Ingenius Feedback

Ashley, Kieran, Jonathan, Lauren

The question that Ashley asked us to respond to was whether or not we feel that the Internet and loss of personal interaction because of new technology was a good or bad thing. The evolution of language is a natural occurrence. I'm reminded of old English and Shakespeare, the days of saying things like "Isn't that just the bees knees", "Groovy", and even more recently "That's the bomb". Language evolves as the people who speak it evolve and it's not a bad thing. It reflects the era we live in, the struggles we live through, and the hip lingo we used during those times. As I was thinking about how language changes and methods of communication change it kind of makes me feel creepy to think that the things I say now and the lifestyle I lead now will someday be ridiculous to future generations. I think that novels and short stories are the ways in which we kind of leave our place in stone. All the previous ways generations spoke, and thought are kept and it's up to each individual if they choose to remember and reflect or completely forget.

Isabelle, Adam, Kate, Graham
With this presentation I completly disagreed with Kate and Adam. The interesting aspect of The Innocent Traveller is the fact that it is so true to life. In real life robots don't attck the city, we don't travel through time or space, and average people don't become the president of the United States. People instead live through family deaths, experience love in any of its many forms, and meet new challenges of discrimination or indifference. The thing that was most interesting about this novel is that it didn't do all the thinking for you. It gave you an event and a most simplistic reaction then gave you the leeway to either take it as is, or run with the feelings, reasons, and consequences that you could imagine. A lot of the things Graham said really surprised and inpressed me. The fact that he had originally written a blog aganst the premise of The Innocent Traveller and then critiqued it from another point of view with quite insightful perspectives was, lets face it, pretty awesome.

Fahad, Nathan, Brazil, Francesca

Nathan said that the events in the novel Hey Nostradamos were too far-fetched and hard to realte to. I would have to disagree. When I read about the shooting in their school the first thing that came to my mind was Columbine. That was a real event, right? It was completly unexpected, shocking, horrible, and uncomprehensible. Life is way to unpredictable to say that anything is out of the ordinary. It may not have been forseen but nothing in life really is.

Sydney Boucher

Presentation Responses

Fahad, Nathan, Brazil, Francesca
In regards to Nathan's response about Hey Nostradamus! being too dramatic and too far-fetched, I would have to say that I disagree. He said the events of the book were "too crazy for real life" but isn't life crazy sometimes? I think that the possibility of those events happening is very high. It may all seem coincidental and ironic but life itself is ironic. I think anything can happen and the events of the book, to me, is very plausible. I also liked the ending because it leaves you wondering about what happened and that is exactly how life is; you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. And I agreed with Franchesca about not thinking the four characters in the book are in relation with Limbo, Hell, Heaven, and Purgatory. I, like her, didn't see any relevance between the two.

Isabelle, Adam, Kate, Graham
I didn't think the Innocent Traveller was that bad of a book. To me, even though there wasn't anything dramatic happening, the little things that happened to Topaz accumulated and even though it wasn't the most exciting read, I still enjoyed it. I used to think that because she is not affected by anything and that she is always happy means she doesn't truly experience things. How can she know what true happiness is but she never experienced sorrow? However, after a tutorial discussion my point of view changed. Now I think that even though she was never really sad, at that moment, she felt happiness and there is no doubt about that. As long as she was happy at that moment, then that is all that matters and who are we to say that she isn't experiencing life fully?

Ashley, Kieran, Jonathan, Lauren
Ironically, what Ashley and Lauren said about technology was almost exactly what I wrote about in my 500 word blog response. The" lol", the slang, the morphing of the language were all the topics I've covered in my blog. I also found it interesting that this group related The Jade Peony to technology because I actually own a copy of that book and I loved it but I never thought about it in that way before. I thought this presentation gave me some insight on the different meanings of the book.

