FINAL REVIEW

Final is just around the corner which means I am almost done with this subject. Indeed, critical literacy is a hard subject. However, going deeper into the subject day by day, I started to build my interest towards the subject. This subject taught me on how to think critically and thinking outside the box as we need to think from different angle and perspective before we extract any information from any article.

Assignments and tasks become a lot easier when we power the rules of 10. Based on what I have done, I can witness and feel that the subject’s stress has been reduced and plus with the continuous help of my class lecturer, Mr Mark, I am able to complete my first assignment in which I am very grateful and satisfied for the midnight oil that has been burnt before.

Taking this opportunity, I would really like to deliver my token of appreciations specifically to Mr Mark, who had really helped me progressively in terms of understanding as well as support in fulfilling the requirement in this subject. He even sacrificed his weekend just for our consultation session for assignment 1. I will always remember he saying that, there is no right or wrong answer in critical literacy, it’s only the matter how you argue.

Next, my recommendation for this subject is to omit the mass lecture session. I personally think that mass lecture is not an effective learning medium for this subject. Learning in a big group of people will lead the student to talk, sleep and even playing with their hand phone. Plus, some students cannot concentrate when learning in that environment. I hope that the coordinator of the subject will do something about this matter.

Last words, good luck for the juniors who will be taking this subject next semester!

BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT

The body is the greatest possession, the mind is greatest treasure and the spirit is the greatest companion.

Yes, I agree with the quote. It merged the participation of body, mind and spirit which are actually the core components coming from a person.

Body is the greatest possession. I believe that when our body is in a great shape, it will bring us to many kinds of goodness. Be thankful for having a complete body structure and capable of doing everything on our own instead of depending on others. We shall take a good care of our body as a sign of grateful towards our god. Eat healthily and do not forget to do some exercise once in a while will help you to keep your body good in shape. When we have a healthy body, then we can handle our stress more efficiently and help ourselves to maintain both physical and mental health.

Mind is the greatest treasure. Indeed, mind is the most precious treasure that everyone owns and should really utilize it in a way that it should be used. Mind is our control center that manage everything. The way the mind works, the way we think somehow reflects our personality in real life. We shall have a great mind as great mind can bring us many great things.

Last but not least, spirit is the greatest companion. Spirit is the non-physical part of a person. Spirits may come in form of self-motivation for a person. Whenever we face difficulties or joy, spirit will be the first one which are going to inflict effects towards the mind and body. In order to survive in this tough world, we should have a good spirit in order to keep move on even though we are facing the same obstacles over and over.

All in all, I can simply say that I agreed strongly with the statement as all those elements are vital in our life. We should have a balance between these three elements to have a great life ahead. 

MONEY CAN BUY HAPPINESS?

“If money were the only criterion by which a child’s welfare can be gauged, then a baby bought for as much as RM40, 000 on the black market would seem set for life. For money-rich but child-poor couples, it is a small price to pay to introduce a small life into their home. The cost is gilded, the blanket monogrammed, the college fund filled to the brim. All that’s wanting is a bun in the oven. And after all, why not?” (NST, March 3, 2013)

Provide at least two (2) premises or two (2) counter Agreements for the statements based on your agreement.

From the idea of the statement, I totally disagree with them.

Premises

a)      Child welfare cannot be gauged

In this era, people are so busy searching for money and position. People with kids are not excepted. Nowadays, parent forget that their children need love and attention more than just spoiling them with money. Children need more than just big cars, branded goods and up-to-date gadgets. They should get more love and affections from their parents in order for them to be good children.

b)      Use the right channel to adopt a baby

Buying baby in a black market is very mean action and it is against the human right. Replacing a presence in our family using our wealth is something unacceptable. Can you imagine the future effect if you get your children from the black market? What will happen when they know that they were purchase and it is in illegal way? Instead of buying them in the black market, people should do in the right an illegal way to get a child. Nowadays, there are many association that give services for child adoption using the right procedure.

