Park's Writing Portfolio
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Cover Letter
Cover Letter
To those who may read my portfolio:
At the beginning, I want to show my sincere gratitude to all the readers who have spent your time on my blog portfolio, and your concern is my best motivity to go on my writing. In this portfolio, I have selected six works (including the cover letter) from the academic writing course to show what I have learnt in the writing. Writing practice, which is the main theme of this course, attracts me so much in this semester. We take a free writing every class, and the topic is various. You may write down whatever comes to your mind about the topic, and I can write more and more in the ten minutes after several times of training. I think this method is very effective to train the fast writing skill, and the more you write, the better you will be.
Mr. Corio, our respectful teacher, says to us that writing can not be separated from reading, which impresses me deeply. And during the course, all of our writing works are based on the four international stories: The Necklace, The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen, Dead Men’s Path and The Grass-Eaters. We read the story first and then made comments, which is also called the reading log, on the internet classroom. We discuss the content of the story and even how the author wrote the story. Through understanding the writing methods used by many famous authors in their stories, we may imitate and learn from their advanced writing techniques. For example, we may learn what the reasonable writing structure is and how to select an appropriate word from your large vocabulary list. The teacher always says, “Read, write, read, write, read….” Yes and only through which, may you make a fast progress in your writing. I know this and really take it into practice this semester and you may check my following documents to see whether I have made any progress in my writing.
The following five documents stand for the works from the various periods this semester and you may see a clear process on how I endeavor to practice my writing.
The first article is the reading log based on The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen. I think the story really hit some points even to the developing countries like china. Thus I wrote the reading log on what can the Chinese learn from Shadrach’s Americanization. This log was written in the early stage of this semester, and there exists some mistakes of grammar and vocabulary.
Then there is the final timed writing work, which was written in 45 minutes yesterday. I spent so much time considering how to answer the questions that I didn’t have adequate time writing and proofreading the passages. Maybe you may find the work a bit disorder, but anyway, it is a timed writing work.
Then here come the essay draft one, two and three. The essay is the most important task of this course and I wrote my essay based on The Necklace. This is a very popular story and I guess everybody has read it before. Thus I think I may have a good point of view on the story and write down something that everyone may understand easily. I choose the frequent contrasts used in the story to illustrate its effect and meaning. Then the continual revision is necessary to get a good essay. In essay draft one I just wrote down some main ideas, thesis statement and evidences. And in the draft two, I take my peer’s suggestion and supply more content to sport the thesis. Meanwhile, the teacher also gave me some suggestions on not using too many quotations and I learnt to paraphrase them on my draft three. And after the revisions for many times, there are few mistakes on my draft three, which shows my improvement on proofreading and even writing.
And at the end of this cover letter, I want to thank my dear teacher Ron. It is your careful and patient direction that gives me many helps in my writing. Thank you Ron and every other visitor, and I hope you will like reading this portfolio.
Your sincere
Park Pan
Essay Draft Three
Park Pan
June 22, 2007
Draft Three
In the world-famous story, “The Necklace”, the author Guy de Maupassant has put emphasis on setting some sharp contrasts or comparisons to develop the story and deepen the theme, especially on the main character Mathilde. For example, the totally different lives Mathilde had before and after the party; so were her entirely different attitude to life. Before the party, the young girl borrows the necklace with a strong pleasure. But just because this kind of vanity to show herself on the party, she pays a great pain to repay for the lost necklace, which change her life thoroughly! The difference or the change of the same character at his different ages often shows how the environment has influenced this person. Thus in a story, some comparisons and contrasts will of course show the development of the story and even deepen the theme. The story just showed how a lost necklace influence the life of a poor lady full of vanity, which reflected the clear class consciousness and the social problem at that time, by a writing way of using contrasts and comparisons..
The descriptions of the characters are always one of the most important factors in a story. Such kind of description will not only show the appearance of a character, but also imply some inner qualities of this person. At the beginning of the story, Mathilde is a pretty and charming girl, who is born by a mistake in a family of clerks.（38）That indicates that at that time, she was such a kind of young and beautiful girl that wealth, pretty and common recognition are the most important thing to her. Mathilde didn’t feel satisfied with her current ordinary life condition and always wanted to enjoy a more brilliant life. But after the loss of the necklace and 10-years-hard life, the situation is that she has become a hard, strong and impoverished housewife(43）This time we can obviously see that Mathilde have become old-fashioned, with no desire to pursuit the vanity. From this contrast we can see that how Mathilde has changed after this sad experience.
