June 20, 2007
To Whom It May Concern:
First of all, I would like to thank you for taking your time to read this cover letter and my selected works for my portfolio.
In this blog, I present six documents which I put the most effort on during the course. They are far from perfect, but I like all of them. They are like my children who are lovely because they are true. I feel honored to present them to all of you and share the growing of them with you. It is welcome for any of you to give me some comments and suggestions.
The reading log about “Necklace”, a famous piece of Maupassant’s work, was the first article I wrote in this class. I like this story very much. When I was in the middle school, I read the Chinese edition of the same story. I was impressed by it and immediately bought a book of Maupassant, who later became one of my favorite writers.
The main pieces which the entire semester revolved around, Draft 1 to Draft 3, deal with “the Americanization of Shadrach Cohen”. From Draft 1 to Draft 3, you can see the process and progress how I do my literature. In the Draft 1, I have learnt how to develop a good thesis statement. Actually, I think I have a good and strong thesis. In Draft 2 I was puzzled by the quotation. I quoted too many words from the author that weakened my analyses and interpretation on the thesis statement. If I used too many quotations, the article would be boring. However, if I deleted most of my citation, then my thesis would lack evidence and become unconvincing. It really took time to find the balance. Finally I learnt to paraphrase the quotation which is a useful skill in comment writing. The draft 3 shows that I added new things to the thesis. I took Fandi and Demand’s suggestion into consideration and rethought on my thesis. I really appreciate what they have done to help me on my thesis. Thank you, my friends!
“The timed-writing” was the last piece. Since we have not much time to think and write, it is not well-structured and has numerous errors.
Honestly speaking, I really learnt a lot especially the comment on literature. At first I thought this course would teach us on academic writing. Though we didn’t practice on that part, the course is very helpful. In this class, the teacher created a free and cheerful writing environment. We can do peer review which I think is the most interesting step. We read each other’s work, gave and received some supportive comments and suggestions to one another. This pattern is fresh to me.
On the other hand, the schedule and arrangement of this course were well prepared. Every time we do free writing, read some novels and learn a lot of skills on writing. At the beginning, I thought the homework was too much since every week I spent much time on writing. Gradually, I began to realize the benefit. It is because we do writing every week that we can practise the skill we have learnt in class immediately. What I also learnt from the course is that the attitude is key important. Very often I don’t pay enough attention on grammatical skills. I even don’t bother to check errors over and over again. However, for an English learner, by no means can it be neglected if you wish to be a good writer.
Through the course, I can’t draw the conclusion that my writing skill has been upgraded in that the process of improving in writing is a long journey. Four months is not long enough to change the level of writing, but it is enough to change one’s perspective on writing. What I can firmly say is that my interest in reading and writing has been inspired. Some new concepts and notions have been absorbed. I really like this course from heart. Thank you indeed, Ron. It is your criticisms and suggestions that help me to realize the weakness.
All in all, I know that I have much room to improve in my English writing. Till now, I am not a good writer. I will try my best. It is a long way to go.
Thank you for reading my papers. I hope you may enjoy reading each one and get something.
Sincerely,
Alice Zhang
June 22, 2007
Alice Zhang
Draft 3
Who was really Americanized, Shadrach Cohen or his sons?
In the latter part of the 19th century, in order to escape religious persecution, many Jewish immigrants fled their countries, most of whom came to America. With little money, the majority of the new settlers struggled to survive. While in “The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen”, Bruno Lessing tells us a story of a pretty different Jewish family in New York.
Shadrach Cohen, the main character created, is a charming one, who seemed low key on appearance but succeeded in the business realm after immigrated to America to support his two sons. Shadrach accomplished his Americanization without giving up his own culture dignity. At the same time he gained the respect of his two sons by eliminating the conflicts between the two generations.
Both of the generations experienced their process of change, yet totally different. We may come up with the question, who was really Americanized, Shadrach Cohen or his sons? Through the whole story, we can see that Shadrach’s Americanization is quite successful, while what happened to his two sons can’t be defined as Americanization.
