Response to "the dearth"

This story narrates a woman who is lonely and helpless. On day, seven strange potatoes appear in her house. She has no idea about them and throws them away. However, these potatoes come back over and over again when she throws them away every day. Hence woman just neglects them and lets them stay. To her surprise, these potatoes grow up and have body organs. She is so afraid so that she buries potatoes in the ground. But she is familiar with living with potatoes, she just digs them out. Meanwhile, she shows them around the town and introduce them to her neighbors.

Potatoes:

1)      At first, seven potatoes are lying in the cast-iron pot somehow. No one orders them. On one takes them in. These potatoes appear in woman’s house unexpectedly. Woman has no idea about these potatoes, then she throws them away.

2)      By the twentieth day, these potatoes that has been cut even baked before have profiles of hands and feet. Woman even can find these potatoes’ most of the body organs, such as toes and torso.

3)      On the ninth month, the remaining four potatoes have entire body structure. They move slowly and follow woman. What these potatoes do are like that they are other owners as well in this house. They wait for woman. These potatoes and woman eat together, sleep together, and wake together.

4)      After woman has dug potatoes out, potatoes are regarded as her children by woman. She does not hide them like before. She takes them out to enjoy the fresh spring. Potatoes walk past the cemetery with woman. They stand by the fence posts and lie their hands on the dirt. And they are introduced to farmer and his son by woman. On the way home, potatoes seem to enjoy rain, tilting their faces to the sky.

Sunflowers:

1)      When woman wants to know who deliveries potatoes by chance, she is aware that once she has found sunflowers all over her house in glass vases but these sunflowers actually are her neighbor’s. Hence she thinks these potatoes are also neighbor’s.

2)      When woman finds potatoes that have been cut and thrown away just come back, she puts a hand inside the pot and strikes their backsides. In the distance, the sunflowers on the hill wave at her in fields of yellow fingers.

3)      Woman has eaten one of the potatoes, she barely sleeps at night. And she dreams of a field of sunflowers that in each pollened center is the face of someone she knows. Their eyes are closed.

response to The Forest

The Forest is a short fictional story. However, author uses the third person to narrate more objectively and straightly. It may convince readers to believe its authenticity. The main story is narrated by describing the conversations between Krzysztof and Bianca. And they all feel uncomfortable at the party. At first, Bianca is a little mad at Krzysztof because of his the foibles of the elderly. But later Bianca finds actually Krzysztof dislikes the party. She tries to talk with him, gradually being interested in his talk. In the end, Bianca brings Krzysztof to her private park to see a peace show. But Krzysztof hurts in the muddy path. Bianca sends him to hospital. Krzysztof finds him likes Bianca, while Bianca neglects it. When Bianca sends Krzysztof back to the party, she suddenly turns around and sends him to his hotel.

Actually I think it is hard to relate this story to research. But in my opinion, the research topic is about the forest. The research topic is about to look for your forest. But the forest not only means the real forest, but means everyone’ own place. From the story, we can know Krzysztof and Bianca are uncomfortable about the party that is filled with science and scientists. They all dislike the competitive and realistic atmosphere. Krzysztof has his own forest, Bianca has her secret park. As for how to find the forest, from the conversation between Krzysztof and Bianca we know people should not be common and follow the general trend. They should follow their hearts to build own places.

     There are some key terms, such as “forest” and “bison”. The forest means our own places. The bison presents our own thoughts. From the story, Krzysztof and Bianca have their different description or notion about bison. Krzysztof likes Bianca because he thinks they have similar ideas, but actually not. We also can realize their own different ideas by these two key terms, “back” and “away”. Krzysztof wants his life back, back to his forest. Bianca wants his now life away, desiring a new life. They are different. Thus I think this story reveals the truth that we must have our own place and thoughts.

Response to ‘Designing gamification in the right way”

Gamification is a new term for me to understand. I find its definition online that gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics in non-game contexts to engage users in solving problems and increase users' self-contributions. Gamification is not only related to games, but concerns several domains such as applying gamification in education. In this article, author tries to research how to designing gamification in right ways. There are plenty of issues that should be considered. Author comes up with many ways, such as having a clear goal and right target groups. And as for different right ways, author uses examples and other experts’ study results to illustrate and demonstrate his opinion or ways. For example, author thinks considering user types is important to set for a gamification project. He cites Marczewski’s player types to state the importance of player types. And author points out that it is beneficial to think about different player types and their motivation. At the same time, author uses a lot of examples to explain his opinion. When author think learning content is important for gamification, he states different types of games works differently. He makes an example that card games is best for promoting the ability to match concepts, manipulate numbers and recognize patterns. Author adopts many strong cases to interpret his views and research.

