order to destroy the village. However, it is all right to possess such thoughts initially; many kind-hearted people, who have not realized the cruelty of the war before, will feel the same, too. It is not the most significant criteria in judging whether one is a good soldier or not. As long as they can swallow their reluctance and carry out the mission, gradually they will get accustomed to the unchangeable reality and transfer into a cold-blooded killer; if they have not adjusted themselves quickly enough, they would get killed sooner or later.

However, Rico chose a totally different path. He stood up to his Sergeant and questioned the validity of the order. No wonder Sergeant Keever would get furious, because his subordinate was doing the most unexpected thing in such an urgent time. But even then no one paid serious attention to Rico; they might thought he was weird, yet no one expected that he would go so far as to shoot Sergeant Keever to stop the mission. All these proved side evidence that how unexpected Rico’s behavior was, and how un-soldier-like it was. It is in here that he departed from the basic requirements of a soldier.

In the end of the story, Rico saved the village at the cost of imprisonment and despise from all his counterparts. Many readers cite this as an evidence to support the rightfulness of Rico’s choice and the courage he displayed. But one should not forget it was in a war. In life there is always one common dilemma: to follow one’s heart or to follow the authority’s orders. In ordinary situations, of course one should judge according to one’s own conscience, and stand up to arbitrary; but in war, things are reversed. The utmost rule is to obey. Why? Because under these circumstances the decision one makes almost always incur serious causal results for others. If Rico’s judgment was wrong, and if the delay he caused gave the enemy a chance to take the village as a stronghold, it might cost the lives of Rico’s own people. As can be seen from the above analysis, Rico based on his choice solely on his own emotion instead of on any sound evidence to prove there was really no danger in Mai Cao. In this way, Rico was making unsolicited judgment for the other soldiers and placed their lives in potential dangers, no matter how little the danger is. If everyone armyman enjoy the right to act according to their own judgment, the whole troop would be in a mess, and could not be expected to win a single battle.

To sum up, Rico did a right thing in a wrong background. Though he was courageous in saving many people at the cost of his own freedom, he should not be set as a good example for other soldiers and his behavior should not be encouraged in a war. It may sound ironic and self-contradicting, but a war has special rules to follow to ensure the optimal results of one’s own side. If someone cannot face the cruelty of the fact, he might as well not join the war in the first place; and it is exactly the case with Rico, who was overwhelmed with his own value judgments and could not have them oppressed. Someone like him is not suitable to be a qualified soldier.

Essay Draft 2

2006-12-24T23:19:00.000+08:00

Name: Julia Chen
Date: Nov. 19, 2006
Draft Number: 2

The story “Village”, written by Estela Portillo Trambley, describes a soldier called Rico who struggles between killing innocent people and defying the orders from his seniors. He chooses the second alternative at last, is punished by law and despised by his fellow soldiers, but wins the praise of many readers who think he is courageous and upright. However, one cannot overlook the fact Rico was a soldier in the first place, whose doctrine is to obey orders without questions. From this perspective, Rico has done the right thing in the wrong position. Such a contrast is caused by one mistake: Rico should not join the army from the very beginning.

To be a good soldier, who should try one’s best to kill and avoid being killed, becoming cold-hearted is essential. Any tender emotions should be abolished when making judgment concerning the battle. Only in this way can one destroy all potential harm safely and thoroughly; otherwise, the unsuitable kindness may be utilized by the enemies to carry out missions. Nevertheless, Rico is possessed by two, instead of one, kinds of fondness towards the village that his platoon will later attack: the love for the village due to its likeness to his own back home, and the love for the mankind as a whole.

At the beginning of the story, there was a depiction of a platoon returning from a patrol mission. The main character of the story, Rico, is resting and chatting with his fellow soldier, Harry. The author here carefully implies to the readers the difference between them. They are both feeling “homesick”(177), but in completely different ways: Rico is being reminded of his hometown at the sight of the Vietnam village and “the special kind of stillness”; he is feeling homesick because “he knew it well, the same kind of stillness that is part of him back home”(176). Harry, on the other hand, is “just sick of doing nothing”(177). At this point, readers catch a glimpse for the first time of the difference between Rico and other soldiers (with Harry as their representatives). Harry’s reaction to the war is typical of ordinary soldiers: bored and uninterested, but no more than that; while Rico has developed emotional attachment to the village.