The author gave us the whole image description of Shadrach both in the beginning and the end. It was a typical picture of a Jew: long straggly grey beard, curled hair falling over the ears and long gabardine of the Russian Ghettos. His appearance told everything about his habits and tenets----- plain, natural and simple.
On the contrary, two sons’ parody of the American culture seems ridiculous. When Shadrach arrived, he was met by “two dapper-looking young men”, (p46) each of whom wore a flaring-style dress and their neckties had a diamond in it. The author described the two sons in an ironic tone to show the scorn. Maybe the toilette was pretty in style at that time in America, but without the “flamboyant crust” what else did they have in their mind? Null. “Abel and Gottlieb were proud of the fact that they had become Americanized.” (p46)In fact, they quite enjoyed their so called “Americanization”.
There is no such culture that is superior to others in origin. As a matter of fact, we can surely find some pros and cons in any specific culture. To learn from other culture doesn’t mean to entirely deny every respect of one’s own culture. A successful combination of different cultures is to absorb the merits of both sides. Shadrach proved it.
At first, Shadrach resisted being “tamed” Americanized. He loved his own Jewish culture and religion. He kept his Jewish habit and act on it. He donned his praying cap and started to recite the grace after meals. “It is wrong to omit the prayer after meals. It is part of your religion.” (p47)He said these words to his sons when he finished his prayer. These noble words from his deep heart served as the declaration of his godliness towards Jewish religion. It was not only formalism. What he clung to is the cream of the Jewish religion, such as “the value of discipline, the beauty of filial reverence, the severe joy of the earnest life”. (p50) Even immigrating to America, he still maintained and cherished his tenets with tenacity, which I believe is one of his primary factors responsible for his success in the process of Americanization.
On the other hand, his two sons totally neglect their own culture. They had done away with the habit of doing prayer. “It’s not quite American!” (p47)Their criterion of judging the value of something is whether it appealed to be American!! What a shame! The two brothers didn’t realize the soul of Jewish religion at all. They not only omitted the prayer after meals but also showed no respect to their father and the maid, Marta. They kept trying to persuade their father to have a thorough change regardless of their father’s feeling. When they picked up their father and found his long-companied maid, their first reaction was to fire her without hesitation. Obviously it was a kind of discrimination. How can they be so cruel to the old lady? So it is nature for Shadrach to feel changes occurred on his sons and between them was a wall. All could be imputed to his sons’ “Americanized”.
Anyone who wants to adapt to a new environment has to learn some local tradition and culture. Shadrach was no exception. What to learn is the key to determine whether he would be successfully accepted or not. Contact with the American society had soon impressed Shadrach. What had Shadrach learn from the American business men? The answer can be concluded as “broader-minded, more tolerant, more flexible in his tenet…the faculty of adaptability”. (p50)What he chose to learn is just “the charm of American life, of liberty, of democracy”. (p50) For a mid-aged man, it was hard to adapt to a new environment and accept new conceptions. However, Shadrach was the infrequent exception because he was one of those outstanding people who have profound mind and acute insight. In this sense, he was quite progressive and open-minded. It was the perfect blend of the American style and Jewish religion that contributed to his process of Americanization.
Despite the change, he held his tenets and was still himself. Being in such a complicated transformation process, it is easy to lose oneself. Fortunately, Shadrach didn’t. He can adapt to a new style of treating people or some aspects of his character. What the Americanization can’t change is his Jewish heart. “And yet it was the same Shadrach Cohen.” (p50)The Jewish religion was rooted in him, which will never be replaced.
Whereas, the sons’ words give us a more clear understanding of their opinion towards Americanization. Two sons were the vivid examples who judge the book by its cover. In their eyes, their father, with long beard and gabardine, was too old- fashioned. “Come father, let’s go to a barber, who will trim your beard and make you look more like an American.” (p46)They urged Shadrach to trim beard twice more. I don’t think it was repeated or redundant for the author to write it twice. It is clear the author wanted to emphasize on this point that the sons regarded American style as something only relating to appearance.