The behavior and mental activity of the characters are also important to illustrate a character, which make the character more vivid. In the story Maupassant said that "She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was as unhappy as she had really fallen from her proper station..."（38）, which also shows that although Mathilde is in a comparatively low social position, she is always pursuing a good social recognition to satisfy her vanity. And after the sad experience, what Mathilde has is just her frowsy appearance, talking loud when working, (44) through which we can see that she has been changed greatly by this 10-years hard life. This period of hardship has totally effaced the Mathilde’s pursuit of vanity and recognition, changing her living habits and attitude to life. She has changed greatly from a young, pretty and simple girl to a rough, old and sophisticated housewife, which seems just by a mistake of the lost necklace.
The definite difference of Mathilde, caused by a freak necklace, makes us feel a bit sad and commiserate to her. In the story like that "She was prettier than them all, elegant, gracious, smiling, and crazy with joy."（41）We can see how happy when the pretty young woman attends the dreaming ball, with a great desire to be recognized and appreciated. But after many years hard life to repay the lost necklace and also the crazy ball, we can see her that"...she sat down near the window, and she thought of that gay evening of long ago, of that ball where she had been so beautiful and so celebrated"（44）It is the shaking point which moves the readers greatly, although through so many years hard life, Mathilde still can not forget that night of the ball. This contrast makes the readers feel so sad about such a poor girl, whom is so hurt by that society. Readers can not help to wonder why the society and the fate cost so much pain for a pretty young woman to own some vanity and recognition at that time. But although she has suffered so much pains and hardships, Mathilde still regards that night as a pride, which also shows how the society has influenced the people at that time with fame and vanity.
Another interesting contrast in the story is that before Mathilde has borrowed a good jewel, the author described Mathilde’s feeling as “sad, uneasy and anxious.”（40） And after she gets it, she feels so exciting to spring upon the neck of her friend and kiss her passionately（41）Thus we can clearly find out that Mathilde regards the ball as a very important thing and this also leads the latter plot of the lost and compensation. This contrast is necessary and also important in the story. It is like a reason for the latter happening thing, also through the character feelings up and down, the readers will feel amazed and involved by the story.
We can see that in the story “The Necklace”, the contrasts or comparisons develop the story and also deepen the theme, which sometimes shake the readers greatly. The effect of the contrast and comparison is very obvious and great in “The Necklace”. By the using of the contrasts, Maupassant describes a clear social image to us, which is full of class consciousness and social problems. That is the purpose of this story, and the author has achieved it successfully by using so many contrasts and comparisons. Thus contrast and comparison is a feature of the story and should also be learned by us in our writing.
Essay Draft Two
Park Pan
16th May, 2007
Draft Two
The difference or the change of the same character at his different ages, often shows how the environment has influenced this person. Thus in a story, some comparisons and contrasts will of course show the development of the story and even deepen the theme. In the world-famous story, “The Necklace”, the author Guy de Maupassant has put emphasis on setting some sharp contrasts or comparisons to develop the story and deepen the theme, especially on the main character Mathilde. For example, the totally different lives Mathilde had before and after the party; so were her entirely different attitude to life. The story just showed how a lost necklace influence the life of a poor lady full of vanity, which reflected the clear class consciousness and the social problem at that time.
The descriptions of the characters are always one of the most important factors in a story. Such kind of description will not only show us the appearance of a character, but also imply some inner qualities of this person. At the beginning of the story, the author described Mathilde like that "She was one of those pretty and charming girls who are sometimes, as if by a mistake of destiny, born in a family of clerks" （38）That indicates that at that time, She was such a kind of young and beautiful girl that wealth, pretty and common recognition are the most important thing to her. Mathilde didn’t feel satisfied with her current ordinary life condition and always wanted to enjoy a more brilliant life. But after the lost of the necklace and 10-years-hard life, the situation was that "She had become the woman of impoverished households--strong and hard and rough."（43）This time we can obviously see that Mathilde had become old-fashioned, with no desire to pursuit the vanity. From this contrast we can see that how Mathilde has changed after this sad experience.