-Cindy Chu

Presentation Responses II

Ashley, Kieran, Jonathan, Lauren
When Ashley mentioned about the “face-to-face communication is decreasing because of the increased use of online communication” is considered a negative effect of technology. I think this point depends on which angle you are looking at. I personally think that less face-to-face interaction is not a “bad” thing because online communication seems to create a boarder/protector for some of the younger children. There are many strangers out there who are seeking for chances in order to take advantage of the innocent children through cyberspace. However, those kids can choose to not meet with them, and prefer to chat with those strangers online only. So, I think the point of less face-to-face communication is a negative effect for technology is not necessary a negative effect.

Isabelle, Adam, Kate, Graham
I was shock when two of the members in your group dislike this novel and gave a powerful presentation of how much you two hated “The Innocent Traveller”. I enjoy reading this novel and I learned a lot from it; for example, when Mrs. Porter was able to live on after her husband left her, it reminded me of how powerful a woman can be. This novel not only gave me confidence in myself, but also allowed me to see woman in a different point of view. I think a novel does not necessary have to have a something huge to happen in order to emphasize the meaning of literature. Sometimes, even with a small event that happens in the novel is enough to evoke the reader. I certainly do not agree with the “100 years = nothing happens” because I can see how hard it is for Topaz to keep up with her optimism through out her whole life. Do you think it is really that easy to be happy everyday and not care about anything else?

Fahad, Nathan, Brazil, Francesca
I have thought of irony when I first read “Hey Nostradamus!” because it was obvious that Cheryl was killed in the massacre on the only day that she went to the cafeteria. Many stories use irony for purpose; for example, create a conflict or a huge event. I cannot relate myself to this novel because I cannot adapt myself into the characters. I cannot imagine what I will do and how I will handle it if the massacre happens to me. I also agree with Nathan about how he thought of Reg because I felt the same way, too!

Presentation Responses

Ashley, Kieran, Jonathan, Lauren
I don't think technology has changed our society's written language today. The art of reading and writing fiction is still strong. The whole class of English101 is living proof of it. Though some of us are forced to read the course novels in order to pass the course, there are still many of us who read for pleasure because we want to. I think technology has definately had a positive effect on our society, but has no effect on written language because, as you guys mentioned, it's up to the individual to do what they want, or not want, with fiction.

Isabelle, Adam, Kate, Graham
What stood out to me the most from your presentation was this formula: Innocent Traveller = 245 pages = 100 years = nothing happens. In the beginning of the story I was, just like the rest of us, waiting for something HUGE to happen. As concluded by just about everyone, nothing did happen. Many events occured but they were small, unimportant things of Topaz's life. As for the flashbacks that come out of no where, maybe that's how Wilson wanted to show this novel was a diary, composed of many small incidents in one's life.

Fahad, Nathan, Brazil, Francesca
Throughout the whole novel I never thought of irony once. It never occured to me that so many different types of irony existed in Hey Nostradamus! until we were lectured on it. But I do see how you would think it's overplayed in this story. It's as if it were straight out of a movie.

