The Little Prince, pondered upon.

1. Saint-Exupéry wrote The Little Prince in New York as World War II raged in Europe, and after his homeland had been captured by the Nazis. Are there any symbols that are particularly evocative of war and exile?

Not exactly war but most markedly are the baobab trees which are described as dangers that could possible strikes if no full attention is given on. Other than that, is the Turkish astronomer whose discovery has been ignored depicts the racial discrimination and prejudice in today’s world.

2. What differentiates adults from children in The Little Prince? Is the distinction simply one of age, or is it based on something else?

In the Little Prince, not only ages that distinguishes adults from children but the mindset. Grown-ups see things in a more realistic way and have narrow-minds. They lack imagination and that is why they can’t appreciate the beauty of the world. In addition, adults like to judge people through their physical appearances. On the other hand, children find every single thing is worth to be discovered and be pondering upon on. Their innocence and purity of heart are what enable them to love the beauty of nature and life itself.

3. When the narrator and the prince search for a well, the narrator appears finally to understand the lessons that the prince has related to him. What does this say about the morals of the novel?

The true beauty of a certain thing lies deep underneath it that one could not see with naked eyes but only could experience that beauty with the heart. When one thought that one had full understanding on a certain issue, there is always more to learn.

4. Why does the little prince want to return home? Why isn’t his friendship with the pilot enough to make him stay? Can the way he returns to the heavens be interpreted as a suicide?

He has a commitment towards the flower he loved in his planet. He is worry about her safety that she only has 4 thorns to protect herself against the entire world. The way he returns to the heavens are not considered as a suicide, because it is only his body that is damaged by the snake bite, his soul however remained pure and unharmed.

5. Discuss the themes of time and death in The Little Prince. How does the prince learn to appreciate the time he has with his loved ones better, and how does it affect his relationships with them?

It is the time we spend together with our loved ones that contributes in maintaining a close bond of relationship. The little prince doesn’t fear death all because he wants to go back to his planet and take care of his flower. This portrays human does not fear death if death itself is for a good deed. After been told the secrets from the fox, the little prince learns to appreciate the time he devoted on his flower. This greatly strengthens the bond between him and his flower.

6. Why do some people see Drawing Number One as a simple hat, while others think it represents an elephant inside a boa constrictor? What is the meaning of these different perspectives?

Some people lack imagination and take things for granted. They are less likely to see the inner beauty or aspect of things because they often judge them physically. On the contrary, some people like to examine things carefully and let their imagination run wild and thus they get to discover ideas that the previous group of people won’t found out in their entire life.

7. Discuss the rose’s behavior. Why doesn’t the rose tell the little prince that she loves him? Why does he continue to love her?

The rose likes to speak first before the little prince. She is very demanding that he have to carry out many things to please her, such as surrounding her with a screen and covering her in a glass dome. The little prince continues to love her because it was his responsible that once he tamed her, there develops a relationship and commitment between him and the rose.

8. Why is the fox so eager to be tamed by the little prince? If he already knows how to tame himself, why does he need someone else to do it for him?

The fox feels his life is monotonous and wants somebody to be his companion. The little prince would cherish his life. He knows how to tame himself, however he needs another party in order to tame him. This is because the process of taming is about two people become more special to one another and surely it requires 2 parties. Thus,one alone is impossible to tame oneself.

9. Symbols and metaphors are present throughout The Little Prince. Why do you think Saint-Exupéry choose to tell this story in such figurative language?

In my opinion, Saint-Exupéry choose to narrate the story in this way so that for children, they could easily understand the wisdom that author is trying to impart by using concrete objects such as stars, flowers, people which they encounter during their everyday life in such a way that, they can relate easily the knowledge they gained in the story with these existing objects.

