After "Pigs in Heaven"

Hi, I'm Hyunjin who read "Pigs in Heaven" This blog is for the "Pigs in Heaven" so now, I'm considering whether I will run this blog more or not. I have three choices.

One is writing impression notes about the books written my Barbara Kingsolver, I tried to find her novel "The bean tree" to bookstore near by my home.
Other choice is writing impression notes but not only novel, but also movie, music, and everything.
Finaly choice is simple, not running this blog anymore.

Actually, I'm not going to use computer almost 1 month because of treveling. It means that I have time to think about it. :-)

Have a wonderful August and September. See you.

Final Blog prompts

Last Question


1) What happens to all the main characters by the end of the novel? (Taylor, Turtle, Alice, Annawake, Cash, and Jax)

Finally, Cash has a guardianship of Turtle. Now, he throws away his TV and wants to get married with Alice.
Taylor has to share her motherhood with Cash. During this happening, she thought about family love, so she considers of marriage with Jax. We don’t know Jax’s decision yet, but I think that he will be willing to say “Welcome” to Taylor.
Turtle has a new last name, Stillwater, but she doesn’t need to give up her first name, Turtle. She will be stay with Taylor, but at least three month out of the year, she has to stay in Cherokee tribe and learn about their culture.
Alice’s conclusion is opening, so we don’t know whether she will live with Cash, or go back with Taylor and Jax. However, in my opinion, she will accept Cash’s propose for Turtle. For her, this happening is a good experience to find her identity.
I’m certain that Annawake is going to meet her brother, Gabe. Before then, even though she has wanted to meet him, she had considered about her elder brother and Cherokee society, and abandoned to meet her brother. Otherwise, she might try to avoid the fact of her family’s tragedy. She doesn’t want to recognize that in Cherokee society and Cherokee family, some sad stories also can happen. During this happening, Annawake has noticed about common with American and Native Americans’ life.


2) What do you think is the main theme or message of the book? Be sure to support your opinion

When I read this book, I deem cultural conflict (Individualism versus collectivism.) As protagonists, Taylor and Annawake encounter different culture. Taylor didn’t think about her cultural personalities, but she was so independent and had confidence of her life especially for Turtle. While avoiding Annawake’s requirement, she has recognized that human beings can’t live alone. Even though she does her best, Taylor can’t break her all suffering until somebody’s help. (When Taylor suffered from poverty in Seattle, I also think about the limitation of Capitalism. In fact, Individualism also related to Capitalism)

In Annawake’s case also make me recognize the definition of common group. In an indirect way, (or it might author’s purpose) Annawake suggests that Cherokee society is better than American society because her tribe has an emphatic. However, ironically, Cash’s tragedy starts from his daughter, and Gabe’s tragedy also starts from his mother. They are alcoholic, and Cherokee didn’t protect their tragedy. Rather, Taylor was confused her identity and materialism, she always thinks about Turtle except the milk events. (At first I misunderstood that Taylor partly knew the fact of milk problem- likely after drinking milk repeat, people can accept the milk, same as my case- but she didn’t know and she really believed that milk is a good meal for everybody. In my opinion, it show that Taylor really like her daughter.)

Taylor and Annawake confront different culture, and they can overcome their cultural conflict. This is the main message of the book.


3) Toward the end of the novel, we return to the Cherokee myth of the “Six pigs in Heaven”. Now Annawake’s interpretation of this myth is different from the first time she told it to Jax. What do you think her new interpretation means, and how do you think it is related to the moral or lesson of this book?

