Monday, June 29, 2009

Edgar Allan Poe

Of course, you can guess I have chosen Edgar Allan Poe.Why?Because his stories had a great influence in my life when I was younger. I can keep reading his stories and remain intrigued. This famous writer’s most famous work is surprisingly a poet title “The Raven”. Catching a glimpse of it and reading through briefly, I was amazed by the sheer length of the poem! I admit I have not read much poems but I seriously think that 18 verses is really long.What I believe is that the way he writes his intriguing stories is mainly caused by his difficult childhood. This is because his father had left his family not long after he was born and his mother died shortly after. He was then taken into the family of John Allan,who never formally accepted him. His live was not exactly pleasant either. He and his foster family did not get along well. He spent the next few years studying under private tutors at the residence of Mr. John Allan. He then studied at the University of Virginia which he remained for less than a year.

In 1833 Poe won two prizes of $100 each for a tale in prose, and for a poem. John P. Kennedy, one of the committee who made the award, now gave him means of support, and secured employment for him as editor of the "Southern Literary Messenger" at Richmond. After a short but successful editorial work on "The Messenger," his old habits returned, he quarrelled with his publishers and was dismissed. While in Richmond he married his first cousin, Virginia Clem, and in January, 1837, removed to New York. Here he gained a poor support by writing for periodicals
His literary work may be summed up as follows: In 1838 appeared a fiction entitled "The Narrative of Arthur Gorden Pym;" 1839, editor of Burton's "Gentleman's Magazine," Philadelphia; next, editor of "Graham's Magazine;" 1840, "Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque," in two volumes; 1845, "The Raven," published by the "American Review;" then sub-editor of the "Mirror" under employment of N. P. Willis and Geo. P. Norris; next associate editor of the "Broadway Journal." His wife died in 1848. His poverty was now such that the press made appeals to the public for his support. In 1848 he published "Eureka, a Prose Poem."
He is considered to be one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of Science fiction.(Coincidentelly,my favorite genre is science fiction(stories such as artimis fowl), followed by detective fiction(stories such as Sherlock Holmes)) He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

A Dream Within A Dream by Edgar Allan Poe

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow--
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand--
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,While I weep--
while I weep!O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?



the author,Edgar Allan Poe used Hypebole which is used in the repetition of "O God!" and "weep" exaggerating.He also used personification on the "golden sand" as they "creep"


I like this Poem because...
I simply love the author, Edgar Allan Poe's grotesque yet fasinating and exciting short stories so i decided that this poem was going t be excitng as well.And I like the catch phrase"dream within a dream" it sounds mysterious.The way this poem is wrote,him questions his ability also gives you a sense of helplessness.The first few verses also gives the feeling of his death.All in all,this poem is mysterious yet exciting in a way.

Friday, June 26, 2009

which part I like best in "Village by the sea"

The part I like best is the ending .I don't know why,but i like stories which have a happy ending.Call me childish,but I love it when the main character accompishes his task after countless complications.Maybe this is why i don't like 'Animal Farm'.I mean,you wouldn't like the hero in the story trying to save the princess(an example) and perishes while trying?There just isn't the kick to it!
Thankfully,this story ends happy,with Hari learnt a useful skill (in the future) and earned enough money to support his family.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

country rat or city rat?

If you ask me,i'd rather country rat.Definitely.For me, i would prefer the peaceful and carefree life of the country rat.And ohhhh,the fresh and home-made cheeeeeesssssssseee.aww yeah!
ANd be overwhelmed by the sheer varity of the cheese!Why go breathe poisonous air and die a slow death?Or be killed by a robber rat in the mist of eating the polluted cheese??!!Living a slow and enjoyable life is the way to go!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

My favourite character in 'village by the sea'.

It is definitely Jagu!Jagy kind yet unfriendly personality charmed me.the fact that Jagu helps unknown boys and feeds and takes care of them made me like him.Evidence?When Hari fell ill,he made it a point to bring him to the doctor personally.Without Jagu.i seriously doubt that Hari could survive in the city.Let alone learn something new.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

confessions of a bully

I'd admit I like to tease.although I go overboard sometimes,I try to limit my teasing.uncontrolled teasing becomes taunting.I learnt that the hard way.I wasn't excatly teasing but it was like this.......
I just finished my CCA.After rushing to my school bus,i greeted my friends.Then the bus left.What we discussed I am not excatly sure.(It was 4 years ago but i think t was my friend's project)
Sitting just next to us was a P1 boy.i did not know his name that day but his name is Dylan.He was a perfect pest.He kept bugging the three of us.looking at my friends file(and covering it with his head.Of course,my temper got the better of me and i sprayed him with my nike bottle and Just kept spraying.I think he tried using the reverse psycology on me by saying'very nice,very cooling'.I guess it worked adverselyon me.i sparyed him more seeing that he enjoyed it.he obviously got irritated. I cant really remember what happened next but i emember he hit me with his bottle and my gum bled.
He didnot seem discontented a little angry but that was all.guess what happene.The very next day.He accused me of STEALING his wallet!i got into truble with the disipline master.Of course,i denied.but my sobbing(i was smaller and much weaker then) did not look convincing.I had three detentions for this.I dont dey i was wrong to repeatedly spray him, i Definitely, I repeat, DEFINITELY did not steal anything!!!
Very ironically,the next year,he i was in the bus with him and he claimed that he had lost his wallent and was frustrated.te teacher next to him then reprimanded him after discovering that his wallet was UNDER HIS OWN BAG!!
ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Animal Farm review

So...Animal farm.i believe many of you have read it.In brief,the story is about a farm of animals chasing their masters out and manning the farm by themselves.This story also shows all the loopholes and questionable points of communism,which in geneal states that"All men are equal" and basiclly,they ration their productions and nobody gets rich or poor.But the thing is,you have to give power to someone to make decisions for the country(the communist party)And in other words you are acctually contradicting the whole belief"All men are equal"
Generally,this book is very interesting and humourous(which a lot of literature books don't have).but what i don't like about this book is it has a unhappy ending(i know its childish)but I like a "lived happily ever after"book where all ends well.


As for <<To Kill A Mockingbird>>,i will pubish the review somewhere at the end of the hols because i realised it is REALLY LONG!!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

books that made an impact on my parents lives

hullo again!!there are a few books that my parents particularly like.One is the oh-so-famous <<Animal Farm>>,which i believe many of you already read.another one is a famous literture book <<To Kill A Mockingbird>>
i am gonna talk briely on the book <<Animal Farm>> and what felt about it.As for <<To Kill A Mockingbird>>,i will update it to you guys in a few days(gotta finish reading it)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

A REALLY nice song!!

Hey guys!i havnt posted for a long time but heres a GREAT piece of music.seiriously.ENJOY!


http://www.youtube.com/v/0v3d6SFcDys&hl=en&fs=1">