Which book did you find the most valuable and why? Which task/project did you find the most challenging and why? Which task/project seemed the most valuable? What changes would you recommend to the unit in order to enhance learning and opportunities to think more deeply?
I personally liked reading the book Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See because I was able to sympathize with both Snow Flower and Lily in the novel. They were friends for a long time but there were truths hidden behind their happiness. When Lily finds out Snow Flower’s secrets, she becomes outraged that she gradually parts away from her friend. For me, communication is very important because without it, I imagine all sorts of things. Therefore, Snow Flower should have informed Lily about her family because Lily was more than ready to understand everything about Snow Flower. Another reason why I liked the book so much was because the book applies to my life as well. A long time ago, I had a friend who used to share secrets with me all the time. We felt extremely close to each other; however, I found out that she was actually telling all my stories to another friend. When I found out, the disappointment all turned into resentment and until today, I am unable to resolve all those dismay toward her. I still try, just like Lily tries to understand Snow Flower, but deep inside of me, I want my friend to come and say sorry for what she has done.
I found the PSA project to be the most challenging because I had to fit in so many critical elements into those 30 seconds. However, I felt that I was able to put my effort into the project and completed the project with satisfaction. In the video, I wanted to include more about how Lily felt about Snow Flower’s stupid choice, but due to limited time, I was unable to put in much dialects.
I found the letter assignment the most valuable because I was able to show how much I understood the novel in terms of characters. Because I knew how each characters felt and read between the lines, I was able to write a letter in Lily’s perspective. While I was writing the letter, I teared a bit because it felt like I was writing a letter to my friend who used to be very close to me. I was able to put in emotion into the letter, which I thought was really valuable.
In the class, I would like to see more discussions because when we only write, we are limited to time and organization, thereby leaving out more interesting ideas. During discussions, I am able to express ideas that are not only limited to the context but that are from the history or from life lessons. Therefore, we should have more discussions!
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