The behavior and mental activity of the characters are also important to illustrate a character, which made the character more vivid. In the story Maupassant said that "She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was as unhappy as she had really fallen from her proper station..."（38）, which also shows that although Mathilde was in a comparatively low social position, she is always pursuing a good social recognition to satisfy her vanity. And after the sad experience, what Mathilde had were just her frowsy appearance, talking loud when working, through which we can see that she has been changed greatly by this 10-years hard life. This period of hardship has totally effaced the Mathilde’s pursuit of vanity and recognition, changing her living habits and attitude to life.
The definite difference of Mathilde, caused by a freak necklace, makes us feel a bit sad and commiserate to her. In the story like that "She was prettier than them all, elegant, gracious, smiling, and crazy with joy."（41）We can see how happy the pretty young woman attended the dreaming ball, with a great desire to be recognized and appreciated. But after many years hard life to repay the lost necklace and also the crazy ball, we can see her that"...she sat down near the window, and she thought of that gay evening of long ago, of that ball where she had been so beautiful and so celebreated"（44）I have to admit that it’s a shaking point which moved me greatly, although through so many years hard life, Mathilde still couldn’t forget that night of the ball. I feel so sad about such a poor girl, whom was so hurt by that society. I wonder why the society and the fate cost so much pain for a pretty young women to own some vanity and recognition at that time. But although she has suffered so much pains and hardships, Mathilde still regard that night as a pride, which also shows how the society has influenced the people with fame and vanity at that time.
Another interesting contrast in the story is that before Mathilde has borrowed a good jewel , the author described that "The day of the ball drew near, and Mathilde seemed sad, uneasy, anxious."（40） and after she got it, she feels so exciting that "She sprang upon the neck of her friend, kissed her passionately, the fled with her treasure."（41） Through which, we can clearly find out that Mathilde regarded the ball as a very important thing, which led the latter plot of the lost and compensation. I think this contrast is necessary and also important in the story. Its like a reason for the latter happening thing, also through the character feeling’s up and down, the readers will feel amazed and involved by the story.
As all I have mentioned before, we can see that in the story “The Necklace”, the contrasts or comparisons develop the story and also deepen the theme, which sometimes shake the readers greatly. Thus I think the contrast is a feature of “The Necklace” and should also be learned by us in our writing.
Essay Draft One
Park Pan
8th May, 2007
Draft One
The difference or the change of the same character at his different ages, often shows how the environment has influenced this person. Thus in a story, some comparisons and contrasts will of course show the development of the story and even deepen the theme. In the world-famous story, “The Necklace”, the author Guy de Maupassant has put emphasis on setting some sharply contrasts or comparisons to develop the story and deepen the theme, especially on the main character Mathilde. For example, the totally different lives Mathilde had before and after the party; so were the entirely different attitude to her lives. For more details, let’s check it out now:
The descriptions of the characters are always one of the most important factors in a story. Such kind of description will not only show us the facial appearance of a character, but also imply some inner qualities of this person. At the beginning of the story, the author described Mathilde like that "She was one of those pretty and charming girls who are sometimes, as if by a mistake of destiny, born in a family of clerks" （38）That indicates that at that time, She was such a kind of young and beautiful girl that wealth, pretty and common recognition are the most important thing to her. Mathilde didn’t feel satisfied with her current ordinary life condition and always wanted to enjoy a more brilliant life. But after the lost of the necklace and 10-years-hard life, the author described Mathilde that "She had become the woman of impoverished households--strong and hard and rough."（43）This time we can obviously see that Mathilde had become old-fashioned, with no desire to pursuit the vanity. From this contrast we can see that how the Mathilde has changed after this sad experience.
The behavior and mentally activity of the characters are also important to illustrate a character. In the story Maupassant said that "She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was as unhappy as she had really fallen from her proper station..."（38）, which also shows that although Mathilde was in a comparatively low social position, but she is always pursuing a good social recognition to satisfy her vanity. And after the sad experience, the author described her like that "With frowsy hair, skirts, askew, and red hands, she talked loud while washing the floor with great swishes of water."（44）,through which we can see that she has been changed greatly by this 10-years hard life.
