Sabtu, 11 Juni 2011

Life is...



Life is…
Mother Theresa
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

Minggu, 05 Juni 2011

My favorite poem "Seeds"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But:
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful with what you have planted, because you will reap something good or bad for yourself in the future...


Taken from: http://www.bradgarbus.com/Favorite-Things/take-time

Sabtu, 04 Juni 2011

THE MONKEY'S PAW (1902) - The plot

THE MONKEY'S PAW (1902)

from The lady of the barge (1906, 6th ed.)
London and New York
Harper & Brothers, Publishers

by W.W. Jacobs

Retold by Rudi Brata

Theme
We have to believe that our fate in live is determined by our sacrifice through the help of the God, it is not determined by a kind of amulet such a spelled monkey’s paw
The Plot
The Monkey's Paw is a story about a mystical charm. The first scene of the story begins with Mr. White and his grown-up son Herbert playing a game of chess. They are playing chess cheerfully. Meanwhile,  Mrs. White is knitting by the fire and sometimes she interrupts them by giving some comments about the game. In that game, Mr. White loses it and becomes upset and irritated. Soon, there is a knock at the door and a friend of the Whites who has been part of the British force in India. His name is Sergeant-Major Morris, then he enters the room. He brings a monkey's paw. It is brought into the home of the White family by Sergeant Major Morris. Because in the past, he served in India along with Mr. White. He tells that the monkey’s paw can  fulfill their wishes because this paw has had a spell put on it by a fakir (a holy man), to the Whites. Morris goes on to say that the fakir wanted to show that "fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. He put a spell on it so that three different men could each have three wishes from it.  The monkey's paw has the ability to grant three wishes to three people.  Sergeant-Major. Morris was the second owner. But unfortunately, the first and the third owner's wish was for death. 
When Sergeant-Major Morris comes into the room. They share a few drinks and the Sergeant-Major tells them some tales about his trips to India, where he got a monkey's paw. Sergeant M. Morris expresses deep sadness frustration over the monkey's paw and tries to destroy it. However,  Mr. White saves it and takes it off his hands for a small fee.  
After that, Mr. White gives his first wish is for 200 pounds. He and his family, wife and son Herbert, think that the monkey's paw is a hoax because  nothing happens immediately. Then, the Whites' get the money. But this is a really sad and bad news. Because it is from Herbert's factory after he is accidentally pulled into a machine and severely mutilated by the machine to death.  
And then I think this is the climax of the story. Because through the second wish which is thought of by Mrs. White unrealistically, is hoping to bring her son back from the grave.  He has been dead for 10 days, again after the wish, nothing happens immediately.  The Whites' then begin to hear the sound of someone or something arriving at their door and a loud knocking begins.  Mrs. White wants to rush to the door. Mr. White is not so sure. As Mrs. White rushes to the door to open it, it is locked by a bolt at the top, she can't reach the lock.
Finally, when she is dragging a chair to the door, Mr. White is angrily looking for the monkey's paw to make his third wish because he doesn’t want his son to be back from his death. Then Mr. White makes his third wish, to return whatever is at the door, Herbert or something else,  to be back to the grave. And when Mrs. White opens the door, She doesn’t find anything but only the dark empty night.


Kamis, 02 Juni 2011

The Wicker Husband-The analysis of the characters

 by Ursula Wills-Jones
                                                                         retold by Rudi Brata
The analysis of the characters
I begin the analyzing from the characters of the ugly girl. In my opinion, even though she is not beautiful, she is a kind-hearted person. I can see this personality from her attitude in the story that she never complains about her life, she never spreads some unimportant gossips to other people in the neighborhood, she is never jealous and envy to other people. She also enjoys her marriage life even though her her neighbors almost always spread the bad gossip about her. 
Then I continue with the wicker husband. He is a good, romantic, devoted, helpful, faithful, honest, loving and obedient husband to his wife. I can judge those personality traits from his special treatment to his wife. For examples, I start from the first night of their marriage, The wicker husband says to his wife: ‘ This bed is broken. Bring me a chisel: I will fix it.’  Then he fixes that broken bed just like a good husband. This means that he is so handy, and helpful to his wife. After that, at the end of the day after the ugly girl comes home from work, the wicker husband looks at her nicely and say: ‘I was made to be with you.’ This reflects that he is a sweet and romantic guy.
Next, I characterize the basket-maker. I think he is a creative, artistic, punctual and nice person. Because he can create something made by wood or wicker creatively and artistically. He also can finish the order on time. And he treats his customers nicely.
After that, I describe the blacksmith’s wife. She often minds other people’s business and she is also envious. I judge this from the story that she is the boldest in the wedding party. when the music pauses she goes towards the couple. Then she listens the wicker husband say ‘you are the only reason that I live and breathe’ to his wife. Then, she tells about this to the neighborhood. So, this makes other people especially  women become envious and jealous.
Then, the butcher is so ambitious. Because he gives everything he has in order to get the wicker lady. He is also mean to his wife. I can see this because when he wants to meet the wicker woman he locks his wife in the coal cellar. I think, he does this to his wife in order to be free from his wife’s interruptions or disturbances when meeting and getting the wicker lady.