Before, Annawake told Jax the Six pigs’ myth. Lazy six boys wouldn’t work in the corn, wouldn’t fix mother’s roof, and wouldn’t join the ceremony. They didn’t have civic-minded, so their mother is treating them like pigs. Eventually, Great spirits make boys into pigs. The story emphasizes civic minded. Compared to American ideology, which usually stress to individualism, Annawake’s tribe deems each member’s civic minded and obey their parents as important values.
She always focuses on the civic-minded following her cultural norms. In fact, in this story, family seems to be part of the society for me. Actually, the characteristic of Cherokee culture also is. However, when Annawake told Alice the myth, she revises their myth. Annawake recognized that maternal love. Even though someone looks so very lazy, greedy and rude, his or her mother always hopes her babies’ achievement. Moreover, even in Cherokee society, somebody get hurt because of emphasizing their social virtues.


4) Would you recommend this book to a friend? To other students? Why or Why not?

I want to recommend this book my friends and other students, especially in English version. When I first show this book, I was startled of length. “Can I read this book only 8 weeks with other books?” I usually read some novels in one semester, but it is Korean version! Anyway, I should read the book named “Six pigs in Heaven”, and I get confidence that I can read English books. After finishing this quarter, I will try to read Harry Potter English version, which make me scared because of the thickness.

I like its message. Everybody can confront culture shock without any predict, moreover in globalized modern society, it is the natural issue. We can overcome their cultural conflict. Everybody compromise for others. Taylor has to share Turtle’s education at least 3 month each year, and Annawake abandons to firm Turtle’s cultural identity.

After reading this novel, I can think about Cherokee, Native American culture. They have collectivism, and it looks so similar to Korean or Asian culture. I had just imaged of Native American as displaced by European American, considering their tradition; however, they also have some social problem. It was interesting as I learn their culture from the novel.

I want to recommend this novel to my friends and students. I’m going to read “The Beantrees” which deal with Turtle’s past.

Happy couple I know

Happy Couple I know

Think of a couple that you know
Today, I want to introduce my host father and mother as a happy couple. Even though I know them since I have stayed in their house, just 4 month, I’m certain that they are happy couple. Some of them will be surprised that I didn’t choose my mother and father. Actually, now I’m suffered from homesickness a little bit, so I don’t want to be upset more after writing this journal. Probably, my parents, who are also the happy couple, don’t want me to be upset too.

What are they personalities like?
My host father Joe and host mother Rannimae are similar to each other. I mean, their reaction, characteristic, viewpoint, even their appearance are similar. Because my mother and father’s personalities’ are very different- while my mother is very lively and sociable, so always supposes her opinions, my father is so quite and acceptable- I used to think that the best couple should have different personalities. Now, my thinking is changing for my homestay father and mother are very lively and sociable. Recently, I learned some word for the expression of personal characteristics, they are perfectly fitting of the word “perceivers” which is very open-mind, divergent and flexible using the time.

Why do you think that they are happy couple?
One of the reasons that I thought they are happy couple is that my homestay father Joe calls Rannimae as a nickname. I just deem that her nickname is from Hawaiian because sometimes her father also called her like that. (Because I don’t know how to write that name, I just say “nickname”. Moreover, I venerate my host mother’s nickname, I thought that the nickname is for her intimacy.) Compared to Korea, it is very unique because in Korea we’ve never called spouse’s’ name directly. Koreans have called their spouses as “thou”. They really seem to like each other, and sometimes, they look so good friends. I think that this is the factor which the best couple should have.



Adding:

(What do they enjoy doing separately and together?
Would you be happy in your situation?)

I deliberately delete some questions from Kris’ wonderful suggestions because both of them are very difficult to me. One of the questions which is that do they enjoy doing separately and together is that I don’t know because my host father and mother, even my father and mother didn’t separate well. Another which is would you be happy in your situation is that I don’t know too because I don’t know. (..) I’m certain that it’s very difficult for me to define some abstract words including the happy.

Your wrong, other's finding, and your reminding

(Musical DR. Jykell & MR. Hyde Korean version advertisement pictures)

Brief describe something you did wrong

I really like appreciating performance, art and music. Nevertheless, I couldn’t have opportunities to see because most of them are very expensive. Thus, whenever I get a chance, I usually saw them with my family. When I made a reservation of musical “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, it also achieved by my strongest urging, I made a serious mistake. As I saw the internet, the seat that I chose looked so good but, in fact, it’s very terrible seats to appreciate even though the price is very high. Thus, my parents and I had to see this wonderful musical in the farther way.

