Harper Lee was born on the 28th of April in the year 1926. Born as the youngest daughter of a lawyer who is one of the members of the Alabama state legislature Harper Lee grew up as a tomboy. Lee’s mother was down with a mental illness which made her days mostly in the house, it is also believed that Lee’s mother was with bipolar disorder.
Lee also had a best friend by the name of Truman Capote. Being tougher than most boys, Lee stood up as Truman’s protector. Although this two of friends have very different interests, they both shared a commonality where they both have difficult house lives.
In 1944, Lee enrolled in an all-girl school, Huntingdon College in Montgomery. Lee stood out from most of her schoolmates as she was not into the makeup fever. She fully focused on her studies and was also a member of the literary honor society and the glee club. Lee then had her law degree in the University of Alabama from 1945 to 1949.
After one year of law study, Lee began expressing to her family that her interests were not in law but was for writing. That summer, Lee went as an exchange student to the Oxford University in England. That fall, after returning from the exchange program, Lee dropped out of school after the first semester. She then moved to New York City to follow her dreams as a writer.
In 1949, the 23 years old Lee struggled for a few years and worked as a ticket collector for the Eastern Airlines and for the British Overseas Air Corp (BOAC). During her times in the city, Lee reunited with her old friend Truman, a literary rising star then, there. Lee also befriended Broadway composer and lyricist Michael Martin Brown and his wife Joy.
That Christmas, the Browns gave Lee an unforgettable present – a support to her for a year so that she can write full time. The Browns also introduced an agent by the name of Maurice Crain to her. Maurice got a publishing firm interested in Lee’s first novel Go Set a Watchman, which was then changed to Atticus, and at the end, To Kill a Mockingbird. Woking hand in hand with the editor, Tay Hohoff, Lee finished the manuscript in 1959.
After she finished her book, Lee started to help her friend, Truman with his books where they went to Kansas. After the return, Lee was thrilled when she knew that her book picked up by the Book-of-the-Month Club and the Literary Guild. A small condensed version of the story also appeared on the ‘Reader’s Digest’. Lee’s book, To Kill A Mockingbird also won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize and several other literary awards.
Horton Foote also wrote a screenplay based on the story and the play was received extraordinarily well by the audience and earned eight Academy Award nominations. The book was also made into a film which won four awards.
During the mid-1960s, Lee was reportedly writing on a second novel which was never published. Lee helped Truman with his book, Cold Blood that was published in 1966. A rift was developed between the two friends Truman dedicated the book to Truman and his long time lover, Jack Dunphy but he failed to acknowledge Lee’s contributions to the book. Although Lee was hurt and very angry with what Truman did, they still remained for the rest of their lives.
That same year, Lee underwent a operation on her hand to repair a damage done on her hand by a bad burn. And from then on, Lee led a quite, private life in New York City and Monroeville. She usually avoids anything to do with her still popular novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Secret
Before we start everything, empty your mind, empty your thoughts, forget everything you have ever been taught. Forget what your teachers, elders, parents, peers, friends, everyone had ever told you because now, I am going to tell you something completely different from everything everyone had ever taught you. Because what I am about to tell you, is completely different from what you have been taught ever since you are born.
What I am about to tell you is so different from what you have been thought that no one will ever believe it but it is the truth and it is this truth that should be remembered through time not the lies about outer space life which uses up much of the American tax payers to send satellites into outer space to find what that does not exist.
The money was used at the wrong place for it is inside our Earth core where lies other beings. Other beings that was thought to be just pure fiction, pure imaginary but not really.
What I am about to uncover to you, is a secret, a secret that should have been kept a secret and had been kept a secret until now but not anymore. For now, I am going to uncover the mystery of that we are NOT alone.
Have you ever imagined why nobody ever found traces of life in the outer space?
The answer is very simple, because the things that you are looking for is not outside our Earth, but inside. Deep inside the Earth’s core, are things that you would have never ever imagined before, things that are far more extraordinary than anything you can ever imagine.
Things that was so unbelievable that those that found out about it never dared to let the world know about it but kept to themselves. However, now I am going to uncover a secret that has been longed to be uncovered and that would affect the future so greatly, that everything will change. A secret so big, that the Earth will cry for its loss.
