a broken heart withered of love………………

One of the novels used in the lower secondary for Literature in English is “The Phantom of the Opera” by Gaston Leroux. However, the students use the abridged version by Jennifer Bassett which is more simplified. I love to discuss with my Form 2 tuition students (from the lower secondary schools around my area) regarding their perception about Erik as the evil character and share my own reflections regarding him with them.

Erik or the opera ghost is considered as the evil character in the novel as he did evil things like dropping the chandelier on the opera audience and killing Joseph Buquet. He even kidnapped Christine an opera singer and forces her to marry him as he is deeply in love with her. On the other hand Christine is in love with Roaul. Raoul tried to search for her as he is also deeply in love with her too. Erik trapped Raoul and tortured him in the room of mirrors in order to make him face death. However Christine felt pity on Raoul when Erik showed her what Raoul was going through.She eventually told Erik to let go Raoul and she agreed to marry Erik. When Christine kissed Erik, he was so touched as even his own mother never kissed him. Then he began to realize that love cannot be forced, so he let go Christine to be with Raoul her lover and this incident made him face his failure to love and being loved…………………….

love for the sake of love~King Lear

A writer’s use of language in a text by the application of imagery, metaphor, simile, and other kind of figurative language can portray the characters’ trait besides using the other figurative language such as paradox, personification and hyperbole. The writer uses application in his description of narrational voice, presentation of the character’s action, speech and thoughts to reveal the characterization of the characters. Besides that, often remarks and comments by other characters and how other characters act, react, think about him will also throw light on his personality and character traits.

I’m truly impressed by the use of language which is beautifully displayed in “King Lear” by William Shakespeare in defining characterization in the play. The characterization of King Lear and his three daughters, , Goneril, Regan and Cordelia are portrayed starting from the event of the love test King Lear started in order to test his daughters’ sincerity of love for him. King Lear who was eccentric nature was also being impulsive from his words “fast intent”. 

Inner beauty goes beyond physical beauty………….

“My mother is the most beautiful woman in the world” is a Russian Folk Tale by Reyher, Rebecca Hourwich, which has a very touching message behind the simple tale. The setting of the tale is at the wheat field, where the villagers were harvesting the wheat. At that time, Varya, a little girl who was lost went searching for her beloved mother.The villagers around her felt pity of her and kept asking her how does her mother look like. She gave an innocent description of her mother by saying: “ My mother is the most beautiful woman in the world.” They searched for her mother, and brought forth many beautiful woman for her to identify, however each time they brought one, she will deny. 

a dream of freedom ….a reality at last……

I was truly amazed when I read the famous speech “I Have a Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He presented his inspiring speech on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. His speech moved the hearts of those who listened attentively as he used rhetorical method which is the art of persuasion in speaking and writing. Besides that, he also used metaphors, repetition and inspirational thoughts in his speech. The theme of the speech is expressed throughout the speech through identification and racial equality & uniting, historical background, repetition and regarding certain situation that should be corrected. The power of his speech educated, inspired, motivated the black Americans specifically and the whites generally as he managed to stir the will and determination to uphold humanity and release the sense of freedom by breaking the racial sentiment that disunites and cause discrimination.

The internal and external conflicts .....

I found “Shooting An Elephant” an essay by George Orwell, as a very interesting essay which reflected his personal thoughts and experience, combined with his political views. Orwell 's metaphoric descriptive words enliven the story, and arouse the readers to read on. The themes of conscience, culture clash, prejudice and tolerance blends well in Orwell’s narration. Even though he is European, he is against imperialism because it’s unfair and oppressive. The internal and external conflict faced by him is revealed throughout the narration of the story. Being a sub-divisional police officer in a town in Burma was a real challenge to him as Europeans are unwelcomed in the country. One day, he was ordered to do something about an elephant which was ravaging the bazaar and caused havoc in the neighboring villages.

a candle that lights along

I felt that reading the autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr., a black American, is truly inspiring and motivating as he is a key personality in the civil rights movement in America, who fought for freedom and equality for all people. His strive to bring the message of peace and love , being like a candle that lights along, bringing new hope and joy in the lives of those in need. . He led campaign after campaign in the streets of America to uphold the sense of humanity and legal protection among the poor and also the black Americans. At the age of 39, he was shot in the neck by James Earl Ray in Memphis, Tennessee, on 4^th April 1968 when he was leading a protest against low wages and the terrible working conditions faced by sanitation workers. Although his struggles lasted for only a few years until his death, the inspiration of bringing peace and love continues to live on…….

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. said:

"I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their tired bodies, education and culture for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, men other-centered can build up. I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and non-violent redemptive goodwill will proclaim the rule of the land 'and the lion and the lamb shall lie down together and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid.' I still believe that we shall overcome."

determined dreams.........