“If becoming Americanized means becoming stupid, I must congratulate you upon the thoroughness of your work.”(p49) Shadrach’s comments above best summarized it. Actually, the “stupid” sons adapted to an American hairstyle, dressing fashion and the way they talk. They gradually left out the Jewish prayer afraid of the tease by others and picked up something with an “America” tag which is meaningless. They even haven’t realized the true meaning of Americanization: something about the value of life and society.
From the contrast of the different attitudes his sons treat Shadrach, we can also witness his fruitful Americanization. At the beginning, the two sons showed no respect to their father. To some extent, they even didn’t play their roles as filial and dutiful sons well. “His sons clinched their fists behind their backs and smiled at him amiably.” (p46)They can’t agree with their father and even came up with the idea of using violence towards him. However, they have to conceive the anger since they didn’t dare to risk their father’s displeasure in case their financial support went away. This is typical American style violence abuse. They kept asking for money and once pocketed the money, “they would shake their heads and sign.” (p47) It was a pity that the only bond between the father and his sons is blood. Or maybe “money” served better. In sons’ eyes, their father was just an instrument like ATM machine. What’s more, they wanted to “modify” their father by “Americanizing” him. They not only themselves forget about the Jewish religion, they even didn’t consider about their father’s choice on religion tenets. Later on, with no change happened on Shadrach after long trying, two sons felt dismay. All these can be blamed as the effect of the materialism which is featured mainly in American civilization.
After tasting the flavor of hard work and the success of the business, two sons changed gradually and unconsciously. They gradually started to look on their father with increasing respect. They even detected “the integrity of his character…the nobility of his heart…the shrewdness of his brain.” The two sons became to take pride in their father from heart. It was a significant contrast compared to their previous behavior. The sons finally get to appreciate their father’s Jewish charming.
It goes without saying that women judge men differently from the way men do. The only woman in the story, Miriam, when first met Shadrach, was quite impressed by his personality charisma. “Impulsively she ran toward him and seized his hands.” (p51) What attracted her was not the American style which she was familiar with but something about Jewish, something unique----a strong man, shrewd, soft and tender, with a kind heart.
It is the difference of the definition of Americanization between the two generations that cause the different outcome. Though neither of them had tried to define it, from their performance, we can get a general idea of it. In the young’s eyes, Americanization is a symbol of stylish appearance and life pattern. While in the father’s perspective, Americanization means a deferential and kind attitude towards people and an indebted and earnest heart towards life. Of course, under no circumstance should one’s own culture be abandoned. From the difference between the two generations we can draw the conclusion that the “worm”----Shadrach turned in a perfect way, while the youth were still naive and had a long way to go on the road towards the true “Americanization”.
Work Cited
“The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen” Bruno Lessing
The International Story: An Anthology with Guidelines for Reading and Writing about Fiction. Ruth Spack. New Yorks: St.Martin’s, 1994. 6-8.
Draft 2
22-05-07
Alice Zhang
Who was really Americanized, Shadrach Cohen or his sons?
In the latter part of the 19th century, in order to escape religious persecution, many Jewish immigrants fled their countries, most of whom came to America. With little money, the majority of the new settlers struggled to survive. While in “The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen ”, Bruno Lessing tells us a story of a pretty different Jewish family in New York.
Shadrach Cohen, the main character created, is a charming one, who seemed low key on appearance but succeeded in the business realm after immigrated to America to support his two sons.Shadrach accomplished his Americanization without giving up his own culture dignity. At the same time he gained the respect of his two sons by eliminating the conflicts between the two generations.
Both of the generations experienced their process of change, yet totally different. We may come up with the question, who was really Americanized, Shadrach Cohen or his sons? In my perspective, Shadrach’s Americanization is quite successful, while what happened on his two sons can’t be defined as Americanization.
There is no such culture that is superior to the others in origin. As a matter of fact, we can surely find some pros and cons in any specific culture. To learn from other culture doesn’t mean to entirely deny every respect of ones own culture. A successful combination of different culture is to absorb the merits of both sides. Shadrach proved it.