How did other people find out?

Of course, my father and mother found out in this day. Going through the process that my brother found out my mistake was different. My family used to appreciate musical together, but he couldn’t come because of the military service. My family included me felt sorry about that. What we saw the musical is secret, we promised. However, after then my mother got angry about my mistake and scolded in front of my brother. (In fact, my mother is very honest, so she doesn’t have secret at least with family.) Before watching this musical, I boasted to my friends too much, so of course they were curious of this musical, I couldn’t tell a lie. (In fact, I’m also apt to be honest to my friends.) Finally, everybody knew about my fault.

How did it change you?

Before I said, it was very embarrassing to me: at first, I couldn’t concentrate this musical because of the poor seat, and second, I confronted my mother’s blame. While I love my mom, I mind mother’s blame.
This event makes me changed. I started to be afraid of ticketing. I didn’t notice that, but recently when I tried to get ticket of “Edward Scissorhands” in Seattle, by George, I dreamed nightmare about that; everybody made fun of me because I didn’t get ticket as a good seat. Probably, you will laugh as you read this happening. However, when I woke up with escaping from nightmare, I almost sobbed and trembled. Fortunately, I and my friends could see this musical on very good place, so I felt satisfied and talked about my nightmare to them with smile. However, still, when I have to make a reservation something, I feel uncomfortable, and I want to avoid it.

What should you know about my culture

What should you know about my culture?

Today, I want you know about Korean geographical culture, namely, I will talk about Korean culture which related on geography. It sounds wield, and before starting, I strongly emphasize that this journal (especially the examples) is from my opinions. You don’t need to believe my whole story. I thought that this question might ask about my observation of my country, finally, I defined this topic as geography while leaving other interesting one such as food, clothe, history.

If you find Korea in map, you can easily know that Korea is peninsular. Peninsular means an area of land that is almost surrounded by water, so it represented cultural personalities of continent and island.

Peninsular is very useful to intermediary trade. In ancient time, Korea has been very famous of intermediary trade to neighbor nations such as China and Japan, even Arabic. The name Korea is from one of ancient dynasty in Korea peninsular, Koryo(Goryeo). When Arabian merchant passed by Koryo for trading, they can remember this name and transmit it other countries.
From China continent, Korea imported and accepted to various cultures, and it can be descent to Japan, island. Koreans have usually accepted new things and studied. After totally understanding them, Koreans have transformed original one more deeply and profoundly. When people glance at Korean ancient arts at first, they just underestimate them as imitation of Chinese. However, if they contemplate for a long time, they can notice that those arts have deep thought and eventually, they are perfectly modified and developed.

After declared armistice (The Korean War), Korea had to be separated to North and South. In South Korea, it’s impossible to succeed to peninsular personality. Because South Korea locked by North Korea, it looks island not peninsular. While Korean culture has been changing to emphasize Island’s characteristic, there are many conflict from different values. For example, one of the important values in Island is harmony. If it did not develop of this value in island and have a lot of conflicts in island, nobody could live in island which is barred by water. For harmony, Japanese tented to emphasize obedience. Compared to Japan, Korea is more flexible and more satire. Even if revel were threatened from mainstream, they can run away to other countries. Those evaluations are very conditional, so if I compare Korea and China, Korea also more emphasizes the value of obedience than China.

Recently, in South Korea bunch of issues and controversies can’t finish up. I thought that the most important reasons are from those geographic situation; Conflict of peninsular as satire but flexible VS island’s personality as harmony and obedience. I don’t want to evaluate this situation positively, or negatively, but I’m certain that it makes Korea more dynamic!
(Dynamic Korea is the slogan which Korean government choose to explain Korea.)