Later, when Rico is left alone, such thoughts became more explicit. “The village of Mai Cao was no different than Valverde, the barrio where he had grown up”(177); “a woman walking with a child”(177) would remind him of his mother. The author have used large part to describe Rico’s mother, which indicates her importance to him, and the consequential importance of the Vietnam woman, and of the people the woman stands for to him. Rico loves this village and the people there, largely because it seems like a reflection of his hometown. With such a state of mind, it would be hard for him to believe that in those apparent innocent people lies lethal threat; it would be hard for him to join the destruction of the peaceful land simply because “in case the Viet Cong come this way”(179).

To complicate the situation Rico’s sympathy derives not only from his homesickness but also from his love for the general mankind. He has “the feeling—a bond—people all the same everywhere”(178). “Every human life in the village mattered, [a]nd he knew this not only with the mind but with the heart”(179). Unlike the other soldiers, who regard the villagers simply as shooting targets, or potential enemies disguised under innocent appearance, he sees them as lively people, too. Their lives mattered as much as the soldiers, as the Americans, as everyone else in the world; so without any concrete evidence it seems ridiculous for him to shoot these villagers who are then still in their peaceful dreams.

Another impetus of Rico’s behavior is his distrust in the propaganda of the army. Rico does not believe they were the enemy down there. The “combat bible”(178) has listed out warnings and appropriate actions to take under certain circumstances, but Rico simply teases it. He thought he was convinced when he was getting training back in the States, but on seeing the peaceful village, “something had struck deep, something beyond the logic of war and enemy, something deep in his guts”(178). Though surviving soldiers have taught them to watch out for enemy disguised as pregnant women, children, or other seemingly harmless people, Rico’s instinct or intuition refuses to believe it.

Rico also lacks the intention and the desire to win honors and awards, to be a perceived hero in the war. Unlike Harry, who is bored because there were no real battle, he wanted “no action”(178), and he “felt relieved knowing that the fighting was hundreds of miles away from the people in Mai Cao”(179). Instead of fighting, he treasures more the experience of “mingling with the children, old men, and women of the village”(180) at the stream.

With all these factors taken into account, it is not hard to imagine the reluctance Rico felt when he received the order to destroy the village. However, it is all right to possess such thoughts initially; many kind-hearted people, who have not realized the cruelty of the war before, will feel the same, too. It is not the most significant criteria in judging whether one is a good soldier or not. As long as they can swallow their reluctance and carry out the mission, gradually they will get accustomed to the unchangeable reality and transfer into a cold-blooded killer; if they have not adjusted themselves quickly enough, they would get killed sooner or later.

However, Rico chooses a totally different path. He strands up to his Sergeant and questiones the validity of the order. No wonder Sergeant Keever would get furious, because his subordinate is doing the most unexpected thing in such an urgent time. But even then no one has paid serious attention to Rico; they may thought he is weird, yet no one has expected that he would go so far as to shoot Sergeant Keever to stop the mission. All these provide side evidence that how unexpected Rico’s behavior is, and how un-soldier-like it is. It is in here that he departs from the basic requirements of a soldier.

In the end of the story, Rico saves the village at the cost of imprisonment and despise from all his counterparts. Many readers cite this as an evidence to support the rightfulness of Rico’s choice and the courage has he displayed. It is ture that because of Rico’s brave choice the whole village is saved. If Rico did not stop Sergeant Keever the village would be destroyed before there were “[o]rders from headquarters to forget it”(180). And it is unlikely that anyone would really feel sorry for the innocent lives taken. So it can be concluded that thanks to Rico, and solely thanks to Rico, many innocent lives have been saved.

However, one should not forget it was in a war. In life there is always one common dilemma: to follow one’s heart or to follow the authority’s orders. In ordinary situations, of course one should judge according to one’s own conscience, and stand up to arbitrary; but in war, things are reversed. The utmost rule is to obey. Why? Because under these circumstances the decision one makes almost always incur serious causal results for others. If Rico’s judgment was wrong, and if the delay he caused gave the enemy a chance to take the village as a stronghold, it might cost the lives of Rico’s own people. As can be seen from the above analysis, Rico bases on his choice solely on his own emotion instead of on any sound evidence to prove there was really no danger in Mai Cao. In this way, Rico is making unsolicited judgment for the other soldiers and has placed their lives in potential dangers, no matter how little the danger is. If everyone armyman enjoy the right to act according to their own judgment, the whole troop would be in a mess, and could not be expected to win a single battle.

