Snow falling on Cedars

When we look at Hatsue Miyamoto and Ishmael Chambers, who became friends as small children we notice that such a relationship is doomed to fail under the circumstances of that time. As a young American boy, Ishmael had a deep friendship with a local Japanese girl. They spent a lot of time together and played on the beach however they felt a strong connection between them. To be more precisely one noticed that Ishmael’s feelings were stronger. Yeats passed and the first kiss happened.
The same situation happened four years later but the importance of this kiss was more serious. For him it was an overwhelming situation and in the contrary it was just an experience for her. But then again as teenagers they often hid in a hollowed-out cedar tree in the forest to hide their love because Hatsue, however, always experienced doubt regarding the nature of her feelings for Ishmael. On the one hand Hatsue feels a deep unity with the Japanese culture and her family background. But on the other hand there exist a story desire for a world without societal pressures and prejudices. That is what made Ishmael very desirable. Hatsue felt that the love between Ishmael and her was somehow wrong. Nonetheless Ishmaels love for her never ends.
Later Hatsue followed the Japanese tradition and the wishes of her parents by marrying a Japanese man. This act cut a deep wound in his heart and he retreated into his shell because she was his one and only love. Hatsue rejection left him bitter and resentful. Finally he never had the strength to leave his shell accept circumstances that he cannot change and perhaps find a new love. In contrast Hatsue, who married Kabuo Miyamoto always struggles for the reconciliation of both cultures and she would like to live both lives.

Correction

Task 1:

Dear Susanne

I have to describe my feelings and thoughts to you about Rockwell’s painting, “The Problem we all live with”, because it has bothered me a lot and I have to speak with someone about it. First of all I want to start with the description. In the centre there is a little black girl, wearing a white dress. She has got her School things with her and is carrying those with her left hand. The little girl is surrounded by four white men, who wear suits with a yellow band around their left arms. The words on the band read: “Deputy US Marshall.” Two of them are on the right side and two on the left. In the background you can see a wall with a smashed tomato on it. The wall also has the faded graffiti “NIGGER” sprayed on. In my opinion the artist Norman Rockwell wants to show us the racism, which rules the state. Maybe he wants to provoke a little bit or he has drawn what he saw on the streets. For me it is hard to see how people with a different skin colour are threatened. I cannot understand how some people can do such a worse thing. How can they do this? Can you give me an answer? How do you find this painting?
Yours , Raphaela


Task 2:

For me also photographs are art. Why not? This photograph shows us feet and a spade in a garden. The reason why I think it is art is because there is a hidden agenda “behind” it. The artist has thought something before making the photograph. What I find interesting is the meaning of every kind of picture I see. What has the artist been thinking, while he has been making this photograph? What does he want to convey us? Does he want to provoke or to criticize us? Or did he only have a boring day and that was his first idea? On the one hand this photograph is very funny because it only shows us feet and a spade. On the other hand in my perspective it is a very simple photograph and it could be a more gorgeous one. But that is different in every angle.

What happens when we die?

I would describe the hereafter as a kind of paradise, very beautiful and harmonically. My imagination of the paradise be described like this: There isn’t any war, human being are happy and peaceful. Life there is like a warm and sunny spring day. All the flowers and trees are getting their lush colours. Leaves and buds open. When being there one should be able to communicate with those still alive. It should be possible to make the experience to be someone else, feel and live a complete different, exciting and new life. The life of someone one has always wanted to be. One should be able to speak understand all languages. I imagine that when J leave my dead body my spirit will feel on incredible freedom and fly.

Dear editor,

After having read the article about Mr. Giuliani’s reaction concerning Ch. Ofili´s painting I have to announce my opinion. Objectiveness in this matter is very important. The Mayor Rudolph Giuliani shouldn’t mingle his opinion as a private person with his opinion in his capacity as a mayor. Because there should be room for a great variety of different opinions, specifically in a Museum like this. Artists are often ahead in their way of thinking and in their creative urges. Art has to stimulate, excite, strike, change, provoke and shock. I strongly believe that shocking art has a kind of appeal because it is shocking and fascinating at the same time and that makes it special. I think that one should „never shut all the windows. One always has to leave one open, in order to have the chance to get impressions, ideas, statements which will avoid to cement our own opinions.

Yours,
Raphaela

THE LOST DAUGHTER

Every morning I was expecting the newspaper to come because I was waiting greedily to read an ad that gave me some information about my relative who I didn’t know. Some years ago my parents told me that I had been born as a twin but my sister had been stolen immediately after our birth. What a shock for my parents. The police had been involved but without any results. Years went over. I felt lonely and sometimes I was captured in a big cave of sadness. I could never explain my feelings but I was missing something. In spite of that the hope still remained to find my second half.
That’s why I studied page by page very carefully. Stop! This headline seemed to be quite striking.
“Money makes people silent! Bride was fooled by her fiancé.”
The photo belonging to this article showed a couple and I could hardly believe my eyes. The bride looked exactly like me and she had the same birthmark on the same spot on her face. Unbelievable. Identically. The only difference was her dark hair.

Some minutes later I packed my suitcase and also took my photoalbum with me. A taxi brought me to the station and I went to Little Hampton by train. What a strange situation and what a strong desire. How would my sister react? Would she accept me?

After an hours journey I arrived and straightaway went to the kiosk nearby. A group of elderly women were putting their heads together, whispering, laughing, chatting and many “ahas” and “ohos” could be heard. I touched one on her shoulder showed her the couple’s photo and formed my question. Silence followed and astonished faces turned towards me. “Excuse me, could you please tell me where this woman lives and do you know her address?”
Silence again. Suddenly they burst out laughing.
“What a silly cow! Stupid girl. Mr. Rochester is such a softy! Typically for such a man. Rich and has an affair with the governess. The young thing believed his promises. ........But what do you want from her?”