At first, Shadrach resisted being “tamed” Americanized. He loved his own Jewish culture and religion. He kept his Jewish habit and action on it. He donned his praying cap and started to recite the grace after meals. “It is wrong to omit the prayer after meals. It is part of your religion. I do not know anything about this America or its customs.” He said these words to his sons when he finished his prayer. These noble words from his deep heart served as the declaration of his godliness towards Jewish religion. It was not only formalism. What he cling to is the cream of the Jewish religion, such as “the value of discipline, the beauty of filial reverence, the severe joy of the earnest life”. Even immigrating to America, he still maintained and cherished his tenets with tenacity, which I believe is one of his primary factors responsible for his success in the process of Americanization.
On the other hand, his two sons totally neglect their own culture. They had done away with the habit of doing prayer. “It’s not quite American!” Their criterion of judging the value of something is whether it appeared to American!! What a shame! The two brothers didn’t realize the souled of Jewish religion at all. They not only omitted the prayer after meals but also showed no respect to their father and the maid. They kept trying to persuade their father to have a thorough “repair” regardless of their father’s feeling. When they picked up their father and found his long-companied maid, their reaction was to fire her without hesitation. Obviously it was a kind of discrimination. How can they be so cruel to the old lady? So it is nature for Shadrach to feel changes occurred on his sons and between them was a wall. His sons had “Americanized”.
Anyone who wants to adapt to a new environment has to learn some local tradition and culture. Shadrach was no exception. What to learn is the key to determine whether he would be successfully accepted or not. What had Shadrach learn? The answer can be concluded as “…the faculty of adaptability, broader-minded, more tolerant, more flexible in his tenets…”. What he chose to learn is just “the charm of American life, of liberty, of democracy”. It was the perfect blend of the American style and Jewish religion that contributed to his process of Americanization.
Despite the change, he held his tenets and was still himself. Being in such a complicated transformation process, it is easy to lost oneself. Fortunately, Shadrach didn’t. He can adapt to a new style of treating people or some aspects of his character. What the Americanization can’t change is his Jewish heart. “And yet it was the same Shadrach Cohen.” The Jewish religion was rooted in him, which will never be replaced. “Blessed be He.”
On the contrary, two sons’ parody of the American culture seems ridiculous. “When the ship landed he was met by two dapper-looking young men, each of whom wore a flaring necktie with a diamond in it.” The author described the two sons in an ironic tone to show the scorn. “Abel and Gottlieb were proud of the fact that they had become Americanized.” Obviously, they quite enjoyed their so called “Americanization”.
Besides, the sons’ words give us a more clear understanding of their opinion towards Americanization. “Come father, let’s go to a barber, who will trim your beard and make you look more like an American.” Americanization can be found on beard? “Ah, father, if you would only not insist upon being so old-fashioned!” To keep Jewish tradition equally means some kind of old fashioned? “And let us fix you up a bit.” They even wanted to FIX their father? “And become more progressive—like the other men of your age in this country.” Other men in America at Shadrach’s age were more progressive just because they are American? “And learn to speak English.” From the words they said to their father, it’s clear that they regarded American style as something only relating to appearance.
“If becoming Americanized means becoming stupid, I must congratulate you upon the thoroughness of your work.” Actually, the “stupid” sons adapt to an American hairstyle, dressing fashion and the way they talk. They gradually left out the Jewish prayer afraid of the tease by others and picked up something with an “America” tag which is meaningless. They even haven’t realized the true meaning of Americanization: something about the liberty and democracy. Shadrach’s comments above best summarized it.
From the contrast of the different attitudes his sons treat him, we can also witness his fruitful Americanization. At the beginning, the two sons showed no respect to their father. “His sons clinched their fists behind their backs and smiled at him amiably.” They can’t agree with their father and even came up with the idea of using violence towards him. However, they have to conceive the anger since they didn’t dare to risk their father’s displeasure in case their financial support went away. This is typical American style violence abuse. They kept asking for money and once pocketed the money, “they would shake their heads and sign.” It was a pity that the only bond between the father and his sons is blood. Or maybe “money” served better. In sons’ eyes, their father was just an instrument like ATM machine. What’s more, they wanted to “modify” their father by “Americanizing” him. They not only themselves forget about the Jewish religion, they even didn’t consider about their father’s choice on religion tenets. Later on, with no change happened on Shadrach after long trying, “Behind his head they looked at each other in dismay.” All these can be blamed as the effect of the materialism which is featured in American civilization.
