Entry 1_Hoang Thi Hong Phuong

Item 1: Poem

Do not go gentle into that good night

                                       -Dylan Thomas-

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieve it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

1. Source : http://allpoetry.com/poem/8451903-Do_Not_Go_Gentle_Into_That_Good_Night-by-Dylan_Thomas
2. Message :

The poem basically urges people not to give up easily. Though death is inevitable, and part of the natural cycle of life, people need to fight, claw, scrape and do whatever must be done to stay alive – especially in the face of impending death.

3. Rhetorical devices :

Devices/ Technique	Quote(s)
Repetition	Lines 1, 6, 12 and 18 are all the same. Lines 3, 9, 15 and 19 are all the same.
Metaphor	“Do not go gentle into that good night” “Rage, rage against the dying of the light” “Words had forked no lighting”
Simile	“Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay”
Personification	“Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay”

Item 2: Short story

Don’t change the world

Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day, he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows' skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.

Then one of his wise servant dared himself to tell the king, "Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money ? Why don't you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet ?"

The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a "shoe" for himself.

A.      Source: http://www.inspirationalstories.com/7/766.html

B.      Message:

There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story : to make this world a happy place to live, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world.

Item 3: Clip

                                                                       

A. Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQtFp3wY0SQ

B. Message: There is always a fact that:  If people join together, they are more powerful than if they work by themselves.

 C. Rhetorical devices:
          Metaphor: Using ants and penguins as a metaphor about union.