FINALLY...

Today is the day to submit the assignment research paper to my supervisor. Yes, yes! I have submitted it just now!!! I feel a heavy burden has been lifted off from my shoulders. I also feel very relieved that my supervisor had rejected my request to extend the due date of this assignment because I now I feel very peaceful that I have finished doing it...hehe..If only our request that day had been fulfilled that day, I would not be smilling now...Probably, my head will still thinking of the assignment.

Personally, I learnt something by doing this asignment. It has a lot to offer to my self especially in terms of my own personal growth and experience. It teaches me the importance of time management and the values that I grabbed from the poems that I have dealt in the assignment make me an enlightened person...hopefully so...

The Due Date Is Just Around The Corner...

The due date of my research paper assignment is this coming Friday. I had just received my draft of the assignment from my supervisor. She said that I can proceed the last part of the paper, that is the implications on education.

For this last part, I will say about the values that students can apply from both poems, especially in teaching them about being respectful and thankful to their parents. I also want to raise the issue of students' attitudes towards the elders nowadays and whether Malaysian education needs to implement Civics Education to educate students.

When I reflected the form four literature in english syllabus, I identified that most of the poems introduced are "foreign" poems. I want to suggest that Malaysian poems and writings should be added in the syllabus, as Malaysia does have brilliant writers who produce brilliantly written works...

PORTRAYAL OF FATHERS IN HAYDEN'S "THOSE WINTER SUNDAYS"AND MUHAMMAD HAJI SALLEH'S "WORDS FOR FATHER

Despite both poets coming from different background, but then they have shared a common theme in their writings. Both poems deal with portrayal of father through the voice of a grown up son. Hayden's poem is a reflection of the persona''s attitudes towards his own father when he was a child. He notices that he has never thanked his father despite all the things he had done. Unfortunately, time cannot be reversed and later when he is an adult only he realises his father's contribution and love. But, it is too late as his father has passed away. However, his realisation of his father's contribution and love is what matters. His later appreciation towards his father makes him a better person.

Meanwhile, MHS's "words for father"also portrays father through the voice of a grown up son. Here, the son depicts how hardworking his father is and his works have accumulated illness. Here, the persona advises his father to rest, from his works and his heavy responsibility to take care his children. Now that the persona is an adult, he and the others can pay his father's contribution and take care of him.

Looking at the appreciation that the persona has shown to his father, I feel that it is stirring. I also very touched towards the speaker in Hayden's poem...yes..it is true...life is so short...
We will never know what will happen to our loved ones , so take the chance to thank them while they are still alive...For me, I have lost some of the chances...

cRaCkING HeaD...

Writing responses to poems is sure a challenge for me. One thing to understand the poems and another thing to analyse the poets'treatments to both poems. I have to look for literary devices that poets always utilised in their writings in reference books. I notice that by doing this assignment, it actually refreshes my memory on literary and poetic devices poets are using.

I identified that both poets, Hayden and Muhammad haji Salleh have made used of literary devices such as repetitions, alliterations, consonance and even symbolism in order to convey messages laden in between the lines.They have also clearly depicted the subjects'through images and diction.

fiRsT sTeP to WriTE


I have been reading the book on critical perspective about MHS for several days. I have grabbed bits and pieces about Muhammad Haji Salleh and his works and think that he is an established, talented poet that refreshes the Malaysian world of literature.

Hm...after looking through both poems that I want to deal in the research paper so many times and also the informations from books and websites, i have come out with similarities and differences from the poems. Then, i had met my supervisor, Dr. Noreen and consulted the points that i have identified. She is very supportive and asked me to focus on the main thing that I want to do. She also gave several suggestions especially on the part in which I have to write the implications toward eduaction. There will be a lot more things to do for my research paper and it will be a challenge for me. Grateful that Dr. Noreen's smiling face keeps giving me hopes and motivation to work hard.

collecting information

collecting information and references to start on my research paper is excitingly tedious job to do. After reading through all information, I have to select sufficient information, the best suited to the title of my research project.