And now, I am going to uncover the Secret to you, a discovery of the time!
Have you ever wondered what lies in our Earth?
Well, our Earth is like a building. It has a structure and inside the structure are elevators, elevators that allow things to travel by.
In our Earth, are levels. In every level, lives a unique kind of being. On the highest point of the building, is the Point. The Point is a place where all the leaders of each level have their General Meetings. Below the Point, is the level where we, the Homo sapiens live in.
Below our level, are levels where other being live in, they are, Elves, Dwarves, Fairies, Dragons and any other beings that you can ever think of.
All the beings in the levels lived in peace and harmony until one day, when evil came in. Together with it, it brought in treachery, theft, betrayal and things that are unspeakable. As the human level was at the top most, after the Point, it was the first to get affected by evil. The leaders immediately had a meeting. The human leader made a very heart aching decision. He decided to seal up the door towards the elevator forever!
With that, he hoped to protect the others from evil. By that, he sealed evil in the level but the human level will have to fight evil alone and also be alone forever.
The leader then sealed every door that will lead out to the elevator except one single door, the door of dreams. Dream was so complicated that nobody ever entered and got out of the room, not even a dead man. Through time, people slowly forgot about dream door. However during sleep, the dream door attracts the souls of all to it. And only through sleep, when our souls can roam freely, it can pass through the dream door and revisit the past, visit the other levels.
And it is through dreams when one can really see the world, where one can really listen to the world and when one can really understand the world.
Everything has an opposite and so does the building. Right opposite our building, lays another building. Our building is the past and present and so the other building on the opposite side is the future, our future.
Once we can see the future but now, the door to future is locked so we can only wait for future to come to us.
What I am about to tell you is so different from what you have been thought that no one will ever believe it but it is the truth and it is this truth that should be remembered through time not the lies about outer space life which uses up much of the American tax payers to send satellites into outer space to find what that does not exist.
The money was used at the wrong place for it is inside our Earth core where lies other beings. Other beings that was thought to be just pure fiction, pure imaginary but not really.
What I am about to uncover to you, is a secret, a secret that should have been kept a secret and had been kept a secret until now but not anymore. For now, I am going to uncover the mystery of that we are NOT alone.
Have you ever imagined why nobody ever found traces of life in the outer space?
The answer is very simple, because the things that you are looking for is not outside our Earth, but inside. Deep inside the Earth’s core, are things that you would have never ever imagined before, things that are far more extraordinary than anything you can ever imagine.
Things that was so unbelievable that those that found out about it never dared to let the world know about it but kept to themselves. However, now I am going to uncover a secret that has been longed to be uncovered and that would affect the future so greatly, that everything will change. A secret so big, that the Earth will cry for its loss.
And now, I am going to uncover the Secret to you, a discovery of the time!
Have you ever wondered what lies in our Earth?
Well, our Earth is like a building. It has a structure and inside the structure are elevators, elevators that allow things to travel by.
In our Earth, are levels. In every level, lives a unique kind of being. On the highest point of the building, is the Point. The Point is a place where all the leaders of each level have their General Meetings. Below the Point, is the level where we, the Homo sapiens live in.
Below our level, are levels where other being live in, they are, Elves, Dwarves, Fairies, Dragons and any other beings that you can ever think of.
All the beings in the levels lived in peace and harmony until one day, when evil came in. Together with it, it brought in treachery, theft, betrayal and things that are unspeakable. As the human level was at the top most, after the Point, it was the first to get affected by evil. The leaders immediately had a meeting. The human leader made a very heart aching decision. He decided to seal up the door towards the elevator forever!
With that, he hoped to protect the others from evil. By that, he sealed evil in the level but the human level will have to fight evil alone and also be alone forever.
The leader then sealed every door that will lead out to the elevator except one single door, the door of dreams. Dream was so complicated that nobody ever entered and got out of the room, not even a dead man. Through time, people slowly forgot about dream door. However during sleep, the dream door attracts the souls of all to it. And only through sleep, when our souls can roam freely, it can pass through the dream door and revisit the past, visit the other levels.