After tasting the flavor of hard work and the success of the business, two sons changed gradually and unconsciously. “They began to look upon their father with increasing respect. What they had refused to the integrity of his character, to the nobility of his heart, they promptly yielded to the shrewdness of his brain. The sons of Shadrach Cohen became proud of their father.” It was a significant contrast compared to their previous behavior. The sons finally get to appreciate their father’s Jewish charming.
It is the difference of the definition of Americanization between the two generations that cause the different outcome. Though neither of them had tried to define it, from their performance, we can get a general idea of it. In the young’s eyes, Americanization is a symbol of stylish appearance and life pattern. While in the father’s perspective, Americanization is an unconscious process. Under no circumstance should Jewish culture be abandoned.
The worm turned in a perfect way, while the youth are still naive and have a long way to go.
Draft 1
06-05-07
Alice Zhang
Who was really Americanized, Shedrach Cohen or his sons?
In the latter part of the 19th century, in order to escape religious persecution, many Jewish immigrants fled their countries, most of whom came to America. With little money, the majority of the new settlers struggled to survive. While in “The Americanization of Shadrach cohen ”, Bruno Lessing tells us a story of a pretty different Jewish Family in New York.
Shadrach Cohen, the main character created by Lessing in the story, is a charming one, who seems low key on appearance but succeeded in the business realm after immigrant to America to support his two sons. Two sons immigrated to America earlier, only to learn the smattering of American culture which is just the seamy side of the culture.
Shedrach accomplished his Americanization without giving up his own culture dignity. At the same time he gained the respect of his two sons by eliminating the conflicts between the two generations.
Both of the generation experienced their process of change, yet totally different. We may came to the question, who was really Americanized, Shedrach Cohen or his sons? In my perspective, Shedrach’s Americanization is quite successful, while what happened on his two sons can’t be defined as Americanization.
At first, Shadrach resisted being “tamed” Americanized. He loved his own Jewish culture and religion.” It is wrong to omit the prayer after meals. It is part of your religion. I do not know anything about this America or its customs. But religion is the worship of rules Jehovah, who has chosen us as His children on earth, and that same Jehovah rules supreme over America even as He does over the country that you came from. ” He said these words to his sons when he finished his prayer. These noble words from his deep heart served as the declaration of his godliness towards Jewish religion. It was not only formalism. What he cling to is the cream of the Jewish religion. For instance, “the value of discipline, the beauty of filial reverence, the severe joy of the earnest life”. Even immigrating to America, he still maintained and cherished his tenets with tenacity, which I believe is one of his primary factors responsible for his success in the process of Americanization.
Anyone who wants to adapt to a new environment has to learn some local tradition and culture. Shedrach was no exception. What to learn is the key to determine whether he would be successfully accepted or not. What had Shedrach learn? “…the faculty of adaptability, broader-minded, more tolerant, more flexible in his tenets…” What he chose to learn is just “the charm of American life, of liberty, of democracy”. It was the perfect combination of the American style and Jewish religion that contributed to his process of Americanization.
Despite the changing, he held his tenets and was still himself. He can adapt to a new style of treating people or some aspects of his character and in fact he do did. What the Americanization can’t change is his Jewish heart. “And yet it was the same Shadrach Cohen.” The Jewish religion was rooted in him which will never be replaced. “Blessed be He.”
From the contrast of the different attitudes his sons treat him, we can also witness his successful Americanization. At the beginning, the two sons kept asking for money and showed no respect to their father’s choice on the tenets. “His sons clinched their fists behind their backs and smiled at him amiably.” “Behind his head they looked at each other in dismay.”