For this assignment, I'll be using information from the websites, books and the rest from my own personal respponses to the poems I am dealing with. As for Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays", I mostly read through the information using computer and while I read it, I straight away highlighted the important points for future reference. But, for Muhammad Haji Salleh's "words for father", I have to cracked my mind in order to interpret his poem. It is undeniably interesting to interpret, bt then I have to read articles about his writing stle so that interpretation comes easier. I also asked about Muhammad's poem to Dr. Edwin and he said that it is a semi autobiograpy of him. Dr. Ed also said that the famous poet is a friend of him. Thinking of that, I feel that it must be interesting to get to know people that is famous in Malaysia...hehehe (just thinking) Oh, one information about MHS attracts me. I came across that Hayden is MHS's lecturer and that Hayden once inspired Muhammad Haji Salleh to become a writer. What a coincidence...

LIBRARY, I WAS THERE...

Last Sunday, my friends and I had successfully went to UPM library. The day before I had gone there, but unlucky for me as the library closed as it was the first Saturday in the month...wuaaa..

Therefore, with determined mind, my aim is to find references for my research paper project. At first, when I tried to search the location of the books, I could not find any book about Muhammad Haji Salleh(MHS). But, when I went to the literature section and after quite a thorough searching, I managed to get hold of two books about MHS and another book which has many information about Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays". I am so happy, that I successfully found them...at least after this I can read the critical book on MHS and use information there in my research paper.hehee...

InTeRNeT DaY

Here, I am in cyber cafe...typing this internet diary of mine. Today, I have good news and bad news for my self. Start with the bad news first...As I expected, it is very difficult to search for information about Malaysian poets and poems in the net. I spent almost 2 hours now. I got hold only bits and pieces information about Muhammad Hj. Salleh.
Meanwhile the good news is that I found quite a lot websites about Robert Hayden's background profile and moreover, I managed to find information regarding the poem that I am going to analyse, which is "Those Winter Sundays". So happy for this...hehehe.
I think "if there is a will, there is a way". I will have to go to library to search about Muhammad Hj. Salleh's background information later when I have time. Actually, there are times, but I'm "afraid" of "losing my sight and way" in the library.hehe...Losing my sight because I will always feel sleepy...ZzZz.And losing my way because I am not a frequent visitor. I guess, it is time to ask "The Queen Of Library" that is lovely Kiang...

get set...

Hm, I have not met my beloved supervisor, Dr. Nooreen for a time. I should have met her earlier, but then I did have nothing in mind for my research paper. But, a few days back, I had read and schemed through the "lovely" Kirszner, just to get few hints and signs to get my project started.When I scheme through guidelines on how to analyse poems, something happened to me (am I being too dramatic, hehe!). I thought that why not I try to analyse poems. It will be quite a headache, but I'm sure it will not cause me my life(again...being too dramatic).

Therefore, after a long thought (which was 2 days later), I decided to try to analyse poems portraying father. I would love to go in depth in Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays" and Muhammad Haji Salleh's "Words For Father". Both poems will be a challenge for me, because I have not learned both poems in depth before. I promised to myself that I would search information about the two poems as soon as possible.

sTuDeNt's BLoCK

oh, it is quite depressing...until now i dont have ideas to deal with my research paper yet...I'm bored of analysing novels that i had done before...feel like doing reseach paper on short stories or poems...

hm, poems might be hard to be digested, but it would be fun...short stories sound very interesting, it's not as lengthy as novels and easier than poems...

position paper

The thesis statement of my position paper is "Heathcliff is the victim of social class prejudice in Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights". For me, I see Heathcliff as the victim because he has been discriminated because of his gypsy-looking appearance and his unrefined manner. Besides that, I believe that people look down on him because he is just an adopted child, the one having the lowest position in the Heights. And most of all, Heathcliff's love also has been rejected by Catherine. All of these discriminations upon him have made him a hard soul, whose heart and mind solely focus on taking revenge throughout his life.