And it is through dreams when one can really see the world, where one can really listen to the world and when one can really understand the world.
Everything has an opposite and so does the building. Right opposite our building, lays another building. Our building is the past and present and so the other building on the opposite side is the future, our future.
Once we can see the future but now, the door to future is locked so we can only wait for future to come to us.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Death
Let's talk about death. Many people are afraid of death but the truth is, no one should be afraid of death because death is part of nature. Death is how this nature keeps going round.
Everything dies because it is part of the deal when we are born. It is just like taking a loan. When the time is up, you will have to pay up.
The same thing goes with our life. Our life is loaned. When the time comes, we are to give it back to who we loaned it from. We can't hide from death, death comes when the time comes. The only thing that matters is when it will come and how it will come.
Death comes in many ways:
1) You die a fast death, the most common of fast death is when you are knocked down by a car. When you die a fast death, there is no chance to say goodbye to your loved ones.
2) You die a slow death, the most common of slow death is when one is contracted with a cancer that is incurable. But when you know you are contracted with cancer, there will still be time for you to say goodbye to your loved ones and you will have the time to be prepared for that day when death comes to collect your debt. However, when that moment comes, it will be a painful death.
So, when one is contracted with cancer, one should be optimistic, one should be thinking on the bright side. Being contracted with cancer would also be a blessing in disguise. Only because when you are contracted with cancer, you know that death is already knocking on the door and so you will have the chance and time to say goodbye to your loved ones and to forgive.
Before one dies, one should forgive, not others but himself. Forgive yourself for making wrong decisions throughout your whole life. Most important of all, forgive yourself for not forgiving others.
One should never be afraid of death but should be prepared for it as it will come in the end. There is one saying that, 'Everything that begins will eventually come to an end' and the same goes with life.
Many in the past wanted to understand life and tried everything they could but eventually when one dies, one will truly understand life. Life is like a lit candle, you can't expect it to burn forever. There will eventually be a day when it burns till its very end and becomes history and life is just like that. You can't expect yourself to live on forever, be with the ones you want to be with forever, there will eventually be a day when you have to part with your loved ones and everything here.
So why not save the time when you think of ways to live on longer, to do things that is good to this society, care for others, care for those in need. When we die, it is not that we will leave here completely. To those whom we helped, we cared, we loved, we will always be there for them, deep inside their heart, where love is kept, as it is not our soul that will be left behind, but our love, that will always be in their heart.
Everything dies because it is part of the deal when we are born. It is just like taking a loan. When the time is up, you will have to pay up.
The same thing goes with our life. Our life is loaned. When the time comes, we are to give it back to who we loaned it from. We can't hide from death, death comes when the time comes. The only thing that matters is when it will come and how it will come.
Death comes in many ways:
1) You die a fast death, the most common of fast death is when you are knocked down by a car. When you die a fast death, there is no chance to say goodbye to your loved ones.
2) You die a slow death, the most common of slow death is when one is contracted with a cancer that is incurable. But when you know you are contracted with cancer, there will still be time for you to say goodbye to your loved ones and you will have the time to be prepared for that day when death comes to collect your debt. However, when that moment comes, it will be a painful death.
So, when one is contracted with cancer, one should be optimistic, one should be thinking on the bright side. Being contracted with cancer would also be a blessing in disguise. Only because when you are contracted with cancer, you know that death is already knocking on the door and so you will have the chance and time to say goodbye to your loved ones and to forgive.
Before one dies, one should forgive, not others but himself. Forgive yourself for making wrong decisions throughout your whole life. Most important of all, forgive yourself for not forgiving others.
One should never be afraid of death but should be prepared for it as it will come in the end. There is one saying that, 'Everything that begins will eventually come to an end' and the same goes with life.
Many in the past wanted to understand life and tried everything they could but eventually when one dies, one will truly understand life. Life is like a lit candle, you can't expect it to burn forever. There will eventually be a day when it burns till its very end and becomes history and life is just like that. You can't expect yourself to live on forever, be with the ones you want to be with forever, there will eventually be a day when you have to part with your loved ones and everything here.