To sum up, Rico has done a right thing in a wrong background. Though he is courageous in saving many people at the cost of his own freedom, he should not be set as a good example for other soldiers and his behavior should not be encouraged in a war. It may sound ironic and self-contradicting, but a war has special rules to follow to ensure the optimal results of one’s own side. The first requirement of a soldier, is to be obedient to his supeiror and indifferent to his enemies,like Harry and most of his fellow soldiers. If someone cannot face the cruelty, he might as well not join the war in the first place; it is exactly the case with Rico, who is overwhelmed with his own judgments and can not have them oppressed. Someone like him is not suitable to be a qualified soldier.

A Noble Man but a Bad Soldier

2006-12-23T07:52:00.000+08:00

Name: Julia Chen
Date: December 26, 2006
Draft Number: 3

The story “Village”, written by Estela Portillo Trambley, describes a soldier called Rico who struggles between killing innocent people and defying the orders from his seniors. He finally chooses the second alternative, is punished by law and despised by his fellow soldiers, but wins the praise of many readers who think he is courageous and upright. However, one cannot overlook the fact that Rico is a soldier in the first place, whose doctrine is to obey orders unconditionally. From this perspective, Rico has done the right thing in the wrong position. Such a contrast is caused by one mistake: Rico should not have joined the army from the very beginning.

To be a qualified soldier, calmness and cold-hearted is essential. One should try his best to kill and avoid being killed. Any tender emotions should be abolished when making judgment concerning the battle. Only in this way can one keep away from all potential harm thoroughly and protect himself safely. Nevertheless, Rico is possessed by two, instead of one, kinds of fondness towards the village that his platoon will later attack: the love for the village due to its likeness to his own back home, and the love for the mankind as a whole.

At the beginning of the story, there was a depiction of a platoon returning from a patrol mission. The main character of the story, Rico, is resting and chatting with his fellow soldier, Harry. The author here carefully implies to the readers the difference between them. They are both feeling “homesick” (177), but in completely different ways: Rico is being reminded of his hometown at the sight of the Vietnam village and “the special kind of stillness”; he feels homesick because “he knew it well, the same kind of stillness that is part of him back home” (176). Harry, on the other hand, is “just sick of doing nothing” (177). At this point, readers catch a glimpse for the first time of the difference between Rico and other soldiers (with Harry as their representative). Harry’s reaction to the war is typical of ordinary soldiers: bored and uninterested, but no more than that; while Rico has developed emotional attachment to the village.

Later, when Rico is left alone, such thoughts become more explicit. “The village of Mai Cao was no different than Valverde, the barrio where he had grown up” (177); “a woman walking with a child” (177) would remind him of his mother. The author has used large part to describe Rico’s mother, which indicates her importance to him, and the consequential importance of the Vietnam woman, and of the people the woman stands for to him. Rico loves this village and the people there, largely because it seems like a reflection of his hometown. With such a state of mind, it would be hard for him to believe that in those apparently innocent people lies lethal threat; it would be hard for him to join the destruction of the peaceful land simply because “the Viet Cong [might] come this way”(179).

To complicate the situation Rico’s sympathy derives not only from his homesickness but also from his love for the general mankind. He has “the feeling—a bond—people all the same everywhere” (178). “Every human life in the village mattered, [a]nd he knew this not only with the mind but with the heart” (179). Unlike the other soldiers, who regard the villagers simply as shooting targets, or potential enemies disguised under innocent appearance, he sees them as lively people. Their lives mattered as much as the soldiers, as the Americans, as everyone else in the world; so without any concrete evidence it seems ridiculous for him to shoot these villagers who are then still in their peaceful dreams.

Another impetus of Rico’s behavior is his distrust in the propaganda of the army. Rico does not believe they were the enemy down there. The “combat bible” (178) has listed out warnings and appropriate actions to take under certain circumstances, but Rico does not believe in it. He thought he was convinced when he was getting training back in the States, but on seeing the peaceful village, “something had struck deep, something beyond the logic of war and enemy, something deep in his guts”(178). Though surviving soldiers have taught them to watch out for enemy disguised as pregnant women, children, or other seemingly harmless people, Rico’s instinct or intuition refuses to believe it.