Working Retired

There are only a few magic numbers in American civic life.You can vote(and get drafted)at age 18.You can drink at 21.You can become president at 35.You can retire at 65.
But on that last one-do Americans really want to?Now that so many Americans are living healthfully until 85,fewer and fewer actually retire at 65.Today there are 5 million people 65 or older in the U.S. labor force,almost twice what there were in the early 1980s.And that number is about to explode.
Some people are working past 65 because they have to:Health care costs are rising,and Social Security payments-at an average of about $1,000 a month-don't cover what they used to.But the bigger trend in Senior Work is the fact that Americans love -and now that we're living longer,we want to work longer too.We just can't get enough.My friend and mentor Harold Burson,the co-founder of the global PR firm Burson Marsteller,where I am CEO,just turned 86,and comes to work every day,bursting with ideas.
On average,Americans work over 1,800 hours per year,substantially more than most workers around the world.Although we get fewer vacation days per year than other Western countries(13 days,compared to 28 in the UK,and 37 in France),we let more than twice as many go unused.And really,what's a vacation to us these days without our BlackBerry?In 2006,almost a quarter of us (23%) checked our work e-mail and voice mail while away-up from just 16% in 2005.A lot of us love to work.
In fact,the impulse to work is so basic that the Fourth Commandment is to take off one day a week.Not working for a day is right up there with not murdering,not committing adultery,and not stealing.We tend to assume that most people want off-waiting all week for the Friday afternoon whistle so they can stream out of work.To be sure,many jobs are terrible-even life-threatening-and people reasonably can't wait to get home.But as work overall has become more managerial,consulting,and software-oriented-and as manufacturing jobs have been on the decline-a lot of people have changed their attitude toward work,and the number of workaholics has skyrocketed.How many times have you heard the old saying that no one ever lay on his deathbed wishing he had spent more time at the office?And yet,a lot of people are doing just that.The sandwich generation is going to be in for a shock when they call their 70-year old parents at the office and find they are just too busy to babysit their grandkids.
Add to America's general obsession with work the fact that it is now the baby boomer generation who is nearing 65,and it becomes clear that the traditional idea of "retirement"-with its gold watch,rocking chair,and golf course-is just about ready for retirement itself.
Boomers reinvented youth in the 1960s and economic success in the 1980s;they are not to do their senior years by someone else's formula.According to a 2005 survey by Merrill Lynch,more than 3 in 4 boomers say they have no intention of seeking a traditional retirement.Rather they look ahead to their 20 more years (when Social Security was created in 1935,a 65 year old could expect just 13 more years)_and they say Bring It On.Some want to keep their health insurance,or have enough funds for the extra years-but more of the boomers surveyed said they wanted to keep working in order to stay mentally and physically active and to stay connected to people.


"Microtrends-the small forces behind tomorrow's big changes" Mark J. Penn (2007)Hachette Book Group

Questions

1. What do the magic numbers of 18,21,35 and 65 represent in American civic life?
The magic numbers above stand for the age level whereby Americans gained a certain special right. Americans are eligible to vote at 18, drink at 21, campaign for president at 35 and retired at 65.

2. Why do some people work past 65?
Some people work past 65 because they have to: The increasing in health care costs and social security payments don't actually cover what they used to. But the bigger trend in Senior Work is the fact that Americans love working and because our life expectancy is on the rise, we tend to prolong our working life.

3. What does the phrase " bursting with ideas"when he comes to work at the age of 86 implies about Mr. Harold Burson?
As we grew older, we gained more valuable experience from our work. The snowballing knowledge granted us a wider horizon on developing new ideas.

4. Give examples to show that American employees are workaholics by choice?
On average,Americans work over 1,800 hours per year,substantially more than most workers around the world.Although they get fewer vacation days per year than other Western countries(13 days,compared to 28 in the UK,and 37 in France),they let more than twice as many go unused. In 2006,almost a quarter of Americans (23%) checked their work e-mail and voice mail while away-up from just 16% in 2005.

5.What is the tone of the writer when he mentions that "not working for a day is right up there with not murdering,not committing adultery and not stealing"?
Writer describes in a serious manner when it comes to taking a day off. He matches this action with the other Commandments.

6. What example is given to show that the grandparents of the present generation do not fit with the traditional stereotypical image of grandparents in the past?
The sandwich generation is going to be in for a shock when they call their 70-year old parents at the office and find they are just too busy to babysit their grandkids.

7.Explain in your own words the sentence"it becomes clear that the traditional idea of "retirement"-with its gold watch,rocking chair,and golf course-is just about ready for retirement itself."
The relaxing life that one will lead when one comes across the age of retirement is gradually been replaced by work.

Reading Log: Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah

How does the text related to the theme of a journey?

The text talks about the life journey of the author, Adeline from her childhood life to adult. During her childhood, she faced serious family problem: her cruel stepmother, Niang and her mischievous siblings, Lydia, Gregory and Edgar. During her adolescence, Adeline was sent to Sacred Heart Convent School. She felt lonely because she was the only one left behind during the summer vacation where everyone was picked up by their parents. At the age of 17, she was admitted to University College in Bloomsbury as a medical student. At there, she suffered from racial prejudice. However, her hard work paid off when she was offered by Professor Mc Fadden to work as an assistant lecturer. In the end, she took up the job offered by Dr. Chun in order to please her Father.