Marge Simpson, Blue-Haired Housewife: Defining Domesticity on The Simpsons

In this article, the topic is concerning more than one aspect. The author argues that The Simpsons satirizes the mythology of sitcom families and that Marge Simpson’s character reveals the fictionality of the televised housewife, that is, she demonstrates that the domesticity embodied by TV housewives is unrealistic, fantastic, and cannot be reproduced by human beings.

There are plenty of key terms. At first, I want to discuss “domestic gender roles”. In the nuclear family, a female is in charge of the family thins, such as taking care of children. She is a homeworker. Females have less opportunities to contact with the public things. As a male, what he just do is to support his family, such as earning money. To some extent, division of labor depends on gender. Secondly, I will talk about “the basic elements of American Dream”. Freedom is an important issue in American Dream. However, in the Simpsons its originator satirized American Dream. He portrayed schools, families, and workplaces as prisons of the mind and soul. This point lets us reflect how the real society is far away from the American Dream. Thirdly, I want to discuss “affirmation of traditional value on The Simpsons”. The Simpsons family is a solid nuclear family. Children express their affection for and loyalty to their parents. Marge and Homer raise children well and right, although children are a little naughty. Marge and Homer love each other. Last key term I will discuss is “gravelly voice”. Marge’s voice is scratchy and rough. It is not like other housewives whose voice is sweet and gentle. But Marge’s voice makes her distinctive and special. She use her unique voice to protect her family and put forward unfair things.

The author uses The Simpsons to satirize sitcom families and makes Marge for an example to reveal the fictionality of the televised housewife. Firstly, The Simpsons satirize the idealized family sitcoms of the past. The past family sitcoms were placid, well-ordered. It’s different Simpsons family. Then author uses Homer’s character to deride men in middle-class families. Author also argues on sentiment and traditional value of The Simpsons. Later, author reveals that televised housewives are fictional by analyzing Marge’ appearance and behaviors.

In this article, there are many examples to prove author’s opinion. Author satirized the basic elements of American Dream. Author wrote teacher stifled students’ creativity and court officers were corrupt, shiftless. And author wrote Marge’s blur hair was changeless and could grow back instantly to demonstrate that Marge was not real, just a cartoon character. And there are more interesting examples.

The Simpsons, she used to be my girl
Summary:

In Springfiled, many journalists flocked to report a sex scandal. Marge Simpsons met her classmate Chloe Talbot again, who was a famous journalist. Marge invited Chloe to eat dinner at home. Every family member praised Chloe, especially Lisa. She regarded Chloe as a model and ate dinner with Chloe. Marge was a little disappointed and unhappy because no one noticed her hard-working. Lisa wanted to attend the U.N Women’s conference with Chloe. Marge disagreed. However at night, Lisa left home secretly and hid in Chloe’s car boot to attend Women’s conference. In the morning, Marge found Lisa was missing. Marge and Homer drove car to Capital City to look for Lisa. But on the way to Capital City, Chloe got a call that she had to return back to report an erupting volcano. When Chloe reported volcano eruption, Lisa helped to hold camera as an assistant. Marge found Lisa was at the scene of volcano; she came back to Mount Springfiled worriedly. But Chloe and Lisa were trapped by magma. Marge saved Lisa bravely and Chloe was saved by her ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, Marge’ love and courge were praised by everyone. In the end, Marge realized what her value was.

Symbols:
      Two-headed goat: things have two sides
      Chore wheel: something that represents fair and wise
      Peabody Award：a object to prove the value of life
      Court-ordered ankle bracelet: the government that advocates freedom actually controls citizens
      The clown: something that is inflexible and immovable

This episode showes contradictions beteen Marge's real life and dream life. Two-headed goat represents that things have two sides. As a superlady, Marge is eager to be succcesful journalist like Chloe and wants to be recognized. However, her family do not appreciate her work and think it is what she should do. Hence she is more eager to succeed. She wants her value to be proved. She imagines if she is a journalist, she will do well like Chloe. But in fact, she is successful to be a mother and wife. Although she gives up her dream work, she gains her happy family. So do not imagine when you have a another choose, what you do or have will be better. Everyone has his own enviable life.