Dreams by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

This is another poem written by Langston Hughes, which conveys the message of the need to have the determination to accomplish whatever we aim or strive for in life . In the first stanza, “Hold fast to dreams” implies that a person needs to continue to believe in his ability and aim for what he visualizes for his future success. Then Langston Hughes personifies life, by stating that life is a broken-winged bird if one let the dreams die. It means a person will meet failure if he let go his dreams before accomplishing his desired aims in life. He will also lose his strength to move on physically, emotionally or spiritually to make his dream become a reality. In the second stanza, “Hold fast to dreams” is repeated again to emphasis on the importance of being a person who has mission and vision in life. Langston Hughes personifies life once again by stating “ Life is a barren field, frozen with snow" if dreams go. It shows that there is no harvest to reap as when he let go his dream, life will become unproductive, making it fruitless and meaningless.

pessimist or optimist?

James Mercer Langston Hughes, an African American was a poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright and columnist. His writings are categorized as marginalized literature in the marginalized ethnic group and he voice out issues and concerns from his life experience. I feel that his poem “Cross” is showing his vision of future generations, who practice multi-ethnic marriage, which has actually become a reality these days. The same situation occurs in Malaysia where we have multi ethnic marriage, so this poem can also be suitable to be taught in Malaysian secondary school where students have background knowledge on this matter. Multi ethnic marriage occurs in their family circle or in the society around them. The poem reflects the persona’s frustration from racialism and arouses us to contemplate what will happen in the future if discrimination prevails. The persona is as though wanting the readers to ponder on the consequences of practicing racialism in the society which will not only cause internal conflict in a person but also external conflict and to decide whether to be pessimist or optimist when facing the reality in life before turning into dust.

Cross by Langston Hughes

My old man's a white old man
And my old mother's black.
If ever I cursed my white old man
I take my curses back.
If ever I cursed my black old mother
And wished she were in hell,
I'm sorry for that evil wish
And now I wish her well
My old man died in a fine big house.
My ma died in a shack.
I wonder where I'm going to die,
Being neither white nor black?

love : pleasure or pressure?

Erica Mann Jong’s writing on literary text is categorized as marginalized literature for feminist writings .The rose in the poem written by her symbolizes love, pleasure, beauty. The persona received the love from a man but she was waiting to let the love bloom in her heart. By the time the love flows into her heart, she realizes the man’s love for her is beginning to fade. So, the persona tried to preserve the love she received from him but it perished as time moves on. She suffered the lost for years with pressure. She hopes for pleasure from the love she once received, so she took the effort to make it alive, but love was not lasting for her, turning from pleasure into pressure. In the last 2 stanzas I feel that the persona has reached to a reflecting and contemplating stage,in order to console herself, after going through bitterness of a love that has perished.

The Rose by Erica Mann Jong

You gave me a rose
last time we met.

I told myself
if it bloomed
our love would bloom,
& if it died--

O I did not

consider

the possibility.

It died.

Though I cut
the stem
on a slant
as my mother
taught me,
though I dropped
an aspirin
in the water,

it hung its head
like a spent cock
& died.

It stands
on my desk now--
straight green stalk,
blood-red clot
of bud
drooping
like a hanged man's
head.

Does this mean
we are doomed?
Does this mean
all lovers
are doomed?

O my love--
I have not read roses
as amulets
in seven years. . . .

Which doom
is worse?
To love
& lose?

Or to lose
love
altogether
& not care
whether roses

live or die?

unrequited love?

Offering

I came to you at sunrise

With silvery dew on sleeping lotus

Sparkling in my gay hands;

You put my flowers in the sun.

I danced to you at midday

With bright raintree blooms

Flaming in my ardent arms;

You dropped my blossoms in the pond.

I crept to you at sunset

With pale lilac orchids

Trembling on my uncertain lips;

You shredded my petals in the sand.

I strode to you at midnight

With gravel hard and cold

Clenched in my bitter fists;

You offered me your hybrid orchids

And I crushed them in my despair.

Hilary Tham who wrote the poem “Offfering” was born in Arlington, Virginia, grew up in Malaysia but died in Arlington. “Offerings” is one of her poems with the theme of relationship which can be considered as a good and suitable literary text for Malaysian secondary school students. Her poems are profound and realistic as they reflect the reality of life, touching the human factors that create deep insight.

In the poem I assume that “I” is a man while “you” is a woman. The flow of words from the first stanza until the last stanza creates an atmosphere of tense, desperation and passion of a man who is trying to win the heart of a woman whom he loves dearly. The different settings and flowers used in each stanzas reflects the persona’s determination despite the cold response from the woman whom he is in love with. His gestures in each stanza demonstrate his intense passion towards the woman.