Technology Overload

With technology rapidly expanding these days, it is not uncommon that some of us get caught up in its glory—the internet, instant messaging, e-mail, cell phones, etc. All these technological advances aid us in communicating with each other more easily. It brings everyone closer together globally as an instant message sent on msn from Canada can be received within seconds in Australia. Text-messaging, instant messaging and e-mailing all enable those who are shy in front of people to express their thoughts more at ease. Sometimes it brings out the passion in even the most introverted. As everything is expanded to include the internet, our reliance on it becomes stronger. More and more companies are starting to set up websites for its customers—information is now only a click away. The convenience the internet brings upon us is immense and almost everything can be accessed with it. We can now even read the newspaper and check the weather online. When the internet is able to provide so much for us, reading a book can seem obsolete. This is because we can now even download prints off the internet. Why go through the hassle of going to the bookstore or library when all we need to do is perch in front of our computers? This convenience actually decreases human interaction as more and more things are being replaced by machines. This internet hype is so popular that it even has its own language. As we begin to type more and more, words are shorten into abbreviations and have now become our way of communicating through msn via the internet or text messaging with our cell phones. Words are also created to express emotions as it is impossible to know what the other person's expression is by reading what they typed. As a result the amount of instant messaging and text messaging jargon is immense. An example of one is the infamous lol (laugh out loud). This "term" is used to express laughter or when we think something being typed by the other person is funny. However, this expression has been so over-used that it is starting to lose its meaning as a lot of the time we are not laughing or smiling whilst typing this abbreviation. Not only abbreviations are created with this e-media era, the spelling of English words is also becoming warped, creating the long list of slang we have now. I am not sure is this beneficial for the development of language or not since it is possible that this usage of slang can be used to create new words. A prime example of this is the word "bootylicious", most famously used by Destiny's Child in one of their songs and often said to be coined by Beyonce Knowles, a member of the group. This word which is meant to describe women with large, nice, sexy, buttocks is now in the Oxford Dictionary. Also, I think with this e-media frenzy, the book is more neglected then it was ten years back. I remember actually signing out books to do research when I was in elementary school. That is now rare thanks to the thousands of comprehensive databases made available for this specific purpose. However, I still enjoy reading off a book rather than on the computer screen. Something about the feeling of the paper and physically turning the pages still has its appeal to me. Personally, there is nothing more relaxing than to sit at home on a rainy day with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate or tea. I don't think the book is dead as many people still enjoy reading it, but with the internet expanding and almost dominating our lives, who knows, maybe in another ten years we will all be hooked up to mini laptops and reading literature off that.

-Cindy Chu

close-mindedness

I would not consider myself close-minded. The definition of being close-minded is being intolerant of beliefs and opinions of others and not accepting new ideas. Also, according to Professor Ogden, close-minded is being sceptical and arrogant with an alienating attitude. I am not religious and don’t believe in God, but that does not make me close-minded. I accept the fact that others believe so strongly in religion because they can relate to it and feel safe and at home with God. That is why they pray, to feel a strong connection to a higher power. Reading Douglas Coupland’s Hey Nostradamus! to William Gibson’s All Tomorrow’s Parties right after was a big change. The elements within the two novels are so different because religion and God is what makes up Hey Nostradmus! and so far with what I’ve read, All Tomorrow’s Parties has no reference to God at all. That novel is built of technology.

I am not against religion but I can’t associate myself with it or anything else that has to do with it. I have been to church and I enter with an open mind and leave with an open mind. Feeling indifference does not give me a closed mind but just provides me with more knowledge about life. It is amazing to know that some people find religion so comforting and how some find even reading it very uncomfortable. In a way, you can believe in God and be close-minded or not believe in God and also be close-minded. Religion can leave people close-minded because they are directed to believe in such a shallow depth of field: "Everything happens because of God. He is supposed to save everyone". God did not create the world. Someone can believe in God and not accept same-sex marriages. They could believe that only a man and woman should marry and that is the way it should be, but we are not perfect. If anyone would decide to go through with a same-sex marriage I would applaud them for being so courageous, despite how wrong others think it is. I accept this because happiness and love should come before anything else. It does not matter how old you are or what gender you are.

President George Bush is a great example of someone who is close-minded. Though I do not know all the details, his mind is so set on continuing the war and leading his country through all the pain and suffering. Lost sons and husbands should be a direct wake-up call for him to stop but all he can talk about are "weapons of mass destruction". He will not accept any new ideas, he is just driven to continue fighting. Until Bush literally fights in Iraq, he should have an open-mind going through this.

On the other hand, Canada is an open-minded country because of how the government accepts that a man and another man can fall in love or how two women can love each other. It is a free country and people should be allowed to marry who they love.

Brainwashed?

