The short fiction Under the Banyan Tree by R K Narayan

Before I read it, I think the protagonist, a story-teller, might be a mysterious wizard. He tells a lot of fables, anecdotes and soothsaying, both historical and present characters might be made up in his stories. Since he is a prophet, he has the highest social status in the local and all of villagers respect and worship him. However, I am confused after reading. What does it happen? I ask myself and keep thinking. Although the end of the story is ambiguous, it is a long aftertaste.

The story-teller is an old men named Nambi who is illiterate but is able to attract all of the villagers and dominate their spiritual world by telling stories. The villagers live an isolated and backwardness life, they are completely enchanted by his stories because listening stories is the only recreation in their hard and drab lives. Usually, Nambi invents his stories at the rate of one a month and each story takes nearly ten days to narrate. There is a big banyan tree in the village. When he lights a small lamp and places it in a niche on the moonlight nights, the villagers gather under the banyan tree and wait for his story. Before he opens the story, he sits to meditates deeply as long as he like, with his eyes shut, and the villagers wait patiently. The first day, he often conveys the setting of the tale, and two or three days later, he opens the story again and develops the plot in details. By the time the next moon peeps over the hillock, he is ready for another story. He never repeats the same kind of story, and the villagers consider him a sort of miracle, quoted his words of wisdom, and prostrate before the Goddess when the story ends. However, one day, Nambi has trouble in getting beyond his previous stories and stumbling in his narration. He is so sad that he realizes he has become a dotard. So he stops to tell stories and keeps silent in the rest of his life.

The end of the story gives me a thought-provoking idea. Nambi says, ‘ it is the Mother who gives the gifts; and it is she who takes away the gifts.’ ‘But what is the use of the jasmine when it has lost its scent? What is the lamp for when all the oil is gone?’ That seems to be his inner monologue, but also is suitable to the villagers lives, I think. Maybe the story-teller no longer tells is a favorable turn for the villagers, they no longer live on an epic scale, they can start to a open, future-oriented new life.

Life, Death and Freedom of an Hour

I like the short fiction The story of an hour by Kate Chopin so much, because I am moved by the delicate descriptions of the subtle psychological changes that occur in the protagonist Louise. In addition, Chopin continuously compares these changes to the minute details of nature’s landscapes. Although I am not a feminist, I understand the thoughts of Louise and the meaning Chopin wants to express.

The story happens in 1894, when American wives were expected to be completely obedient to their husbands. Before the twentieth century, women were not allowed to vote. Wives also had no power in family matters other than that which their husbands allowed them. However, by the early twentieth century, opportunities for women to work outside the household increased. Women gained the right to vote and wives also increased their power in their marriages. Louise lives during such a transition.

Just as the dawn arises after the long darkness, women long to be free both body and soul after being constrained for centuries. But it is a bold and deviant desire at that time, especially for a decent woman who has a pretty good marriage. No matter how great the social pressure is, the desire for Louise to be free is so strong that it overshadows individual lives and deaths, both her husband’s and her own.

Some people think the end of the story is a tragedy. I don’t think so. I am glad that during the struggle of an hour’s time Louise overcomes herself bravely. She keeps whispering “free” and carries herself like a goddess of Victory, and she gains her freedom by liberating her spirit, although she dies at a price. I recall Petofi Sandor as he wittingly says, “Life is dear, love is dearer, both can be given up for freedom.”

History may not remember this unimportant woman who is broken down by her heart disease. But I will remember the names of both Louise and Kate. I know how brave they are.

(The grammar is corrected by Diane)

No good story is quite true

Leslie Stephen says, “No good story is quite true.” We all smile when we hear it and understand that’s true because it is a kind of worldly wisdom. But why and how does it happen?

Our life is made of stories. However, most of them are trifles, true and boring. We need our stories to be changeable and wonderful; we need something give us surprise and romance. In a word, we need a life art which lies in life but is beyond life. It is our spiritual desire by nature.

