Wednesday 17 September 2014

SHORT STORY 3: TWELVE AND NOT STUPID

TWELVE AND NOT STUPID
                                 
By Zuraidah Omar

SUMMARY

Papa is late.  It has been two hours and people who were in and out from the Kong’s Mini Market will glance at me.  Papa will pick me after I finish school.  When Papa finally arrive, I saw one woman sit at the passenger seat near the driver.  I fell asleep and woke up when we reach at an apartment.  On the way home, Papa asked me not to tell Mama about Auntie May.  I became quiet when dinner time and whenever I close my eyes I saw Auntie May’s face.  One day, we went for a dinner.  I was shocked to see Auntie May and a boy about 10 years old in a room that Papa booked.  While eating, I heard the adults talking.  On the home, everyone were quiet.  Before step out of the car, Auntie May said she will properly invite me to her house next time and left Mama wondering.

                                                                                                                             (154 words)

QUESTIONS

  1. If you were ‘I’ in this story, what would you think of the relationship between Papa and Auntie May? Provide some reasons.
-       I would think that Papa and Auntie May have some kind of special relationship.  This is because Papa fetch me late and asked me not to tell Mama about Auntie May.

  1. Do you like the story in general? Why?
-       Yes, because this story makes me feel curious and think that this family will be in disaster if I tell Mama the truth about Papa seeing Auntie May and the climax of this story makes anyone think that Papa wanted to cheat on Mama and makes their only daughter feel guilty for lying to Mama.

  1. Imagine that you are going to film this short story.  Describe the films in terms of the choice of actress/actresses, scenes and place.  Provide some reasons.
-       If I were going to film this short story, I will pick actresses that can make others see and feel the love of the mother to her family.  The mothers must play an active and excellent role to play the role of the mother for 12 years old girl.  As for the scenes, I will add a little bit of dramatic scenes that can make people to be more curious about what happens in the next episodes.  Last but not least, the selection of the place would be somewhere that looks modest but modern so that it will save more budget.

SHORT STORY 2: A FAMILY

A FAMILY
by Guy de Maupassant

SUMMARY

I was to see my old friend, Simon Rodevin, of whom I had lost sight for 15 years.  For years we had scarcely been separated.  He married quite suddenly with a girl.  What would he be like when I met him again? A man may change greatly in the course of 15 years! When I got out of the carriage, a man rushed up to me to me with open arms, exclaiming: “George!”  Simon introduce me to his 2 children and then we got into the carriage.  Soon, we stopped in front of a turreted house and then Simon’s wife came out and his 3 other children.  Simon introduce me to them and his family.  When we are having dinner, there are this old man sit at the end of the table, did not want to eat his soup but eat greedily when given rice.  He try to reach out for another food but he can’t.  The rest of the family only laughed.  I asked Simon to give him some but he refused to give for his own good.  After played cards, I went to bed.

                                                                                                                              (181 words)

QUESTION

  1. What does the author mean by:

There was nothing left for him to do in this life, nothing whatever.  He had one single wish left, one last solace until he died?

-       Here the author means that, Simon’s family need to fulfil that old man’s wish, which is eat whatever he wants.  The old man is too old already.  He barely cannot do anything or go anywhere as he pleased without any help.  All that old man wants id to eat before the time comes.

  1. Which character did you like or dislike in this short story?  Why?

-       I dislike Simon the most because Simon did not want to fulfil that old man wish when he asked for food.  The reason is why he refused to give is because it is for the old man’s health.  Other than that, I dislike the act of his whole family. This is because they laugh when they saw that pity old man try his best to reach the food on the table.

  1. Do you think the “I” is a male or female? Why do you think so?


-       “I” is a male.  The proof is in the story.  “the train stopped at a small station, and as I got out of the carriage, a stout, a very stout man with red cheeks and a big stomach rushed up to me with open arms, exclaiming: “George!”.