Last night I went to the St. Louis Blues versus the Vancouver Canucks hockey game. I came out of the game extremely over-stimulated and still dancing a little from the Canucks win. As I was walking down the stairs of GM Place with what seemed like a permanent smile plastered on my face, the smile slowly turns upside-down and I notice a good ten homeless people out front of the building. They were waiting on the drunk, rowdy Canuck fans who most likely purchased something or another that night and would have change to drop into their hats. This may not seem like a very significant moment in time because of the growing number of homeless people in Vancouver, but I had the realization that these men are actually quite smart. One homeless person had the wise idea that a lot of the people coming out of GM Place would be in possession of some pesky change, so others followed in the hopes for some as well. This situation reminded me of education. Are any of the ideas we come up with in university individual and unique to our own thought processes and innovation, or are they simply ideas that belong to others? When listening to Professor Ogden I think that I am independently thinking and that ideas I take away from class are my own. However, those ideas had to be sparked and prodded and were a lead off from what he has either implicitly or explicitly pointed out to me. Without anyone else are we truly intelligent? I think that was why Professor Ogden was stressing the importance of belief and doubt. It’s important to have belief in something in life, but if you do not doubt it and question it, how solid of a belief could it truly be. The extreme of what is brought up is probably categorised as brainwashing. Brainwashing is a belief inflicted upon someone that has no critical thought or argumentative doubt behind it. Independent thought is very far and few between today because of the overwhelming influences and teaching that is inflicted upon us. This blog is probably a by-product of something I have read, heard, or been told previous to today. That is what makes doubt and critical questioning so important. Questioning what you believe in only helps to solidify it. It’s like when we write essays. You have to write a counterargument to your argument and then prove that false. Covering all misconceptions and wavering thoughts helps only to make your belief stronger or to start again and re-think your initial conception.
To be aware of ignorance can help to overcome it.

Sydney Boucher

Difference Between Women and Men

As Dr. Ogden mentioned in his blog that The Innocent Traveller by Ethel Wilson “is nothing but an aggregation of fine, specific and precise details”. I agreed with him. Generally, women are more careful, precise, and organized than men because women tend to care about little things such as waking up early in the morning to put their makeup on. On the other side, men would simply ignore their pimples on their face (which they can choose to put some concealer to cover them). In a relationship, women care about a lot of small details that men could never imagine of, so men would always think that women are the most complicated animals in the world. Women might be more precise than “just like a work of needlepoint”. They can become as detail as to count every single stitches on the work of needlepoint if they want to know the total number of stitches. This is an exaggeration, but what I want to mention is that men will think that most of the things that women do are consider as boring, waste of time, and useless because they do not understand how important and how much the women care about those small little details. So there is this “forever boundary” between men and women.

In The Innocent Traveller, Rachel runs the matriarchy. She is “yet the wife and mother of her household” (Wilson, 143); however, she is not marry. This proves that women does not care about what position they are in, but they will still do their part to keep their home clean and tidy, and at the same time, they will also take care of their family. Most women want everything to be perfect in their life (but nothing is be perfect), so they will do their best to achieve their goals. Mrs. Hamilton Coffin is one of the best examples to show a woman who tries to achieved great accomplishments in order to have a successful life. She recycles to help keep the ecosystem unpolluted, eats healthy food to live a longer life, and exercises to keep a fit body shape. She is an example of the ideal woman for success. However, most men in now a day will die earlier than women because they do not care about eating healthy food. Nor do they care about trying to quit smoking, since smoking will affect not only themselves, but also the people around them. Most men are afraid to care about the little details because they do not want to become 'girly'. They have to act tough in front of people or mainly women in order to show their power, strength, and their position in the society.

It might take men thousand and thousand of years to understand women because women are unpredictable and change their point of view easily. Even I would question myself sometimes, asking myself about who I am and why am I doing this.