Ja, observing to map and Korean peninsular. Geographically, we can find Korean culture. I thought that if you want to know Korean culture, of course there are a lot of interesting things, it’d better check the map.

Thank you for reading!

Things I would teach my child

Think about the important things your parents taught you. What do you think every child should be taught? How would you teach these valuable lessons to your child?

My mother worked until I entered high school. My mom said my father fell in love because office lady especially my mom looked so graceful. Almost 20 years ago in Korea, it was very rare case when women had a job. Even though my father loves my mother, social atmosphere didn’t allow men to help their wives in women’s space like kitchen. Mother had to do almost everything not only work in business, but also housework including taking care of her children. Finally, my brother was looked after by my grandmother before he entered the primary school, and I always went grandma’s home every vacation. She doesn’t have time to get fat. Mom was skinny and now, I know that it is caused by stress.

Sure enough, I understand, or I should understand her situation, but as juvenile, it’s very difficult even though I learned “independence” at that time. If I said I’ve never felt alone and I was totally happy because I was already adult, I really understand her, bla bla.. it should be lie. I’ve never resented mom, however maybe on the other side, I felt unsatisfied my condition. I wanted to depend on my mom, the perfect woman.

One day, when I called her ‘mother’, and added ‘yes ma’am’ she was really upset and said ‘please call me just mom, why don’t you keep in touch with me?’ At this moment, I encountered her lesson. ‘Mother’ also are human, woman. She also can be tired, can be irritated, and have stress from job. She wanted me to be her best friend, and I could do while I want to rely on parents by keeping her at a distance. My mom always thought me her lesson in a direct way or indirect way. “Be independent, but should get together” I know that this lesson is mandatory to teach my daughter or son.

I don’t know how can I do, of course, how can I teach my (future) daughter or son yet. It takes long time that I recognized mom’s lesson for me. Hopefully, my daughter and son are much wiser than me because I will also follow my mom’s process to teach them, directly or indirectly. However, I’m certain that it’s better then my mother’s case because at that time I and my mother get together for teaching her.

----------------------------------

After writing, I really missed my mom, so recently, I gota little bit homesickness.

Now, it's ok. :-)

What is the meaning of my name?

Before reading that..

I wrote this journal last quater for Socialoge class. While filling out the sheet, I received the same question about that; what's the meaning of my name?
In fact, after handing in this journal, I couldn't have/make my English name because on the first paragraph, I wrote that "I like my name so I want you to call me my name exactly" Sometimes, my friends have suffered from pronounciation of my name, and I'm sorry about that. You can call me just Jin, it's ok.

If you have Korean font, you can see my Korean name; 현진
I like it.



What’s the meaning of my name?

My first name is Hyunjin. I know that the pronunciation of “Hyun” is difficult to say, so if you want to call my name easily, just call me Jin. However, I like my name and want you to call my name exactly.

My name has Chinese characters, which are ideograms. Hyun (賢) means gentle and kindhearted, and Jin (眞) means truth or to become true. Because of their good meaning, that name is popular in Korea and is gender neutral. As you know, in class, one man from Korea has same name as me.

My grandfather granted that name to me. He made my name following the principle of Yin (陰) and Yang (陽), and “The law of 5 elements” that matched with my birthday and arranged each letter’s order.

I don’t remember the laws completely. Maybe according to Eastern philosophers, my birthday contains element water (水). To improve and help the water’s ability, I need the element gold (金). My name in Chinese characters has shellfish (貝). For a long time, we used the shellfish as cash, so it’s related to gold.

Definitely, I don’t choose my name. When I write to someone’s homepage board, I use pseudonym. But those facts don’t mean that I don’t like my name. I like it, so if you call me “Hyunjin” I will be very happy.

Adding the noble cover

Those are the covers of nobel named (of course) Pigs in Heaven written by Barbara Kingsolver.

My book has cover of second one, but I think that first one is better.
After I read it all, I can judge which covers can represent the story. :-)

What event changed the direction of your life?