The Wicker Husband -The Plot of the Story

by Ursula Wills-Jones
                                                                            retold by Rudi Brata (summary)
The Plot of the Story
To my point of view, the plot that flows in the story is completely foreshadowing because after reading the whole story, I can see that it begins with the exposition by telling the physical features and the characteristics of the main character in that story. The author doesn’t write the name of the main character instead the author just writes about her physical features that she is ugly, short and fat. She has legs that one of them is  a little bit shorter so that she doesn’t walks smoothly, and she has eyebrows that meet in the middle. Then the author describes that she works as fish gutter or someone who takes out the intestines and other internal organs of fish before cooking it to earn some money. Because of her job, her hands smells fish and her dress is covered in scales. She doesn’t have parents, brothers and sisters. or any friends. She lives in a bad condition house which is located on the outskirts of the village. But one thing for sure, is that she is happy for what she has, therefore she never complains about her life. Then, one by one, the girls in that village get married with the local young men. At the weddings, the ugly girl always stands at the back of the church, smelling slightly of brine.  The women in that village also gossip about the ugly girl. They wonder about what she does with the money that she has earned because they rarely see that the ugly girl spends her money. Actually, she spends her money to pay the famous old basket-maker to make a wicker husband for her. And she pays for six gold coins to the old basket-maker in order to make a wicker husband for her.
The raising action in the story starts when the villagers begin to notice a change in the ugly girl’s life after getting married with the wicker husband over the weeks. For examples, if one of her legs is still shorter than the other, her hips move with a swing that doesn’t pleased them. If she still smells funny, she sings while she guts the fish. She buys a new frock and wears flowers on the hair. Her eyebrows are no longer meet in the middle because the wicker husband has pulled them cut with his strong, withy fingers. The villagers also see her house has been repainted, the window sparkle and the door is fixed.  These changes make the village become jealous. Because the women the village demand their husbands help and obey to the wives just like the wicker husband does to his wife. And the husbands are annoyed by their wives expectations. Because of it, they blame each other. But secretly, in their hearts, they blame the ugly girl and her husband. However, the ugly girl doesn’t realize all of the jealousy because she is busy enjoying her marriage life.
The climax in the story happens when one day at night, the wives and husbands of the village all agree - for once - that something drastic must be done. Then a few days later, the villagers come to the famous old basket-maker in order to ask him to make a baby made by wicker. And they pay a bag of gold to the old basket-maker for doing it. Then, on a dusky day in autumn, the ugly girl is sitting by the fire, when there is a knock on the door. The wicker husband opens it. Outside, stand the villagers. The tailor’s wife carries a bundle in her arms, and the bundle contains a baby made of wicker.  Later, they blame the wicker husband that he has done adultery with other women and the result or proof is the baby. Unfortunately, The ugly girl just believes to what the villager say. Therefore, She is angry to her husband very much. She throws a lamp and flings it straight at her husband. The wicker husband gets burned and finally he runs away to the river to save his life and put out the fire. However, After this happening, the villagers leave the ugly girl alone just like that. Because they think that their evil mission is done successfully.
The resolution is when The basket-maker gives an announcement to the villagers that he wants to retire from his job. He tells them that he wants to make his masterwork that is a woman made of wicker before he is retired. Then he tells them that if they want to have her, they must bring him a gift for his retirement. Whoever brings the best gift can have the wicker woman, said the old basket-maker. When the day comes, the old basket-maker comes to town. And the villagers bring their gifts. The tailor brings a luxurious coat, the miller brings twelve sacks of grains, the baker makes the most extravagant cake, the carpenter brings a table and chairs, the carter gives a strong horse, the blacksmith’s wife gives a big size cheese, the tailor’s wife gives a bag of gold, then the butcher brings the best and the most outstanding ones, he brings two oxen, four cows and a dozen sheep. And finally, the prize goes to the butcher. However, other gifts are non returnable. Therefore, the old basket-maker keeps all the gifts with him. But when the butcher sees the wicker lady, he was surprised and shocked. Because the wicker lady is short of stature and twisted of limb, her face is dark and rough. And the worst is that from head to foot, she is covered with thorns. As the result, the butcher and other villagers feel betrayed. Because they expect to get the good wicker lady as good as the wicker husband. So they are angry to the old basket-maker. Then they chase him into his house in the dark of night until dawn. But unfortunately, when the villagers arrive at his house, the old basket-maker, the wicker husband, the ugly girl and the baby, as well as the villagers gifts, have already gone.