Less is More

There are certain times in lecture that I've found myself wondering about the meaning of the novels. Professor Ogden seems to find meaning in every single sentence. We seem to analyze the book in so much depth that I sometimes wonder did the author even intend for us to interpret it like that? Must everything need to be examined and stripped bare to get its "true meaning"? I'm not doubting his knowledge or teaching skills but sometimes I think if I were to read the book by myself I wouldn't have linked so many things with the novels. For example, I woud not have linked the four characters in Hey Nostradamus! ( Cheryl, Jason, Heather, and Reg) with Heaven, Purgatory, Limbo, and Hell. Prehaps it is because I am not religious and thus could not connect to the novel in that way, but that is excatly my question. If I had read the book on my own and did not discover all the meanings of the book Professor Ogden mentioned but found meaning to it in my own way, would I be missing something from the story? Prehaps that is what an english course is for-to help us learn to interpret and analyze works of literature. However, I think sometimes we do not need to analyze every word to enjoy a piece of literature. Not everything needs an answer to it, sometimes it is better to say "Just because."

Aftermath

After the lectures of Hey Nostradamus!, I learned a lot about myself. Now, I am more aware of whether I am close minded or not because I do not want to become another Reg. Since Dr. Ogden mentioned that a close minded person would felt disturbed and uncomfortable after reading this novel, so, this made me realized that I am a close minded person because I felt the same way that Dr. Ogden had described. However, I have another point of view about this disturbance and discomfort. I think the reason to why I felt this way is because this novel is surprising and unexpected; I cannot imagine how I will react if something like this is going to happen in my life. And maybe this is why I felt uncomfortable and felt pity for the characters in Hey Nostradamus!. I felt relief after finished reading this novel because it made me felt so tensed rather than being relaxed.

Doubt

I am a little bit of a cynic at heart. I do not tend to fall for concepts or ideas easily and I question things more than is sometimes wanted of me. When I was little my dad could have told me I could walk on water and nothing could deter me from an idea that his mouth had so confidently spoken. My world was his words, truth or fiction. When I turned about twelve I was not so easily convinced and many conversations were followed with "Sydney, you just have to try and understand and respect it." I have two nuns in my family so I'm no stranger to religion. My immediate family is the only one out of our collective family as a whole, who do not go to Church and who are not terribly religious. I realize now that my doubt in what my family has dedicated their lives to, is not such a terrible thing. To doubt something is only a way is which we solidify what we truly believe. I do not think it is about converting, or believing, or disbelieving, I think it's about evolving so that you change as you experience different aspects of life. Even if I do not understand the beliefs others choose, keeping an open mind about doubting and evolving from the diversity is one thing that I do not question, that my dad has taught me.

-Sydney Boucher

Crowd of Faces

Once reading "Hey Nostradamous" and listening to Prof. Ogden's lectures, looking at the faces at school made me feel differently about the people and personalities attached to them. When I usually walk down the halls I don't think about the struggles, the past, or the beliefs of the faces that pass me by and mask the person within so well. I used to think that there was some truth to peoples appearances and demeanour having something to do with who they really were. Reading "Hey Nostradamous" however changed my preconcieved notion about appearance. The massacre that occured involving Cheryl and Jason goes to proves their and my naiveness, denile, or pure uninterest which kept us blinded from the true feelings of people. It seems as though none of the students know that the shooters are tormented and troubled boys. Everyone seems unaware of their pain and even thought that the boys were just regular students. But what is regular? Even Cheryl who seemed to be the most level-headed, average kid, ended up being a pregnant teenager. In a way I guess, it is normal to have a tarnished or socially unexceptable aspect in your life and its not something you should hide or leave undealt with. I have a new found respect for the soul that lies past the exterior, and for the compassion that should be shown to everyone regardless of their apperance.

