A Christmas Story - Haszie's Christmas Gift (Part One)

For four weeks, every Saturday, a Christmas story, Haszie's Christmas Gift, will posted in parts on this site.  Part One is posted today, and subsequently, Parts Two, Three and Four will be posted on 6/12, 13/12 and 20/12 respectively.

 Hope you will find the Christmas Story an enjoyable read!

haszie's christmas gift

Part One

By Delfin

She skipped up and then, down the bright yellow mound; it was a stout hump in the ground that she loved to explore with her happy feet whenever she felt that the world was with her.  Once she was off the mound, she twirled herself round and round till she fell gleefully against her favourite tree, laughing between short breaths.  It was an interesting tree, a beautiful tree with red polka dots on its trunk and pink coloured inedible globs of tempting yield bobbing up and down in the mild breeze.  Ah yes, even the orchard seemed to be in a jolly mood as crystal leaves jingled its merry song to the bright amber sky.  She was happy.

Settling down and resting her hard back against the soft, rubbery bark, she reached into the depths of her pocket and drew out a green, boxed package.  She gripped it, stared excitedly at it and cried out to no one in particular, " I've got it!"

Her nervous fingers fumbled, just a bit, as she carefully pulled the ends of the crinkled wrapper apart.  She lifted the top of the box and peeped in, squinting expectantly against the glare of the setting sun.  There it was!  The pint-sized comet was a jewel indeed.  Its sky-blue surface was encrusted with minute diamonds on which the reflected light danced and twinkled.  Her thin, long fingers closed in on the jewel and soon, it found rest on her scaly palms.  Long and hard she looked at it, her lidless eyes rounding with a mixture of joy and disbelief.  "This is it, alright!" she whispered, almost reverently, to herself.

The comet-jewel was the envy of everyone at the Christmas Ball.  She first set eyes on it three years ago when Jemimiah attached it to a creamy ribbon, embossed with images of praying angels.  The angels were cute, but she didn't have eyes for those, no, she only saw the comet-jewel dangling from the ribbon which was tastefully wound around Jemimiah's shiny pate and secured with a velvety white bow.

There and then, she wanted it but she didn't think she would succeed, however hard she tried.  Gosh, what were you to do if you had a pesky sibling and irritating friends who would drive you nuts sometimes?  How was she ever to get that precious treasure if she was only allowed to commit sins that can be counted on her three little fingers?!

But she did succeed, and she smiled in satisfaction.  It took her three long years, years that seemed like an eternity, but she worked hard.  And it wasn't easy, but she bit her tongue and visualised the comet-jewel whenever she felt like committing a wrong.  Take the time her brother, Zibar, got on her nerves.  She yelled her lungs out till she felt she was going blue in the face; fortunately, that was as far as she went.  The image of the comet-jewel lying in a vision of a cottony-white cloud appeared just in time and she restrained herself from giving Zibar a taste of her clenched fist!  Finally, she had sins, relatively minor ones, mind you, that didn't add up to a significant number.  It was worth it, indeed, it was well worth the effort; as she gazed at the comet-jewel, she was in seventh heaven.

"Youuu-hooooo! Hasz!" Plasee's shrill voice cut through the air.  Haszie's head jerked up and she saw Plasee and Cereen making their way toward her.  Oh, no, not those darn girls!

Part Two - will be posted on 6/12/2014

For creative-writing, or any other English Language courses, try the online courses offered by The Pear Tree Centre for Education! 

Creative Written Expression - The Shakespearean Way (Continued)

You would have had the chance to mull over the following extract from Shakepeare's The Merchant of Venice and come up with your own interpretations and thoughts about the piece.

Shylock:

O father Abram, what these Christians are,

Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect

The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this:

If he should break his day, what should I gain

By exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man's flesh taken from a man

Is not so estimable, profitable neither,

As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say

To buy his favor I extend this friendship,

If he will take it, so; if not, adieu.

And for my love I pray you wrong me not.

Here are my thoughts:

Shylock is being very crafty here.  He, in brushing off their suspicions of his motive and appealing to their logic by saying that there is no material benefit in getting a pound of human flesh as opposed to animal meat, is attempting to put Antonio and Bassanio at ease.  He leads them to think that the request is illogical, preposterous, of no benefit and hence, harmless.  Coolly, he claims that he is doing it to befriend Antonio and ends by telling them not to think ill of him when all he wants is to extend his affection.

Shylock is successful in getting Antonio to accept the condition on signing the bond.  And the rest of the story...?  Well, pick up Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice to find out!

Happy reading!

Creative Expression - The Shakespearean Way

I have often heard people groan when Shakespeare is mentioned. They seem to think he is beyond the comprehensible; his language is too far removed from the present age. Yes, there are uses of archaic vocabulary and references to Greek mythology that may not be familiar to generations of current readers spanning the globe. Then, there are all those cultural inferences immediately evident only to those who have lived in that age and in England and those who study the history of those times.

Yet, if you look closely and make some effort to visualise what is being said in the plays, one can appreciate the beauty of the language used. In the present age of limited vocabulary, often interspersed with `ah, yeah, like', `you know' and `whatever', Shakespearean language gives one an opportunity to go beyond the mundane and find expression in playing with the language.