Rico also lacks the intention and the desire to win honors and awards, to be a perceived hero in the war. Unlike Harry, who is bored because there were no real battle, Rico wanted “no action”(178), and he “felt relieved knowing that the fighting was hundreds of miles away from the people in Mai Cao”(179). Instead of fighting, he treasures more the experience of “mingling with the children, old men, and women of the village” (180) at the stream.

With all these factors taken into account, it is not hard to imagine the reluctance Rico feels when he receives the order to destroy the village. However, it is all right to possess such thoughts initially; many kind-hearted people, who have not realized the cruelty of the war before, will feel the same, too. It is not the most significant criteria in judging whether one is a good soldier or not. As long as they can swallow their reluctance and carry out the mission, gradually they will get accustomed to the unchangeable reality and transfer into a cold-blooded killer; if they have not adjusted themselves quickly enough, they would get killed sooner or later.

However, Rico chooses a totally different path. He stands up to his Sergeant and challenges the validity of the order. No wonder Sergeant Keever would get furious, because his subordinate is doing the most unexpected thing in such an urgent time. But even then no one has paid serious attention to Rico; they may thought he is weird, yet no one has expected that he would go so far as to shoot Sergeant Keever to stop the mission. All these provide side evidence of how unexpected Rico’s behavior is, and how un-soldier-like it is. It is in here that he departs from the basic requirements of a soldier.

In the end of the story, Rico saves the village at the cost of imprisonment and is despised by his counterparts. Many readers cite this as an evidence of saving the village to support the rightfulness of Rico’s choice and respect the courage he has displayed. It is true that because of Rico’s brave choice the whole village is saved. If Rico did not stop Sergeant Keever the village would be destroyed before there were “[o]rders from headquarters to forget it” (180). And it is unlikely that anyone in the army would really feel sorry for the innocent lives taken. So it can be concluded that thanks to Rico, and solely thanks to Rico, many innocent lives have been saved.

However, one should not forget it is in a war. In life there is one common dilemma: to follow one’s heart or to follow the authority’s orders. In ordinary situations, of course one should judge according to one’s own conscience, and stand up to arbitrary; but in war, things are reversed. The utmost rule is to obey. Why? Because under these circumstances the decision one makes may sometimes incur serious causal results for others. If Rico’s judgment was wrong, and if the delay he caused gave the enemy a chance to take the village as a stronghold, it might cost the lives of Rico’s own people. As can be seen from the above analysis, Rico bases on his choice solely on his own emotion instead of on any sound evidence to prove there is really no danger in Mai Cao. In this way, Rico is making unsolicited judgment for the other soldiers and has placed their lives in potential dangers, no matter how little the danger is. If every armyman enjoys the right to act according to his own judgment, the whole troop would be in a mess, and could not be expected to win a single battle.

To sum up, Rico has done a right thing in a wrong background. Though he is courageous in saving many people at the cost of his own freedom, he should not be set as a good example for other soldiers and his behavior should not be encouraged in a war. It may sound ironic and self-contradicting, but in a war one has special rules to follow to ensure the optimal results of one’s own side. It is the duty of a soldier to be obedient to his superior and indifferent to his enemies, like Harry and most of his other fellow soldiers. If someone cannot face the cruelty, he might as well not join the army in the first place; it is exactly the case with Rico, who is overwhelmed with his own judgments and can not have them restrained. Someone like him is not suitable to be a qualified soldier.

Timed Writing

2006-12-22T07:58:00.000+08:00

Name: Julia Chen
Nov.30, 2006
Timed Writing2

What do you think makes of a good teacher?

First of all, a qualified teacher should be responsible about the teaching job and has enough professional knowledge and skills. This is the basic requirements one would demand. A teacher who misleads students is beyond toleration.

Apart from that, the teacher should have enthusiasm in his job. He should always explore better ways to convey his knowledge to his students, so that they can grasp it more easily. Although there is much pressure in China (and maybe in other places of the world, too) to score high in exams, it should not be the teacher’s sole focus. He should also teach the students how to learn, besides how to take exams; so that when they leaves the school and enter the society, when there is no one to give them specific teaching, they can adapt themselves with little effort.