After seven months of internship, she flew to America with Martin Ching. There, she met Byron whom she fell in love with. They get married and had their first child, Roger. However, after that their marriage seemed to deteriorate and they divorced in 1964. Adeline’s career continued to flourish after the finalization of her divorce. Through a blind date, she met Bob and they were perfect match for each other. It was Adeline’s second marriage and they had their first daughter, Ann. They moved into a new home in Huntington Beach where Adeline led a comfortable life with the support from her partner.

She finally saw the true color of her siblings when she discovered a conspiracy was made between them to deceive Adeline the truth of Niang’s will. However, she didn’t fight with them for the inheritance. In the resolution, she travelled back to Shanghai, her hometown to accompany Aunt Baba in her final years. After all sort of difficulties she faced outside her hometown, she came back to look after the person she loved the most, Aunt Baba.

What is the main issue of the text?

The story revolves around the family problem faced by the author, Adeline after her father remarried a wife whom she referred her as ‘Niang’. Niang gave unfair treatment towards her stepchildren. For example, her own son Franklin whom she favors the most, was given beautiful clothes to wear, whereas her stepchildren were forced to wear old clothes. She did not want them to outshine her own children. In addition, she forbade Aunt Baba to communicate with Adeline because she thought that Adeline’s will become more rebellious with Aunt Baba beside her.

Other than that, it’s the darker side of human being. In Niang’s will, Adeline was not given a share even though she made effort to repair the relationship between Niang and Lydia. In the end, she found out that it was actually Lydia, the culprit behind all of these. She tricked Adeline into helping her and said bad things about Adeline by secretly writing letters to Niang.

Another main issue was about race and gender discrimination. In 1950s, racial prejudice was much in evidence in England. For example, in University College in Bloomsbury, Chinese students were marginalized and female medical students were proclaimed by others that they were ‘robbing’ qualified males of entry into medical school and those on scholarship and grants were ‘wasting’ government fund.

What quality do you admire or dislike in a character?

After reading the text, the bad character of Niang really annoys me. She portrayed violent character. In the story, when the 2-year-old Susan was picked up by her mother, Niang who to her was a complete stranger because they have been separated when she was just few months old, she resisted her mother and screaming, ‘I don’t want you! I don’t want you! Aunt Baba! Aunt Baba!’. Feeling rage, Niang slap her in her face and Susan cried only louder. Niang began a more vicious beating of her daughter, slapping her cheeks, ears and head. No one dare to stop her except Adeline who asked Niang to stop beating Susan which only causes much more hatred of Niang towards Adeline.

In addition, Niang was a merciless person and did not care about the feelings of other people even her own child. In a dinner between Susan and Niang in Magnolia Mansions, Niang accused Susan for being ungrateful, untrustworthy and brought up a litany of Susan’s every transgression since early childhood. She started to cry over Franklin’s death and she wished it had been Susan instead. This was more than anyone could endure let alone Susan who did not received much care from her mother. Therefore, Susan shouted and fought back by saying that her mother was vicious and vindictive who love no one but herself and also never had care nor love her. As a result of Susan’s exploding comment, Niang decided to disown her as a member of Yen’s family, mercilessly.

How does the text develop your understanding of the world?

The text centered on the cruel reality. Firstly, a stepparent is more likely to favor his/her own children than stepchildren. This was very much portrayed through the character of Niang who treat her own son, Franklin like a treasure but ignored or sometimes even dislike the rest. Besides, even your own family member would betray and backstab you. For example, Adeline, despite helping her sister, Lydia repairing the relationship between her and Niang, was betrayed by Lydia in the end who secretly wrote letters to Niang talking about Adeline’s bad , in order to influence Niang’s actual will.

Other than that is the racial and gender discrimination that lurked in England in 1950s. There was superiority of the West, so people tend to looked down on the Chinese in Western countries. Female medical students were considered to be ‘alien’ at that time because majority of medical students were boys.

Last but not least, in the summer of 1966, gangs of local Red Guards roamed the streets of Shanghai looking for trouble. On 14 September 1966, 25 Red Guards banged on the door of Aunt Baba’s house. They were boys and girls in their teen and a few men in their twenties. They beat Aunt Baba and Miss Chien badly and destroyed all things in her house. See, even teenager could carry out such violent crime. In present time, we could even see kids in Pakistan carrying firearms around them.

Author : Adeline Yen Mah