“Mmh, well, I’m a reporter from a women’s magazine and I’d like to write an article about her.”

“Green Lane 701”, whispered one woman and immediately they put their heads together again and started chattering like crazy geese.


The nearer I came to my aim the bigger the tension was. Suddenly I stood in front of a big and luxurious house. Green Lane 701. My heart was beating extremely loud.
Step by step I walked up the stairs and pressed the call button.
Someone opened the door.
Jane!
My second half!
I had the feeling to see my mirror image.
None of us said a word.
We must have been standing there for at least ten minutes or even longer. Like frozen figures. Then my feelings overwhelmed me and I embraced her. Tears followed and we both sat down on the step and started telling our stories.
It was getting dark and we were hungry.
This was the best day of my life!

Doubtful

London (J.H.-R.K.) Yesterday a young boy called Oliver Twist (10) attracted big attention because he was suspected to having stolen things out of Mr. Brownlow´s pockets. For things he hadn’t done he should go into prison.

The day before Oliver Twist, who was trained to be a thief was allowed to get out onto the streets with to other thieves. Later these boys went to a rich looking man, who was standing neat a book shop. They grabbed things out of his pockets and when he turned round Mr.Brownlow saw Oliver Twist standing there. He screamed: “Hold on this boy he is a thief.” Many people were running after him till he got hold of by a man. The police came and took him to judge. There the judge wanted to lock up Oliver Twist. Hasn’t there been Mr. Brownlow, who changed his opinion because of how the judge was treating O.T. with him. One of these policemen told the London News: “Such children should be locked up, punished and not released. The evidences were all against him and for this reason it should be clear what we have to do with such a boy. Miss Turtle declared to this event: “If they looked a bit clearer they would be able to see that O.T. was very sick. He was so sick that he couldn’t stand. I cannot understand people, who are able to treat such a young boy like Oliver Twist. I only saw him standing there, doing nothing and at a moment's notice all the human beings were running behind him. I don’t like people, who suspect someone although he didn’t do anything.”

Interview with Professor Doctor Huffelpuff:

Interviewer:
Prof.Dr. Huffelpuff, you are an expert of historical events specifically the Victorian age, that’s why we are so glad to have this extraordinary chance to ask you some questions concerning this time.
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
Thank you for inviting me and I love to give answers referring this topic.
Interviewer:
Well let’s start with our first question: What did the Victorian age chance and did it have a favourable or a negative effect on the society?
Prof. Dr. Huffelpuff:
In general one can say that this period of time can be compared with a revolution. So many things changed in every respect. For instance in science and technology the Victorians manifested the notion that one can create solutions to problems, that man can establish new ways in order to improve himself. The Victorian age lasted for a long time and it was a very powerful time. A very positive effect of that period of time is their sense of social responsibility.
Interviewer:
How were the children treated in that time?
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
Poor children at the age of about five had to work in mines, factories... under really bad conditions. A few time later rules were fixed. One rule reads as follow: Children have to be more than ten years old in order to be allowed to work in a mine. But there were still children working in mines when Queen Victoria died in 1901. Poor families had to make their toys on their own, because they didn’t get the money for this. Differently from poor people, rich ones got a special room called nursery. There children played with expensive toys, ate, slept and got their own woman, who was called nanny, to look after them.
Interviewer:
Did all the children have the chance to get a good education and how were the circumstances at school?
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
At first only a few people went to school, because the others had to work for money for their families. There schools existed that were workshops in reality. 1870 a school had to be in every country and village and all children had to attend a school. Boys and girls were separated. For example they had different doors to get into the school and sat in various rows. Children were punished with a cane or ruler when they didn’t listen to the teacher or for making an inkblot on their paper.
Interviewer:
Queen Victoria’s regim was a period of intensive industrialisation, urbanisation and social change.
What kind of role did the women play in that time?
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
Women had a very important task because they had to be a model mother, wife and daughter. They had to keep a sharp eye on moral values. Those women had to be devout, respectable, busy and virtuous.
Interviewer:
Thank you very much Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff for your excellent explanations. We are looking forward to our next conversation that takes place in a month. Then we are going to talk about the Renaissance.
Prof.Dr.Huffelpuff:
It’s a pleasure for me to and you are always welcome.

Review of the book: " Jane Eyre"

The powerful book with the title “Jane Eyre” was written by Charlotte Bronte. This novel was first published in the Longman Simplified English series 1949, as well as the new edition 1990. “Jane Eyre” is an autobiographic novel. Having looked at her own life a bit, Charlotte Bronte got lots of inspirations and good ideas. In this novel aren’t only love, bad childhood with punishments mentioned, there has also been written about struggling to make a life for her own. The story generally takes place in England, specifically in Gateshead and Thornfield. In this novel Mrs. Reed and Mr. Rochester are often named. But the main character is Jane Eyre because she is telling us her life. Jane is direct and a not very good looking person. Mrs. Reed is a frustrating woman, lying and with a cold heart. Mr. Rochester is the opposite of Mrs. Reed. He has a nice nature and he is a good entertainer. Jane is punished by Mrs. Reed, whose dead husband was Jane’s uncle. She lives with her because her parents had died and her mother wanted that her brother Mr. Reed to parent her. Mrs. Reed deports Jane to the Lowood institution. There Jane meets Helen and they get friends. A little while later Helen died of fever and Jane’s loneliness gets back. She finishes the school and becomes a governess by a house in Thornfield. There she falls in love with the head of the household, Mr. Rochester. But he gets a terrible secret which can load their love. I like autobiographic books because reading about another person’s life is very interesting and impressing. One can have an exciting train of thought into another period of time and see the results of a bad blow on person’s life. The book kept me in suspense most of the time.