A good teacher should also treat every student equally, regardless of how well they scores in exams. This is sometimes difficult, because a good student can always bring more awards and honors to the teacher; so the teacher is inclined to favor him or her more. But this is the reason that the teacher can overlook students who does not perform so well academically. If they are ignored simply because they cannot make into the top ten percent of all the students, they will feel even more frustrated and are likely to abandon themselves. A teacher should try to help the students with academic difficulties, and if they really cannot perform excellent in taking exams, it should make them any inferior to others. A teacher should try to find out with him other bright sides of the student. After all, exam scores is not the only criterion on which one should judge others.

If someone can fulfill all the requirements above, I will say he or she is a good teacher. That is: sense of responsibility, enough professional skills, enthusiasm for the teaching job and treating the students equally. Besides, if the teacher can reach out of his field and also teach the students a lesson about life and things alike, it will be even better. In Chinese, there is an old saying that goes “if someone is your teacher for one day he will be your father your whole life”. Generally one interprets it as our respect for the teacher. But for me, it seems our ancestors also expected the teachers can teach us not only academic knowledge but also things in real life.

Someone may require that a good teacher should devote his or her life wholeheartedly to the teaching career. I do not agree with such a point of view. Everyone has one’s own life. It is unfair to require others to sacrifice us for you.

Tell us about your favorite teacher

My favorite teacher is Ms. Lin. my middle school class teacher. She was also my English teacher then. She was responsible and capable, always ready and patient when someone wanted to ask her questions. She taught lessons in a clear and vivid way.

But this is not what we like most about her. Two other characteristics of her makes her exceptional to us. Firstly, she is honest and not afraid to admit when she is wrong. When we raised questions that even she did not know the answer, she was not ashamed to admit it. Many teachers will, for fear that if they reveal their ignorance, they will lose their authority and the respect from the students. However, what Ms. Lin did strengthened our respect for her. She would explore the answer together with us, and it was often in this process, we got a deep understanding of the problem. The experience is often more rewarding than the traditional ask-and-answer routines, so that we once joked to her that we wished she could know less things so we could always look for them together.

Another thing we appreciated very much is that she treated us as grown-ups and will really listen to our opinions. We were only fifteen and sixteen years old then, an age when we tended to have many ideas and when the adults tended to think most of them were naïve. But Ms. Lin would not. She would talk with us if we wanted to, discuss what we thought about certain issues, and point out the good points and drawbacks of our points of view. And she never forgot to find out some better parts of our idea. She respected us as equal individual, which gave us confident yet could examine ourselves in a calm and more subjective state of mind. And this is why after graduation, when we have to make some critical choices in our lives, we will always turn to her; we know from her we can get a chance to discuss problems instead of simply getting directions about what we should choose.

Reading Log

2006-12-21T08:01:00.000+08:00

The reading log for "The Village"

The short story again reveals the cruel and inhuman side of the war. Actually I made a right guess of what Rico would do at the second page. He seemed to be detached from the war, yet not as indifferent as the others.

I must say I do not want to blame any of the characters in the story. Rico, who sacrificed himself to save the whole village, is of course a hero in our opinion. But the point is Sergeant Keever had also valid reasons to carry out the orders from superiors. Yes, he had little concern for the Vietnam people, but to be a good soldier I guess you have to be cold-hearted or you will either go crazy or become another Rico before going crazy. So, the real criminal is war.

On entering a war we get a license to kill without being punished, and often with some glorious names, such as religion, patriotism, justice, blabla. But no matter what those glorious names are, a war is a war, dirty and evil. Innocent people and ignorant soldiers die, often out of the self-interest of one or some selfish politicians behind the seemingly glory causes.

Sadly, there are always enough people, willingly or unwillingly to join a war. They may be ambitious when entering the army, thinking of the admiration of fellow people or the benefits the government promises them. But when they indeed take part in the battles, they will realize they have lost the most precious part of their life if they have not lost their life.

I have kept calm throughout the story, maybe because I had read similar ones before. But when Harry said that no one would call him a hero, I could not control my sadness. It seems the author refused to give us a bright ending and there was not a single fellow soldier who felt the same as Rico. It showed the power of the war then and there.