Journal Entry

The last time I saw a homeless person was stading on the Blv which is near my house; I can see him everyday standing there with a board which shows "need some change". When I see him, I just ingore him and think why he just stand there and doing nothing but beg for money and help? To be honest, I never help him and I will not help him the day afterwards. Because he has ability to work and he doesn't. I know it is hard to get a fat salary, but it is easy to get a easy but hard work. He can find a lot of works that can help him afford his meal, but he did nothing but standing there beg for money, so why should I help him? On the other hands, if I see someone that are disabled people, I would help them, because they are unabled to work.

Final Draft.

Parents “The Glass Castle” is a reminder that parents affect their children on everything, like the way they talk, the values they have, the food they eat, etc. Each family situation is different, some are rich, some are poor, some are affective, and some are loveless. Parents indirectly affect what their children will be in the future. If parents overly spoil their children, their children will become snooty. If parents overly protect their children, their children will become mouselike, and they will be afraid to do anything alone. What parents do, say, and behave affects their children's behavior directly. Although Jeannette Walls worked her way to become a successful woman, actually, without her hardships and experiences she had as a child, she could not be successful, because her experience taught her how to be tolerant and strong in the real world, how to work hard to get what she wants, and how to see the world optimistically. Each experience she has been through directly influenced what kind of woman she would be in the future. I have to say that those with inner strength are the ones with real strength. In the part of the novel called, "I Was On Fire", It shows that Jeannette was a tolerant and strong girl when she was only three years old. She was on fire because her pink tutu caught fire while she was cooking hot dogs by herself. Meantime, her mom was painting in another room. Even though she was in a dangerous situation, she did not show that she was afraid of it. The doctors said she was lucky to be alive. On the one hand, she was optimistic, because she made fun of the nurse, and said "Look, I'm a half-mummy"(Walls 10), this was really valuable of her because not all children can handle this like her. On the other hand, her parents, Rex and Mary, gave her power too. When she was on fire and she did not know what to do, her mom used an unnaturally calm voice, explained what had happened to their neighbor, and asked if they could please have a ride to the hospital. The way her mom acted made Jeannette feel that it was not a big deal, she did not need to be afraid of it and she would get over of it. Her dad, Rex, cracked a joke to her as well. Jeannette was a strong girl. To be honest, if this accident happened to me, I would cry all the time and think of those scars on my face and to be sure that my mom would cry as well and she would not stop until I felt better. Also my father would smoke all the day and night, because he did this when I was in the hospital at the time I was keeping a high fever, and I was only four years old at that time. My father was so worried about me, and my mother told me that he even could not sleep in those days. Jeannette's father and my father are obviously different. I cannot say which one is better, because they used their own way to show their concern. On the other hand, western fathers and eastern fathers are obviously different. As I know, in my country, parents are concerned with everything with their child, even if they are grown already, and if their child does not do well in school, they would be angry with their children, and keep telling their kids how useless they are. But in western families, parents always tell their children how smart and how pretty they are, and they allow their children to do everything they want. I knew some Americans, they stop using their parents's money after eighteen years old. I do not know is it usual in U.S, but it is unusual in my country. I mean, I know a lot of people who keep using their parents' money even if they are forty years old. Jeannette was a powerful and irreplaceable kid , no matter in China or America. The way that Jeannette's parents treated their children is unique and a little bit cruel but useful. In Jeannette's memoir, she mentioned that "Mom always said people worried too much about their children. Suffering when you're young is good for you, she said. It immunized your body and your soul, and that was why she ignored us kids when we cried. Fussing over children who cry only encourages them, she told us. That's positive reinforcement for negative behavior"(Walls 28). This is the way Mary taught her children. I think it works. In my own experience, different parents treat their children in different ways which will change the children's behavior in their future life. My cousin, Yikai, is a good and mature boy, even if he is only eight years old. To be honest, I believe that every child should be obedient just like my cousin, but the truth is definitely wrong. My cousin lived with me after he was born. He did every right thing that we told him. For instance, if he wanted to buy a new toy, he would ask his mom, but if his mom refused, he would say"ok, that's fine, but can I buy it next time?". He listened to my aunt because my aunt told him that "money is not that easy to get, you cannot have each toy that you want, it is a waste of money." She also told him that "act like a man! Be mature, do not cry when you still can handle it!" I do think this works. My other cousin, called Yanyan, she is really a naive girl, and I would say that it is because she never listens to adults. If she wants something and my uncle does not buy it for her, she would keep crying and laying on the floor, she will not stop until she gets it. My uncle overspoils his daughter. Speaking of toy, Jeannette