After tasting the flavor of hard work and the success of the business, two sons changed gradually and unconsciously. “They began to look upon their father with increasing respect. What they had refused to the integrity of his character, to the nobility of his heart, they promptly yielded to the shrewdness of his brain. The sons of Shadrach Cohen became proud of their father.”
Evidence of his sons
On the contrary, two sons only learned the smattering of American culture which is just the seamy side of the culture. “Come father, let’s go to a barber, who will trim your beard and make you look more like an American.” “Ah, father, if you would only not insist upon being so old-fashioned!” “And become more progressive—like the other men of your age in this country.” “And learn to speak English.” From the words they said to their father, it’s obvious that they defined American style as something about appearance.
“If becoming Americanized means becoming stupid, I must congratulate you upon the thoroughness of your work.” Shadrach’s comments best summarized it.
On the other hand, his two sons entirely deny every respect of ones own culture. We can learn a lot from the Jewish religion, “the value of discipline, the beauty of filial reverence, the severe joy of the earnest life”, but the two brothers didn’t realize the elite of Jewish religion. They omitted the prayer after meals and showed no respect to the old.
conclution
06309050049
Alice Zhang
June 21, 2007
Timed-writing 3
Directions: If you were to create a filmed advertisement (a “trailer) for a movie based on The Grass-Eaters, which scene would you select? Why? Discuss ways in which you might film the scene. (100%)
The scene will be set in the mid night, when the main character was sleeping on the ground outside. In the dawn, he woke up, finding that who he was holding in his arms was not his wife. What’s more, one of his legs was just over her body! What kind of body was it? It was a bag of bones! The woman was about seventy years old! At this time, the woman also woke up, screaming. Thunderstorm! Ten meters far away, his wife was walking towards him. He didn’t have a clear mind yet until his wife gave him a lesson, black and blue.
Next day morning, the husband of the old lady who was a man of a hill came with extreme anger. The scene will be ended when the main character was fled away after whom was the huge man.
Every time I read this plot, I can’t help laughing myself. The tune the author used to tell the story was quite humor and ironic. So I decide to use a comedy for the trailer which will suit the tone better. The scene I chose is a typical funny and interesting one. The lovely couple had no shelter to sleep. They just slept outdoors. Ironically, it is very difficult to identify the place where they woke up next morning. It shows the poverty and hardships of their life. However, the funny scene conveys the humor and optimism which make the couple distinguished from others. Under this circumstance, they still lived happily and cherished each other as the only pressure. It is very touching.
Of course, I will choose charming actors and actresses to play the part. The line of the whole scene will be exaggerated and funny. The clothes the couple wears in the movie will be dirty. The emphases will be put on the “lesson” the wife gave her husband and the old lady’s reaction when she found her situation. Hope you may enjoy the trailer and movie.
Vanity Kills People The ironic ending of the whole story shocked me a lot, though it isn’t my first time to read this story. The entire story happened just out of the vanity of the woman. She envied the luxurious life of high class people. It was that desire of vanity that killed the woman and her entire life!! If she leaded a life as any other woman in her class did, washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen and was content with what she already had, she would have been much happier. The other main character in the story, the husband, was really a tragedy role who sacrificed for his wife’s vanity. He struggled to get that invitation for his wife and just because of that”struggle” he had to take several jobs and did his best to return the debt of the lost necklace in ten years. The loss of the necklace is the turning point of life of the couple. That makes me reflecting on the movie Titanic. Jack won the gambling and got the ticket of the trip on the magnificent ship. Ironically, what he also won is the end of his life. All the things the husband did were just out of the love and responsibility of being a husband. I feel pity for him because he shouldn’t be the victim of the weakness of humanity. What also shocked me is that a tiny mistake can totally change one’s whole life. At the meantime, I believe that the couple is lovely in some way. Though they undertook really tough life during the ten years, they didn’t give up their credit and dignity. At least they gave back the necklace, paid back all the debt and tell the truth to Mme.forestier. Though the woman had so many unrealistic daydreams, after the loss of the necklace she faced life courageously and bravely instead of escaping from the reality.