Therefore, a good story must be true, because it is a reflection of our real lives. If not, the story may not have its life-force and become a joke. However, a good story must not be quite true, because it is an art rather than science. If not, the story may not have its great vitality and will be soon forgotten.

(The grammar is corrected by Diane)

A Decent Rape in Court

When I read the play I Dream Before I Take the Stand by Arlene Hutton, I first found it hard to choose one of the sentences as my favorite to meet Diana’s usual demand. I was bored by the monotonous dialogs and angry with the traps from the questions which were designed one by one by the defense lawyer.

I don’t like lawyers. Ironically, law is a career without morality and honesty. Attorneys reverse black and white or confuse right and wrong if you pay them. The most famous example is the U.S. Simpson case. Every American knows Simpson killed his former wife and her boyfriend, but the defense attorneys’ superior abilities let the murderer go free with a verdict of not guilty. This case became a shameful example of the legal profession.

However, all of us acknowledge the legal system, it is hard to imagine a lawless society for even one day, although some people may use its loopholes in violation of justice and fairness. Perhaps it is a dialectic of life. When we accept brightness, we have to tolerate its shadow at a price.

When Science Becomes Art——My View on How Honest Are Dentist by William Ecenbarger

It is known that medicine belongs to the field of natural science. Despite this, the American Dental Association says dentistry is an art, and what’s most important to all of the dentists is that they each used their professional judgment to design what they believe is the solution for the patient. Thus, it is no surprise that the ADA has developed a set of treatment parameters that are nonbinding. For the patient, however, who needs to protect themselves from overtreatment and overcharging, this is a ridiculous system. Unfortunately, it makes more sense to think of dentistry as an art rather than a science, and patients shouldn’t expect scientific diagnosis and treatment.

The author William Ecenbarger, a pretty amazing person, visited 50 dentists with a distance of 50,000 miles in 4 months to reveal this truth. He proved that dentistry in America is quite a mixed bag that lacks industry standards and professional ethics. We also have reason to suspect deeply the honesty of the ADA. Since Americans spend about $42 billion a year on their teeth, it might be in the interests of both dentists and the ADA to bind together. There is no doubt that financial interests can distort people's moral concepts and value judgments.

I really respect the author. I hope his investigation will cause more concern from all parties in the society so that this orderless situation of dentistry in America will be changed at last.

Introduction of the play Beauty by Jane Martin

The play is about two girls whose names are Carla and Bathany. Their personalities and lives are developed by their dialog. The two girls, Carla is a beauty and Bethany in intelligent, have their own troubles. Bathany dreams of turning into a beauty like Carla, unfortunately, the dream comes true by the help of a genie. Then, how the story ends would depend on our imagination.

Carla is so beautiful that she is always the center of men’s attention. She is always busy having telephone calls and going on dates. However, she is not good at studying, she even can’t remember page four when she read page six. On the other hand, Bathany is outstanding in school. She has published short stories and has a job with a $40,000 salary. However, she is less beautiful than Carla. She longs to become a beauty.

In my opinion, the most memorable sentence in the play is that when they exchanged by the genie in the end, they said, “We both have the one thing, the one and only thing everybody wants.” It is a really philosophical expression with the deep meaning, I think.

The play tells us we should cherish our own selves. Everybody is unique and has their own advantages. In this way, God is equal to everyone.

(this is the class exercise, the grammar is corrected by Diane)

My name FEI

FEI is my first name which named by my father. I was born during China’s Culture Revolution when my parents suffered persecution, so my father gave the name ‘FEI’ to me, which is pronounced like the Chinese character ‘fly’ that means freedom. My father hoped I could fly freely like a bird. My mother also liked the name because she likes all types of animals. She always said to her children that nature is a friend to humanity.

However, in real Chinese Character, ‘FEI’ represents academic and intelligent. My parents hoped I would become a person who would have rich knowledge and think independently. I did it. I like to fly freely in thoughts and I know that it is never too late for people to learn.

(this is the first class exercise, the grammar is corrected by Diane)