Meeting with my supervisor…
My supervisor for research paper project is none other than lovely Dr. Noreen! I am delightful to have her as my supervisor as she is a very nice and helpful lecturer. Yesterday, my friends and I had met her for the first time regarding the research paper. She had shown us some examples of research papers of previous students under her supervision. She also asked us to always refer to her and that she promised to show us some other good examples of research papers. She also asked us to find interesting and refreshing issues to tackle on for this assignment.
For me, this will be a greater challenge than position paper I am working on. For this second assignment, I have to choose two different texts to compare and contrast with and derive a topic to deal with…What to do? I love Jane Austen’s novel…maybe I’ll deal with it…

POSITION PAPER

The due date to submit this position paper is not very far. Only about two weeks left and in order to do this assignment, I need to find points, supporting details and textual evidences to make it a complete position paper. At the moment, I had managed to search for four points and after the topic sentences for each points have been accepted, my job now is to look for textual evidences from the text. I have to read again the text in order to pick out appropriate textual evidences to be included in the paper.
I like this part of looking for evidences from the text as I have the opportunity to read and really delve into this novel again. Sometimes, I wondered if the points that I want to elaborate are out of the topic and when I said this dilemma of mine to my friends, they also confessed that they had the similar “disease of uncertainty” when dealing with this assignment. Hehe...Maybe this is what writers always face …writer’s block…My target is that I will be able to finish this assignment as soon as possible…maybe a day before the due date? Hehe…what a target…hehe

New thesis statement
Couples of my friends were in the same boat with me ~ our thesis statements have not been approved yet! Wua.. :( All of us were very tired of thinking and rethinking, trying to create the most suitable thesis statements for the upcoming position paper. Other fellow classmates have started to go to the next process ­- to list down their points and this heightens our anxiety level as we are left out.
Hmm…this is really a challenge for us, but a work is still a work…I have also discussed with my friends and they help me to choose suitable words for the thesis statement. At the moment, I have a new statement and after searching for the supporting points, I think that it is adequate for the position paper. The thesis statement that I have in mind is, “Heathcliff is the victim of social class prejudice in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights” and I am going to meet Miss Baiti after this, to see whether it is approved or not…Pray that it will be accepted

Thesis statement…ooo…thesis statement…

It is true that the most difficult part in position paper is to create a thesis statement. In previous post in this blog, I had said how happy I was that my thesis statement had been approved by Miss Siti. But unfortunately, the delight was vanished once she informed me that it was not approved by her superior. Hm…She said I have to change one word,”inflict” in particular. I have speculated before that this one verb would give trouble as it suggests cause-effect statement, but i thought...why not try my luck. Hehe.. However, here it is, being rejected.
Therefore, I have to reorder the statement, but it is quite difficult. Maybe, I will change to another thesis statement altogether, but since I am very enthusiastic in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, I think I will still use this text for my position paper.

DAEDALUS and icarus

There are so many myths and legends being told from time to time. Daedalus and Icarus is one of them and the most recent myth that I had learnt in the class. It is very interesting to notice the way the writer had written the story. There is no way to straightaway understanding to the story. Only after several times reading did I finally understand the story because there are too many characters and it is quite confusing. hehehe

Here, i have typed DAEDALUS in capital letters and the name icarus all in small letters...want to know why? I think that both of these people, though portrayed as father and son, but then they are so different. The father is very brilliant and skillful architect, but the son is unbelievably foolish...Moreover, the age factor also makes them different. DAEDALUS is a matured, loving father but the son, icarus is immatured child who is disobidient to his father leads him to his own death...

At last, I have gotten hold of a thesis statement of my position paper!Hm, actually the idea had been approaved by Miss Siti and I hope that i can continue the next level soon. The thesis statment that I am going to write about later sounds like this,"Heathcliff's vengence inflicts sufferings on Catherine's life in "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. How does that sound?
I feel that I'm very interested with this novel and that the main character, Heathcliff's vengence towards the LIntons runs deep and Catherine is probably the most affected of all. Besides that, his zest to overcome his poor condition in life in order to take revenge is remarkably strong. Truthfully, I had thought of doing the consequences for several characters, but after some discussion, I will be focusing on one character, "Heathcliff's other side"~Catherine.
For the time being, I am trying to brainstorm points to elaborate.

fIRsT aSSigNMent

My first impression when I had heard about the position paper that I am assigned with, truthfully, I had mixed feelings. As if my heart was divided to defferent kinds of coloums, (does it sounds like Cordelia!Hee) I felt a bit excited and also anxious.Excited because this is the opportunity for me to develop my own position paper and to go through it must be some kind of a road full of challenges. Some other part of me felt anxious because deep inside, i know the position paper and later the reseach paper are both tough and a lot of idea generation must follow by. Hm...have to get ready to have my hands full then...hehe