So why not save the time when you think of ways to live on longer, to do things that is good to this society, care for others, care for those in need. When we die, it is not that we will leave here completely. To those whom we helped, we cared, we loved, we will always be there for them, deep inside their heart, where love is kept, as it is not our soul that will be left behind, but our love, that will always be in their heart.
Condemn the construction of casinos in Singapore
About the constructions of casinos in Singapore, I condemn its construction as it will create chaos in Singapore. As one can see, even now, with no existence of any casinos in Singapore, there is already a lot of cases of people loaning money from loan sharks after they lose money when they are betting in illegal betting dent.
As from the video that I watched, the gambling addict said to his child that "My luck is changing, I will strike a big one".
The quote above is what gambling addicts will normally say and under such circumstances when their family members will not give them money, they will approach the loan sharks and normally when they can't pay up, they will be forced to commit suicide to escape the harassment of the loan sharks.
As you can see, even for now, without the existence of casinos that there is already such cases, then think about the consequences when the casinos are built, won't there be more such cases.
One may argue that the construction of the casino and the operation of it will create many job opportunities but even so, had any one ever thought about the consequences when many people in Singapore turn to loan sharks for loan and many who can't pay commit suicide.
How will the people out there then regard Singapore as, City of Suicide?
This will not only hurt Singapore's reputation but will also create tremendous influence to the tourism.
So to me, I believe that it will not be suitable for a casino to be built in Singapore and I condemn to the construction of casinos in Singapore.
As from the video that I watched, the gambling addict said to his child that "My luck is changing, I will strike a big one".
The quote above is what gambling addicts will normally say and under such circumstances when their family members will not give them money, they will approach the loan sharks and normally when they can't pay up, they will be forced to commit suicide to escape the harassment of the loan sharks.
As you can see, even for now, without the existence of casinos that there is already such cases, then think about the consequences when the casinos are built, won't there be more such cases.
One may argue that the construction of the casino and the operation of it will create many job opportunities but even so, had any one ever thought about the consequences when many people in Singapore turn to loan sharks for loan and many who can't pay commit suicide.
How will the people out there then regard Singapore as, City of Suicide?
This will not only hurt Singapore's reputation but will also create tremendous influence to the tourism.
So to me, I believe that it will not be suitable for a casino to be built in Singapore and I condemn to the construction of casinos in Singapore.
Monday, June 29, 2009
My favourite poet
Gabriela Mistral the winner of 1945's literature noble prize and also a famous poet is my famous poet.
She was born in the year 1889 and passed on in the year 1957.Gabriela's father himself was also a dilettante poet. Gabriela herself started writing poems after a romantic love with a railway employee who committed suicide.
She taught elementary and secondary school classes until her poems became famous.
Her first great collection of poems was 'Desolación' which means Despair.
Now, I want to share with you three of Gabriela's poems that I like the most:
Poem #1
Pine Forest
Let us go now into the forest.
Trees will pass by your face,
and I will stop and offer you to them,
but they cannot bend down.
The night watches over its creatures,
except for the pine trees that never change:
the old wounded springs that spring
blessed gum, eternal afternoons.
If they could, the trees would lift you
and carry you from valley to valley,
and you would pass from arm to arm,
a child running
from father to father.
Poem #2
The Sad Mother
Sleep, sleep, my beloved,
without worry, without fear,
although my soul does not sleep,
although I do not rest.
Sleep, sleep, and in the night
may your whispers be softer
than a leaf of grass,
or the silken fleece of lambs.
May my flesh slumber in you,
my worry, my trembling.
In you, may my eyes close
and my heart sleep.
Poem #3
To See Him Again
Never, never again?
Not on nights filled with quivering stars,
or during dawn's maiden brightness
or afternoons of sacrifice?
Or at the edge of a pale path
that encircles the farmlands,
or upon the rim of a trembling fountain,
whitened by a shimmering moon?
Or beneath the forest's
luxuriant, raveled tresses
where, calling his name,
I was overtaken by the night?
Not in the grotto that returns
the echo of my cry?
Oh no. To see him again --
it would not matter where --
in heaven's deadwater
or inside the boiling vortex,
under serene moons or in bloodless fright!
To be with him...
every springtime and winter,
united in one anguished knot
around his bloody neck!
