Entry1_Lê Vân Anh

Entry 1_Lê Vân Anh

Item 1: Story

The obstacles in our path

In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand.

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

Rhetorical devices:

Ø Metaphor:

The boulder – the obstacles, difficulties in our life

The purse – the success, achievement

The peasant – person who dares to face challenging tasks

The merchants and courtiers – people who just blame others but not try to solve the problems

Message:

Every obstacle carries an opportunity and it gives you chances to improve your condition as well as prove yourself better than others. Therefore, working hard and overcoming the obstacles in life to get opportunities will help you attain appropriate achievement.

Item 2: Poem

A Dream Deferred

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

(by Langston Hughes)

Rhetorical devices:

Ø Metaphor: A dream - a goal or desire in life

A dream deferred - an explosion

Ø A rhetorical question: What happens to a dream deferred?

Ø Simile: like a raisin in the sun, like a sore, like rotten meat, like a syrupy sweet, like a heavy load

Ø Rhyme: sun – run, meat – sweet, load - explode

Message:

Any important desire or goal that must be delayed can lead to great destruction or serious negative effects.

Item 3: Cartoon

Rhetorical devices:

Ø Metaphor:

The earth – the environment

The man – human beings - the direct cause of the greenhouse effect

Smoke – pollution

A glasshouse – the greenhouse effect

Ø Irony: the man’s indifferent attitude

Message:

Human beings have polluted the environment, which leads to the greenhouse effect. However, they seem to be indifferent about this problem.

References:

1. http://www.moral-stories.org/the-obstacles-in-our-path/

2. http://www.cswnet.com/~menamc/langston.htm

3. http://www.seppo.net/cartoons/displayimage.php?album=13&pid=733