Memories

During one of my usual zone-out moments on the long ride to school, I thought about a certain memory. Two years ago, I went back to a place I havn't been to for about ten years. As I walked the same path I did ten years ago, the feeling was incredible. So much has changed, yet some things were still the same. It still baffles me how I still remember this trip in so much detail. It seemed like I was just there yesterday and not two years ago. Time passes by so fast, too fast. Some things we won't even remember one week from when it happened, but some will linger with us forever. Like Jason's memory of the massacre, it will be something he will never forget. The human mind is so intriguing, it can retain so much yet let other things quietly slip away. But I think we never actually "forget" something. It just takes a particular object or event that will remind us of it again. Ironically, just as how we can remember a certain good memory so well, a bad memory may sometimes never be forgotten. There will always be a part of Jason's that's hollow. This was the part that cheryl and the massacre took from him, leaving him incomplete for the rest of his life.

-Cindy Chu

Hey Nostradamus

I grew up in a non-religious environment. Though both my parents were baptized when they were young, they never wanted to inflict religion on my brother and I, and therefore, let us make our own choices in relation to God. I went to church a few times with my cousins but left feeling indifference with my connection to the Man Above. Reading Hey Nostradamus was

suffocating because of the constant references to God. It was overwhelming and felt like a slap in the face because I did not know some people felt so strongly about this issue. They were all living in another world I did not belong in. This novel makes me wonder what Douglas Coupland's motivation was to base this story on God. Without it, the story would be very different. Though it was literally an easy and exciting read, I found it difficult to digest and would find myself cringing. But still, after reading this highly religion stuffed story it made me feel no different, just surprised.

The lectures on this novel have been interesting because I've learned more about God there than I have in my whole life, such as the four stages: Heaven, Purgatory, Limbo, and Hell. I had always thought that God chose whether you went to Heaven or Hell.

Hey Nostradamus!

In the novel Hey Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland, he used a lot of flashbacks in each chapter in order develop a loop; when a current event is happening, it will also refer back to what has happened before, and then it will come back to the present and talk about the current event, and so on. Although using flashbacks is a good way to allow the reader to get a better understanding of the story, I do not enjoy reading this type of novel because it makes me frustrated and impatient. The story makes me dizzy by jumping back and forth. Also, I expected the story will going to be focusing on the three killers because I am more interested in their actions. This novel is easy to read and to understand because it is written like a drama, where each action is related to the next and they are mostly predictable, too. Although this novel is about the teenagers’ lives, I am not able to put myself into this novel because I admired the women deeply in the The Innocent Traveller by Ethel Wilson. I do not enjoy reading Hey Nostradamus! is also because it only gives a dull and a depressed atmosphere, which makes me upset whenever I put down the book. Moreover, it is a challenge for me to pick up this novel because the cover gives me a horror feel.

Poetry in a FICTION class

When I realized we would be doing poetry for an English FICTION class I was as shocked as most of my friends in this course. If I had wanted to study poetry I would have taken the poetry course instead of fiction. Personally, I was never a fan of analyzing poetry and using those poetic terms. I would chose to write my own poetry over reading someone else's any day because it is not personal to me and does not build a bridge to my emotions. And that is why poetry is actually a form of fiction. As Dr. Ogden said, we should just kick back and only read this for enjoyment. When I read novels, I usually cannot connect to it and but are for pure enjoyment. They are a chance for people to escape reality for the little time they are flipping through the pages as the same with poetry. Sure, sometimes poems make no sense at all but they all have a background and are telling a story. I'm glad poetry was added as a part of the reading material for this course because it gives us all a chance to escape into another form of fiction, one with more rhythm and to enjoy a new way of being told a story.

The Two Sisters

In the collection of Vancouver Short Stories, "The Two Sisters" spoke out to me the most. Though I have seen the two lionheads before, I have never heard the legend and realized they could have possibly made what the beautiful city of Vancouver is today. The story, heavily influenced by the city’s First Nation’s past, was a discovery to me that the their God was called the Tyee. The act of the two sisters asking for their people’s enemy, the Upper Coast Indians, to be invited to their feast eliminated the hostility that surrounded them. And because of that simple act out of the kindness of their hearts, the Lower Mainland is at generally at peace today. They watch over us and in turn, make the people of Vancouver laid-back, kind, and quite content. The Lion’s Gate Bridge and the sight of the two mountains themselves, add to the breathtaking scenery. I am of no First Nation's descent but I enjoyed the tale of two beings upsetting the status quo and turning it into the city we all love.