References:
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/gabriela_mistral/biography
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/pine-forest/
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-sad-mother/
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-see-him-again/
She was born in the year 1889 and passed on in the year 1957.Gabriela's father himself was also a dilettante poet. Gabriela herself started writing poems after a romantic love with a railway employee who committed suicide.
She taught elementary and secondary school classes until her poems became famous.
Her first great collection of poems was 'Desolación' which means Despair.
Now, I want to share with you three of Gabriela's poems that I like the most:
Poem #1
Pine Forest
Let us go now into the forest.
Trees will pass by your face,
and I will stop and offer you to them,
but they cannot bend down.
The night watches over its creatures,
except for the pine trees that never change:
the old wounded springs that spring
blessed gum, eternal afternoons.
If they could, the trees would lift you
and carry you from valley to valley,
and you would pass from arm to arm,
a child running
from father to father.
Poem #2
The Sad Mother
Sleep, sleep, my beloved,
without worry, without fear,
although my soul does not sleep,
although I do not rest.
Sleep, sleep, and in the night
may your whispers be softer
than a leaf of grass,
or the silken fleece of lambs.
May my flesh slumber in you,
my worry, my trembling.
In you, may my eyes close
and my heart sleep.
Poem #3
To See Him Again
Never, never again?
Not on nights filled with quivering stars,
or during dawn's maiden brightness
or afternoons of sacrifice?
Or at the edge of a pale path
that encircles the farmlands,
or upon the rim of a trembling fountain,
whitened by a shimmering moon?
Or beneath the forest's
luxuriant, raveled tresses
where, calling his name,
I was overtaken by the night?
Not in the grotto that returns
the echo of my cry?
Oh no. To see him again --
it would not matter where --
in heaven's deadwater
or inside the boiling vortex,
under serene moons or in bloodless fright!
To be with him...
every springtime and winter,
united in one anguished knot
around his bloody neck!
References:
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/gabriela_mistral/biography
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/pine-forest/
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-sad-mother/
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-see-him-again/
Sunday, June 28, 2009
My Angel by Sarah
For you my sweet angel I would die
I'd pick all the stars from the sky
And give them all just for you
To let you know how much I love you
My angel I'll love you thru all eternity
I would do anything for you sweetie
I wrote this poem from my heart
To let you know your my sweetheart
Please stay with me forever
Take my hand and lets be together
Lets fly up to the heavens above
And show everyone we are in love
1. How is figurative language used in the poem? Give the specific word(s), explain what type of figurative language it is, and why the poet chose to use this figurative language.
Ans: I feel that this poem used hyperbole as the poem said that "For you my sweet angel I would die, I'd pick all the stars from the sky..." The author wanted us to know that how much he loved a lady.
2. Tell us why you like this poem in no less than 100 words.
I like this love poem is because I like how the author described about his love towards a lady. The author also allowed his imagination to run wild as he said that "Let's fly up to the heavens above". This poem also showed how much the writer loved the lady that he is willing to die for her as stated above "For you my sweet angel I would die". Near the end of the poem, when the writer wrote "Take my hand and lets be together" I believe that the writer is asking for the lady's hand which I believe she will if she knows that the writer is so in love with her.
I'd pick all the stars from the sky
And give them all just for you
To let you know how much I love you
My angel I'll love you thru all eternity
I would do anything for you sweetie
I wrote this poem from my heart
To let you know your my sweetheart
Please stay with me forever
Take my hand and lets be together
Lets fly up to the heavens above
And show everyone we are in love
1. How is figurative language used in the poem? Give the specific word(s), explain what type of figurative language it is, and why the poet chose to use this figurative language.
Ans: I feel that this poem used hyperbole as the poem said that "For you my sweet angel I would die, I'd pick all the stars from the sky..." The author wanted us to know that how much he loved a lady.