What event changed the direction of your life?

Before I graduated high school, I’ve never thought about my future except literature. Because I like noble, and reading a noble and sometimes, when I wrote down or talked about events, my friends really laughed and enjoyed and said “You have a talent of storytelling”, It’s kind of destiny; of course I thought that I will be a writer. Eventually, my score of exam for entering the University is not good, but it’s enough to enter the University which is famous of Korean literature.

After taking course, and studying about my major, I was disappointed without any special reason. Sometimes, people have suffered from slump, but in my case, it was very serious. I almost decided to stop my school life. My mother urged me to take an entering exam again, and I followed her advice because I had no idea.
I got a good point in my second exam, but I’m not sure which major is matched to me. I can be a lawyer, teacher or business men. I can choose my university in bunch of Korean Universities. Finally, I choose Economics and my university named Sogang in Korea. At that time I just knew that Sogang campus is not big, and my friend who is a student in Sogang felt difficulty because of her required courses. Moreover, Economics-! When my first Orientation, I’ve got the most important and basic information about Economics; Economic need to Mathematics! Why did I deem myself as a literary person?! Because I’m terrible of Mathematics, that’s it!

However, this choice makes my life totally different. I have already recognized when preparing the entering exam; however, whenever I got a report card, I’m certain that I’m not genius. I know my limited ability especially in Economics, so I can, and I have to hard-work in my major. Even though I just knew that Economic is related to market, while I have been learning about various parts of Economics, I have hooked on this sensitive and lovable major. In addition, because my University is not big (I don’t want to choose the word ‘tiny’. In fact, although my University is famous of ‘size’, it’s just rumor. Whenever I was almost late, I totally noticed that my university campus is huge) I can choose 2 majors. If my university were as big as University of Washington, I couldn’t choose 2 majors because it’s so far between one major’s building and others’ building.
Now, I’m thinking of my future through Economics and Korean studies. It is amazing and that I’ve never thought. My university gave me opportunity and taught me a new way. Choosing my university and major is the event which makes my life changed.

Have a great Holiday!

What's my favorite novel and why?

What’s your favorite story and why?

In fact, I usually write journal for this topic, so I want to write other one instead of my favorite novels for example Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland written by Lewis Carroll, or A separate peace written by John Knowles. Finally, I found the novel named Harry Potter which I wait final version written by JK Rowling.

Harry Potter series deal with Harry Potter’s mysterious experience in Hogwatt magician school. He didn’t know magic world and secret of his forehead scar until his 10th birthday. Each series dear with every year and every year reader can see his hiding past and unexpected future in fabulous magic world.


At first I didn’t like Harry Potter series. When I first read “Harry Potter and a sorcerer’s stone”, I almost fall asleep while Harry Potter struggle to win Quidditch game. I returned it earlier, and forget that. However, in a vacation, my father borrowed two kinds of books from his company; one is “Roma-Jin No Monogatari” by Shiono Nanami, another is, oh my, “Harry potter”! I really didn’t have any interest Harry Potter; however, because another book was really boring for me, I put Harry Potter series with sigh. I can remember at this moment, while Roman this reading a few page only, I finished reading Harry potter series up to version 4. I noticed that I become one of fans amid millions of thousand Harry Potter fans.

While waiting to final version, I considered that why I hook on this noble. One of the reasons is unexpected conclusion. Almost every series, they show surprised I’ve never thought about that. Moreover, there are a lot of protagonists in Harry Potter world, but all of them are different. Each reader can like each character. This noble is for everybody especially for children. Reader can get a various role models. My favorite character is Severus Snape even though my friends can’t understand me. Sometimes, I feel pity Harry’s aunts. Does anybody else? Finally, I enjoy reader’s response. I know that there are a lot of books for explaining and widening Harry Potter’s world. If I roam on internet web sites, I can find so many interesting guess of final story. It makes me read Harry Potter books again.




Thank you for reading
Have a nice day!

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