Vancouver Short Stories

One of my favourite short stories from the Vancouver Short Stories is "The Jade Peony" by Wayson Choy. Although I have read this short story a few times in secondary school, I still enjoy reading it because it has a similar family background with mine so I felt attached to this story. In this short story, I think the characters and the theme are the two main elements that build the interests of this story. The main characters in "The Jade Peony" are Grandmama and Sek-Lung. Grandmama influenced Sek-Lung's life because he was the child who had the closest relationship with her prior to her death. The Chinese culture and the superstitious believed that ghosts had passed onto Sek-Lung also. Even though he lives in Vancouver, he viewed his nationality as Chinese rather than Canadian. Also, his thoughts on Grandmama picking up cans and junks on the streets were inconsistent with the rest of the family, who considered it shameful. From Wayson Choy's description of Grandmama, I can imagine her facial expression and emotions, and it made me want to cry and feel sympathy for her because she was about to die. "The Jade Peony" reminded me of my family, so I really like this short story. Also, it was one of the stories that I understand the most.

Moment of Weakness..

I remember the first time I fell in love. Under my feet I could feel that familiar fuzzy blue floor and even though I was surrounded by laughing, yelling, chatting children I could hear absolutely nothing. You know that feeling when you know the exact moment you are living is one that you want to remember every little detail about; your surroundings, the people you see and more importantly, how you feel? The day I fell in love with gymnastics was the most ambivalent time I can remember because it made me feel powerful and important but at the same time it made me feel vulnerable that I could loose it. This moment of weakness is uniform to the way Topaz felt at the moment she was holding hands with Mr William Sandbach and realizing that the sensation that flooded her was "the very passion of love". At this pivotal moment, Mr. Sandbach, had become her greatest weakness. It was the only moment when, for once, she was not the large personality in the room or the center of attention, because Mr. Sandbach was the only thing in her world. Topaz was plain, silent, and vulnerable for the first and only time in her long life. Just as realizing my love for gymnastics was a pivotal moment in my life, Topaz's experience with love made her and the reader realize that despite her overwhelming optimism, she too, could have her happiness greatly affected by the thing she loved the most.

-Sydney Boucher

Moments...

On my way to school today, I noticed something other then the same buildings and parked cars that are always there, I saw a middle age man wearing a thin t-shirt riding a rusty old bike. At first nothing about this man caught my attention but just as I was about to disregard him as another object I see out the window, he looked up at the brilliant blue morning sky and smiled. A smile that looked so genuine, so simple, so real. That image stuck with me for the rest of the day. It reminded me of Topaz's happiness. She was such a simple person that was always happy. She had no burdens, no worries, and during the rare times that she did they seemed to have evaporated almost instantaneously. To live a life in complete ignorance is something that a lot of us long to have. However, when we were discussing the book in tutorial I didn't agree with the"ignorance is bliss" statement because in my opinion she hasn't really lived and experienced if there weren't any ups and downs in her life. How would she know what true happiness is if she never experienced or allowed herself to experience the sorrows of life? But the instant I saw that man smile, I realized that there is nothing wrong with being genuinely happy and that you don't always need that contrast of being happy and being sad to be able to fully experience it. We live for the moments in life and whatever we experience at that moment is what we create our memories with. It just so happens that Topaz's moments were all filled with happiness. That was why her life seemed so surreal when these moments were pieced together in the Innocent Traveller. In a way, no matter how we disapprove of Topaz and her ways, I think we still wished we were a little bit like her.

-Cindy Chu