I feel that the last stanza is truly arousing sympathy as it reflects an unrequited love. The midnight, gravel hard and cold creates the images of frustration as he clenched his fists in misery. In the following line, the woman offered him hybrid orchids which reflect the differences between the man and woman which might be the statues or level of knowledge. The most heart-breaking moments are when the man crushed the hybrid orchids as though he is crushing his dreams when he realized his love was an unrequited love.

My message on love

Living a life filled with LOVE can motivate us as LOVE can enhance human energy bringing success, happiness and tranquility. So we should open the room in our hearts, let the LOVE flow in, grasp the opportunity to learn the skills of LOVE to make the power of LOVE within our heart to grow and flow.

LOVE can change our lives and can be a force to make us move, to make us act upon our needs, but to heave the feeling of LOVE is not that easy, and most of the time LOVE is just said in actions. According to the great Persian Sufi Poet, Rumi (1207-1273), LOVE is the most difficult concept to define, "My pen splinters when I write LOVE.”

LOVE can give us the power to touch the human hearts; it blooms without season or reason as true LOVE is always presence and it grows in the midst of sorrow or joy, tears or happiness. Kahlil Gibran, a Lebanese born American philosophical essayist, novelist and poet once said: “LOVE is the only flower that grows and blossoms without the aid of the seasons.”

Don’t wait to be loved, LOVE our own selves and pour out the LOVE within ourselves. Rumi said, “Your task is not to seek for LOVE, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

LOVE has no boundaries as LOVE is boundless. Rumi said: "This is LOVE: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet."

True love flows naturally through spontaneous expression embroidered with warmth, comfort, serenity, truth and beauty, in tears and joy in mutual sharing, giving more that expecting, sharing more that receiving, and most of all loving for the sake of God as it is the way of opening up the power of love within our hearts…………………..

With love,

Roses, roses, roses......

Below are my thoughts and reflections regarding the theme of

“The Sick Rose” by William Blake and “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns.

The Sick Rose By William Blake

O Rose, thou art sick!

The invisible worm

That flies in the night,

In the howling storm,

Has found out thy bed

Of crimson joy:

And his dark secret love

Does thy life destroy.

A Red Red Rose by Robert Burns

O my Luve's like a red, red rose

That's newly sprung in June;

O my Luve's like the melodie

That's sweetly played in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,

So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a' the seas gang dry:

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi' the sun;

I will luve thee still, my dear,

While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only Luve,

And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my Luve,

Tho' it ware ten thousand mile.

In poetry the theme is the controlling idea of the whole poetry. The themes reveal the message or the meaning of the whole poetry. From my reflection both of the poems reveal the theme through the title. However the theme of the poems differs in its meaning.

The theme of the poem “The Sick Rose” by William Blake is about of a rose that has reached the end of its lifespan in the advent of the creeping winter. A rose usually symbolizes love, beauty and romance, but in this poem rose is sick reflects the damaged, hurt and destruction. The rose which is personified as an ailing woman was damaged by the worm which is personified as the man who has caused the harm to her. It is a poem that reveals the negative attitude of a man towards a woman whom he destroys to satisfy his lust. Where else in the poem “ A red,red Rose” by Robert Burns the theme is about a man who is deeply in love with his lover. The word red is repeated twice stress the great passion he has for his lover. It is a romantic love poem which has a positive attitude of a man towards a woman whom he loves by showing his great passion of love which is growing deeper and deeper each day.

a place for poetry

Poetry is the spontaneous flow of expression conveyed in words which is organized into regular units called stanza to create rhythmical effects or sound patterns in lines. The lines are constructed by the poets into image, rhythm and sound. Sound devices, rhythmical patterns and compression of statements are the characteristics of poetry. Poetry is expressing the thoughts and feelings of a person and conveyed through beautiful, aesthetic expressions in words organized into stanzas which have denotative and connotative meanings.

Poetry can be identified by its form, and the way the poetry is patterned in concept or idea. Knowledge on the different types or categories can help a reader in his work of analysis. Among the types of poetry are epic, free verse, blank verse, ballad, metaphysical, mystical, spiritual, heroic couplet, lyrical ballad, lyric poetry, sonnets and limericks.

The theme of poetry is important as it is a general idea of what the poet is trying to convey to us through his poems and it reflects the poem’s intention in mood and tone. It makes the poetry meaningful when the message is conveyed in beautiful expression.

The expression of the words in the poetry should not be taken literally as poetry has figures of speech which are connotative in meaning. Thus the deeper meaning of words in the poetry needs to be understood to catch the feel and taste of the poetry. Each type of poetry has its own unique elements. Poets use figures of speech such as similes, metaphors, symbols, personifications, synecdoche, metonymies, hyperbole, paradox, anaphora, tautology, onomatopoeia, euphemism, ellipsis, litotes, antithesis, oxymoron, anaphor which are techniques they use to arrange and express the words so that there is life in each poetry that we read.