got a "star" as her Christmas gift from her dad, and she loved it. She was really a sweet girl. For Jeannette's father, Rex, he was open-minded and unique too. In the novel, Jeannette was attacked by four Mexican girls and she got hurt. When her father saw it, he just asked,"Looks to me like you got in a fight"(45). And after that he just asked if she was ok, and then he encouraged her "That's my girl" after he heard Jeannette was fighting with six Mexicans. He made Jeannette feel that it was not a big deal to be hit. But as for my father, if I was hit, maybe he would be angry with the man who hit me. I cannot say her father was doing the right thing because he did not help his daughter to fix the problem, and he even did not know why she was hit. But on the other hands, Rex gave her the ability to fix problems by herself. Her father was one of the keys that made Jeannette become a strong woman. A family is the building block of a society and good family life is necessary for the well being of any society. In "Two Kinds" Woo's mother wanted her daughter to become perfect, at least better than her friends' daughter. At the beginning of the novel, she mentioned "My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America"(Tan 132). This is what her mother told her all the time when she was a child. At first, Woo did everything her mother wanted her to do, but at the end, she was bored and started revolting against what her mother wanted her to do. She wanted her own life, and she did not want her mother to bother her any more. However, her mother wanted control of her life. At the end, she said, "I didn't get As. I didn't become class president. I didn't get into Stanford. I dropped out of college"(Tan 142). Finally, she became the opposite woman that her mother dreamed of. I do think that her mother controlled her life too much. Her mother was extremely strict and expected nothing but the best from her child. Her mother wanted her to play piano, to go to a good college, and it was all because she wanted her daughter to become the woman that she dreamed she could be. But obviously she failed. In my own opinion, I think parents can teach their children what they know and what is the right thing, but not control their children's life and their mind. The power of decision still should be in their children's hands, because this is their own life. In my impression, eastern parents always tell their children how unpromising they were and how great other people's children were doing. Just like my parents, my father keeps telling me that how he disappointed in me while he was calling me. On the other hand, in western families, parents always encourage their children like how great they were and how pretty they were. To be honest, I always feel upset after my father called me; it is like I mean nothing and I can do nothing. That really hurts me inside of my heart. I did some research online and found the information shows the relationship between children and their parents. First, it is important to stress that parenting has its own intrinsic pleasures, privileges, and profits. Parenting is not all giving. According to a recent nation-wide survey by Zero-to-Three, the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, more than 90% of parents say that when they had their first child, they not only felt "in love" with their baby, but were personally happier than ever before in their lives. Parents can find interest and can derive considerable and continuing pleasure in their relationships and activities with their children. Evolutionary theory asserts that adults are motivated by strong self-interest to be good parents: According to this sociobiology"(parenthood library). To sum up, I think Jeannette Walls owes her success to the hardships she had as a child, and she became the woman she is because of the kind of parents she had as a child. Jeannette is a smart, strong and tolerant woman. She had an amazing and long trip when she was young which changed her life completely, but also decided what kind of woman she will be. Parents are the most important teachers in their children's life. Parents have the ability to inspire their kids and to teach them moral values. Work Cited Walls, Jeanette. The Glass Castle. New York: Scribner, 2005. Print. "Refocusing on Parenting." Parenthood in America. 15 Oct. 1998. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. . Tan, Amy. Two Kinds." The Joy Luck Club. 2005. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. .

paying it forward.

Blog Post for February 27: After watching the first half of Pay it Forward, you are already introduced the 

concept of “paying it forward”. What do you think of this concept? Do you think it works? Discuss a time 

where you feel like you “paid it forward”. How did it make you feel? 

Remember, no short answers, please write at least 250 words. This is on your blog and it will really look 

better to take the time to expound like so many of you are already doing.

Thanks, Professor Martin

The end of the movie is really tragic. I think "paid it forward" is works in the movie, but it cost a little boy's life. Is it worth? It's really hard to say it. In my own opinion, I think "paying it forward" is really a good idea, people influence people, so love can move on. In my own experience, I have a story about me,  it influence my afterwards. When I was seven years old, I was in elementary school that time. In that time, my parents didn't have enough time to be with me, because they were too busy in business. They could not be able to cook for me. I was too young that time, and I could not cook by myself. Oh, I know I was different with Jeannette, she did really great when she was young, but I didn't. So one of my classmate's mother, who I felt grateful with, cooked for me and his son everyday. She was really friendly and her son, my best friend in my elementary school, was nice to me as well. It made me feel that I need to help the person who need be help. And until now, we are still friends and his mom is getting more and more beautify, because her nice heart.