The totally difference of Mathilde before and end of the ball make us feel bit sad and commiserate to her. In the story like that "She was prettier than them all, elegant, gracious, smiling, and crazy with joy."（41）and "...she sat down near the window, and she thought of that gay evening of long ago, of that ball where she had been so beautiful and so celebreated"（44）
When the author talking about "The day of the ball drew near, and Mathilde seemed sad, uneasy, anxious."（40） and "She sprang upon the neck of her friend, kissed her passionately, the fled with her treasure."（41）We can clearly find out that Mathilde regard the ball as a very important thing, which leads the latter plot of the lost and compensation.
Final-timed Writing
0431035
Park Pan
June 21, 2007
Timed-writing three
Directions: If you were to create a filmed advertisement (a “trailer&rdquo
for a movie based on The Grass-Eaters, which scene would you select? Why? Discuss ways in which you might film the scene. (100%)
Ajit Dabu, the main character of the Grass-Eaters, together with his wife, remains a hardship in his life. The story named as Grass-Eaters just shows what a tough life they have encountered. In the story, the couple behaves just as the cattle eating the grass, to live on with. I think this story is a very suitable material for a film to reflect the hard living condition at that time and meanwhile, how the people react to the hardships of their lives.
And in this story there are many scenes to show how hard Ajit Dabu’s life is, what I want to choose, is a typical and interesting one, which may attract audience only by a 40 seconds skimming. The scene should not only reflect the hardship but also how the characters react back, thus the scene can be classic one as a film advertisement. Thus I choose the scene happened in a train carriage, in which the couple has a dialogue of whether they should have children. It is happened in a moving carriage, after the couple has moved away from a street corner because that it is too crowded to live there. And at first they are just talking about how lucky they are to find a wide place to live like here, but then the carriage moves and the noise is unbearable. Ajit Dabu still find it a good place to live and even talk to his wife about having a child. The wife, feeling sad, refuses this suggestion without a stable living place. And then Ajit Dabu begins to think, and find that they really need a better living place, also for their children. He still believes he will make it, with a optimistic attitude to the hard life. I select it just because I think it is very typical, which can reflect some details of their life. At the same time I think it is also a bit interesting to talk about raising children in a moving train carriage, meanwhile it has a deeply meaning and can move the audience.
When talking about how to film this scene, first of all, it must be an active scene. Under the darkness, the running train carriage moves fast, with a roaring sound of the train. And inside the carriage the couple sit together, with Ajit Dabu’s arm holding his wife, and gossip. The camera can set outside one side of the carriage, takes the film directly of the couple. And the moving landscape outside the other side of the carriage, acts as a background, which symbolize their unstable living condition. And the darkness just shows how their current life is, not a brilliant one. At first the couple is just talking something happy about their new living place; there can be no other music. But then when talking about bearing a child, the wife feel sad, and the roaring sound of the train should be more and more slightly gradually, which may shows the inner feeling of the wife clearly. And then the husband’s thinking, the scene changes to Ajit Dabu’s face. Then the scene may change into the past hardships they have endured. This is the climax of the film and I think this will have a good effect on the audience. Then the character still feels optimistic to their life, no matter how hard they currently meet. At this time, the train has entered the station and stop, the couple step out the carriage, looking for a new living place. And a light has broken the darkness, make the space clear. Music, on.
Reading Log
Reading Log: what can the Chinese people learn from Shadrach's Americanization?
The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen, written by Bruno Lessing, is a meaningful story which described the culture shock and culture adaptation happened in the U.S. The old Russian man Shadrach Cohen really left a deeply impression to the readers, who was brave to face the cultural difference and adopted the new concept, at the same time insisting on his old way of life and religion. Shadrach solved the culture shock properly which also earned the respect from his sons.
I think Bruno wrote this story just to set a good example to the immigrant of the society at that time, but to Chinese society, the story also makes some positive senses. China is learning from the western developed countries to get more progress in economics in the recent 20 years. Many people here learn English and even go to western countries for a further study. Some Chinese people just believe that all the western things and culture are good, which means all that from west are worth learning. So the story can also remind such kind of people that we should maintain our Chinese basic culture and at that fundament, we can adopt some other advanced idea and culture in developing. We can't abandon all the Chinese culture, and should learn from the advanced countries in a feature of the Chinese style.
Never believe anything blindly, no matter how advance it should be. The learning or adaptation should be a critical process, which has some meaning for the people in every developing country.