Let's look at an extract from Act 1, Scene 3 of The Merchant of Venice.

Shylock: 

This kindness will I show:

Go with me to the notary; seal me there

Your single bond, and - in a merry sport -

If you repay me not on such a day,

In such a place, such sum or sums as are

Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit

Be nominated for an equal pound

Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken

In what part of your body pleaseth me.

The use of the term `merry sport' not only indicates that Shylock adds the following condition, "as a joke" but it gives an air of playfulness, an air of `look, let's just have some fun and include this preposterous condition as well." Those two words implies quite a bit, enabling Shylock to quite craftily make the whole proposition sound innocent and not serious.

Antonio:

Content, in faith. I'll seal to such a bond,

And say there is much kindness in the Jew.

Instead of a boring, "Alright, I agree to sign the bond", Antonio expresses his satisfied feelings too in merely saying, "Content, in faith."

Bassanio:

You shall not seal to such a bond for me!

I'll rather dwell in my necessity.

And I love this - "I'll rather dwell in my necessity"! What a wonderful use of the word `dwell' to mean that he would rather continue to be in his predicament of being in need of money.

Antonio:

Why fear not, man; I will not forfeit it.

Within these two months - that's a month before

This bond expires - I do expect return

Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

So what would be `thrice three times the value of this bond'?! So, there is Math in there as well!

Shylock:

O father Abram, what these Christians are,

Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect

The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this:

If he should break his day, what should I gain

By exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man's flesh taken from a man

Is not so estimable, profitable neither,

As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say

To buy his favor I extend this friendship,

If he will take it, so; if not, adieu.

And for my love I pray you wrong me not.

Read through and observe closely the expressive language. What can you gain from such a mode of expression? There will be many perspectives from just this short dialogue. In mid-week, Part 2 for my perspective on this will be posted - keep a lookout for it!

Meanwhile, try The Pear Tree's course on Literary Analysis for Beginners to gain a greater appreciation for literature and in the process, language!

Developing Critical Thinking Skills through Reading - Part 2

In relation to Irving's commentary (found in the extract in the previous post) of the two groups of people he met in The Country Church, how do the images below correspond to his opinions?

Now, consider the following and link the probable meanings with your answers to the questions above.

Use of Language	Probable Meanings
unpretending great	`great' - in terms of cultured behaviour, inherent higher social standing; self-assured enough to be unassuming, no need to pretend?
arrogant little	`little' - in terms of social achievements, character and yet, proud because of accumulated wealth
titled rank... accompanied with true nobility of soul	higher social status derived from one's birthright, play on the word `nobility' - the aristocratic upbringing leading to a personality that is selfless, kind and helpful
aspirings of vulgarity	`vulgarity' - the common and crude persons who seek to elevate themselves in society

What you find above is Irving's opinion about the two groups.  Of course, you may have different ideas about the two groups since in your experience, you may have come across the kinds of behaviour mentioned above in the pompous `great' and/or noble `little'.

If you are interested in dwelling further into literary analysis or in enhancing critical thinking skills, join our lessons, at The Pear Tree Centre for Education, on reading comprehension and literary analysis.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills through Reading - Part 1

Gaining Wisdom through Reading

When you read, say, a prose, is it a superficial read or do you go beyond the superficial meaning found therein and ask yourself, "What does the author really mean in writing this piece?"  One might even ask, "Are there multiple meanings here that even the author did not envisage?"  One perspective of literary appreciation, which is found in the Reader Response mode of literary analysis, transfers ownership of completed works into the hands of the reader.  Once an author creates a piece, the work of art is out of his or her grasp.  The work becomes the property of the reader, leading him or her to an interactive endeavour through which multiple meanings, and even emotional ties, are created.

Such an interaction with a well-written work of literature can lead to the development of critical thinking skills. Let us now look at an extract from Washington Irving's The Country Church.

I have been rather minute in drawing the pictures of these two families, because I considered them specimens of what is often to be met with in this country - the unpretending great, and the arrogant little.  I have no respect for titled rank, unless it be accompanied with true nobility of soul; but I have remarked in all countries where artificial distinctions exist, that the very highest classes are always the most courteous and unassuming.  Those who are well assured of their own standing are least apt to trespass on that of others; whereas nothing is so offensive as the aspirings of vulgarity, which thinks to elevate itself by humiliating its neigbour.

Irving paints a contrast between two social classes: the aristocrats and those who scaled the social ladder through newfound wealth.  He expresses strong feelings for or against each of these groups.  Some possible questions one could ask are:

      What are these contrasting opinions? 
      He was an American, and so how would this have an impact on his views on the English countryside?  Would it be different if the author was an Englishman?

      Are there other possible perspectives?  Do you agree with Irving? What would be your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with him?
      Strong words are used to express strong views.  What is the role of the use of language here in:

o   persuading the reader to accept the author's viewpoints?

o   the graphic representations of the two groups?  What was the purpose? Was the purpose achieved?

o   allowing us to see that the author is himself opinionated and makes generalised observations?

Indeed, in comprehending, different devices, such as contextual clues, use of language and use of prior knowledge, come in handy to help us better understand the text.  In the next blog post, the questions mentioned above will be explored so as to appreciate the given extract even more.