STEREOTYPE

Assalamualaikum everyone. So, in this entry I am going to give my view regarding the topic, stereotyping. As for me stereotyping happens when we judging a people who are different from us and make assumption on it without any valid reason. For Google’s definition, it has described that stereotype means a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. Basically, I can say that it occurs when we observe people from other groups, we exaggerate, or overestimate how frequently they engage in the stereotypic behaviours we believe they engage in. Although some stereotypes are positive, unfortunately our stereotypes of people from different groups are often negative.

Most apparently, without even noticing thing, everyone is practicing the concept of stereotyping throughout their entire life, to their surroundings and ironically, the people around them are also practicing ‘stereotyping’ towards them. Stereotype is not something that we should practicing. It is very unhealthy and can lead to conflict as people will fighting with each other. We should remember that, not all people are same.

Finally, I just wanted to say that stereotyping is not good to be done. Everyone has their own rights in judging; somehow everyone shall know how to limit it because one bad apple spoils the barrel. 

EXPECTATIONS AND HOPE FOR THIS SUBJECT

I started to hear a lot of stories and rumours from my friends as well as from my seniors when I was about to settle my final examinations for Semester 3 saying that Critical Literacy will be the worst nightmare we, Semester 4 students will be going to face. Knowing the fact that this subject got no final paper had frightened me a lot more. Not to be forgotten, grievances and comments were numerous from the seniors with their previous performance, experience and achieved result for the course itself.

Despite of all those rumours, I am very keen to be introduced and learn Critical Literacy. I am hoping that I will stay focus throughout the whole semester and achieve a good grade for this subject. On top of that, I also hope to master all those core rules in this subject and be able to apply them.

At first, what I think about what I am going to learn in Critical Literacy is going to be connected with literature or something like that. But I am totally wrong. In the first class, the introduction to the subject by our dedicated lecturer, Sir Mark, he talked about where this subject came from, who started the revolution and what is it actually all about. To be honest, at that point I thought I am totally screwed out. I don’t even get the point what Sir Mark was talking about. But, going deeper into the subject day by day, I started to build my interest towards the subject.

To sum up, I am looking forward for a great kick-start and fun journey ahead throughout this subject. I believe that with my lecturer guidance, I will pass this subject with flying colours!

Movie Review

Movie: Alone

Alone is a 2007 Thai horror film directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wangpoom.

1. Identity the character that you believe played significant role influencing the plot and justify why and how.

The character that believed played significant role influencing the plot is Ploy. Ploy played a very crafty role in this movie. In the hospital, Ploy and her twin, Pim met a boy named Wee. Although both of them loved him, Wee only showed his affectiob towards Pim. Because of jealousy, Ploy willing to kill her own twin and change her identity into Pim in order to obtain Wee's love. Throughout the movie, we can see that Ploy living a happy marriage using Pim's identity. However, no one know about the true story until Pim's mother told the secret before she died. On that moment, the audience knew that the ghost that haunting Ploy was actually Pim's ghost.

2. What do you think the main topic or issue highlighted in this movie? And what that writer belief.

In my opinion, obviously the main topic or issue highlighted in this movie is jealousy and hatred. The jealousy of Ploy towards of her twin, Pim that had made Ploy did something beyond her control. The action finally brought a very bad impact towards her whole family and herself. The writer belief is that Ploy play the antagonist role in the movie.

3. Justify what you believe about the above topic or issue.

From my understanding, when Ploy was full of jealousy and hatred in herself, she could not control her own action. She willing to kill her own twin, Pim in order to achieve her goal-to be loved by Wee. When Pim asked for a surgery to separate both of them, Ploy decided to choke Pim to death a day before the surgery. She did that because she knew once they separated, Pim will continue her love story with Wee. Before that happende, Ploy took a very cruel action to achieve her goal. By living happily using Pim's identity, Ploy finally got her punishment for her own crul action towards he twin, Pim.

3. What is your opinion of the movie?

In my opinion, this movie had taught us a several values. First, in the movie we can see the love bond between Ploy and Pim was very strong. They did everything together abd had promised each other to stay together until their last breath. Second, hatred and jealousy can totally change a person. Because of jealousy, Ploy turned from a protective twin into a very cruel twin to Pim. The plot of the movie had really twist my mind about the whole movie. The Ploy's action was very unexpected.