2. Tell us why you like this poem in no less than 100 words.
I like this love poem is because I like how the author described about his love towards a lady. The author also allowed his imagination to run wild as he said that "Let's fly up to the heavens above". This poem also showed how much the writer loved the lady that he is willing to die for her as stated above "For you my sweet angel I would die". Near the end of the poem, when the writer wrote "Take my hand and lets be together" I believe that the writer is asking for the lady's hand which I believe she will if she knows that the writer is so in love with her.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Chapter 7 Safe and sound (part 2)
Mark called out for the old butler and asked him to bring Tav to the Da Vinci Room. The old butler whispered, 'Follow me' and started walking along the dark corridor towards the so called 'Da Vinci Room'.
When Tav reached and entered the room, he was stunned by awe as the room was pure perfection. It was decorated by the late Da Vinci's art work, like the Mona Lisa and also the Last Supper. The room was also filled with a wonderful scent coming from the roses planted outside of the room.
Tav thanked the butler. He walked inside the room and set his bag at the very corner of the room and fell sound asleep on the bed. It was hours after, before Tav woke up. Finding the sky already dark, Tav got up from the bed and went towards the dining hall for his dinner.
When he got to the dining hall, Mark was already there. The chefs were already finishing their dishes and Tav can smell that the dishes are going to be wonderful.
'You are just in time for dinner,' stated Mark.
'I am always at the right place at the right time, this is what I am, always a lucky person.'
The dishes were set on the table and the feast began. Tav reached for the spoon and fork and too started eating. There were about six dishes just for the two of them. There was lobsters, local crabs, chicken, the so called 'peking' duck and also vegetables.
Tav only ate a quarter of the food while Mark finished the rest of the food. The food was so good that it was beyond words to be described. After the meal, they had a quick chat before Mark retreated back to his room for the day, followed by Tav, leaving the servants for the cleaning up.
Tav took a stroll at the garden outside his room before he went back his room. The garden was full with different flowers but the roses are those which dominated the whole garden. After a long stroll, Tav went back into his room and sank into the chair.
How nice would it be for me to be like the stars, roaming the beautiful night sky freely, without things holding on to me. No longer of me being a murderer, no longer of me running away and hiding like a hunted rabbit from the eagle.
How nice would it be for me to be like a free bird, flying across the sky freely, without things holding on to me.
How nice would it be...
Tav finally fell asleep.
It had already been a few weeks before when Tav had such a sound sleep. Tav is finally safe after so many weeks of running, away from the Pheonix. How much longer would it be before the Pheonix finds out Tav's current location? No matter what, Tav is safe, for now.
When Tav reached and entered the room, he was stunned by awe as the room was pure perfection. It was decorated by the late Da Vinci's art work, like the Mona Lisa and also the Last Supper. The room was also filled with a wonderful scent coming from the roses planted outside of the room.
Tav thanked the butler. He walked inside the room and set his bag at the very corner of the room and fell sound asleep on the bed. It was hours after, before Tav woke up. Finding the sky already dark, Tav got up from the bed and went towards the dining hall for his dinner.
When he got to the dining hall, Mark was already there. The chefs were already finishing their dishes and Tav can smell that the dishes are going to be wonderful.
'You are just in time for dinner,' stated Mark.
'I am always at the right place at the right time, this is what I am, always a lucky person.'
The dishes were set on the table and the feast began. Tav reached for the spoon and fork and too started eating. There were about six dishes just for the two of them. There was lobsters, local crabs, chicken, the so called 'peking' duck and also vegetables.
Tav only ate a quarter of the food while Mark finished the rest of the food. The food was so good that it was beyond words to be described. After the meal, they had a quick chat before Mark retreated back to his room for the day, followed by Tav, leaving the servants for the cleaning up.
Tav took a stroll at the garden outside his room before he went back his room. The garden was full with different flowers but the roses are those which dominated the whole garden. After a long stroll, Tav went back into his room and sank into the chair.
How nice would it be for me to be like the stars, roaming the beautiful night sky freely, without things holding on to me. No longer of me being a murderer, no longer of me running away and hiding like a hunted rabbit from the eagle.
How nice would it be for me to be like a free bird, flying across the sky freely, without things holding on to me.
How nice would it be...
Tav finally fell asleep.
It had already been a few weeks before when Tav had such a sound sleep. Tav is finally safe after so many weeks of running, away from the Pheonix. How much longer would it be before the Pheonix finds out Tav's current location? No matter what, Tav is safe, for now.
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