SHORT STORY 1: MY FRIEND LUKE FERNANDO SORRENTINO TRANSLATED

MY FRIEND LUKE FERNANDO SORRENTINO TRANSLATED
By Gustavo Artiles and Alex Patterson

Summary

            Luke is the sweetest, shyest person in the world.  He is short and skinny, middle age, had moustache, almost bald and wear eyeglasses.  He is not too friendly and inconvenience to everyone.  He rather do something that he can do than say “excuse me” and he speaks very low.  He already married for years to his wife and have a son named Juan Manuel.  His wife suffered from an unknown disease that make her personality change.  His son Juan Manuel is tall, thin and intelligent but he is sarcastic, distrustful and have a fringe.  He obeys his mother more.  Luke was the oldest employee in his company but his violence and greedy boss, Aquerontido always give him huge task and cut his salary without reason.  Luke have to stop buying the newspaper and Reader Digest so that he can pay for his son’s school where his wife chose.  When Luke in the bus, he purposely make the driver and passenger mad for example when he ask for ticket and do not have cash for it, he purposely show up one of his hand and check his pocket slowly.
(188 words)

Questions

  1. Why do you think Luke’s personality with people who are close to him (Luke’s wife, Juan Manuel and Don Aquerontido) differ from the passengers on the bus?

-       It is because Luke is very shy and sweet.  Her wife suffered from an unknown disease that shows so many symptom while his son is smart but sarcastic.  Aquerontido is very violent and greedy.  They are very different from the passenger on the bus because some of them can tolerate, patience, respect for each other and even feel bad when they didn’t do something nice when strangers mention about what they supposed to do.


  1. Based on your experience, describe anyone in your life that shares similar characteristics with Luke.

-       Based on my experience, I have one friend that shares similar characteristic with Luke.  Her name is Niola.  She is the sweetest and shyest among of all of our friend not too long ago but now she can get along with people around.  She is not old, I and she shared the same age.  She is taller and skinny.  She have white skin and beautiful smile.  Like Luke, when she talked I almost cannot hear what is she saying.



  1. Write a letter to Luke advising him on how to be a better husband, father, employee and bus passenger.

Dear Luke,

            How are you? I hope you and your family are in a pink of health.  The reason why I wrote this letter to you is I want to give some advice on how to be a good husband, employee, father and bus passenger.

            First of all, you must change your attitude towards people.  As a husband, you must be a little strict to your wife and son.  This is because when you acting go on with the flow, they will not have a full respect for you as a leader of the family.  When you strict to them, you can may be taught your wife to be to be more on control and responsible.  By sending she to see the therapist will help her to know why she suffered such disease and spend more quality time with her will stabilize her.  Other than that, you can tell her that it will save more budget if Juan study in the state.  As a father, like I said earlier you must be strict to your son so that he won’t ignore you.  He must obey to you and also respect you.  Spend some time with him so that you know what exactly in his mind.  Boys intend to keep something away rather than telling it.

            At work, you must know your right as an employee.  Even though it is not wrong to stay late to finish some work, but you must think about your contribution to the company.  Report Aquerontido to the Headquarter or quit.  I am saying this because he is using you for his own good.  He cut your salary without any reason and even let you to handle big task.  It is not right. You can find another job because you are hardworking man.

            When riding the bus, you must think about others too.  You are not the only one who ridding the bus every single day. There are lots of people ride same as you do.  Before you ride the bus, please prepare exact amount of money so that the paying business become faster and do not take too much time where people can get angry because some of them maybe rushing to do something.  Bus driver also a human, he dealt with all kind of people who riding his bus.  Do not expect the bus driver will have the highest patience that you would purposely try to get into his nerve.  Other than that, please respect other passenger while on the bus.  It is not good to tease other passenger and then feel nothing but full of fun when doing it.  Some people may be ignoring of your wrong doing but you will never know if they can hurt you or not.

            I guess that is all I can say for now.  I can only give you an advice but you are the one who can make the changes in your attitude.  You surely do not want the same thing happens to you.  Send my regards to your wife and your son.  Thank you.

    Sincerely,




(  JARINAH  )