【100-1 第三名】財法一 洪〇凡：Harry Potter

Harry Potter

參賽者：洪〇凡（財法一）
名次：第三名
書名：Harry Potter
得獎作品：

     When it comes to my favorite story, what must spring to my mind is . Frankly, I am a big fan of J.K. Rowling for I read her novels over and over again and I’ve never fed up with them. If anyone asks me why I am fond of that book, I will say “It’s a long story.”

     Among the series of Harry Potter, I view the as the most exciting, touching, and interesting one. So splendid is it that I almost look upon it as the real stuff in the world. I sobbed for Dobby’s sacrifices, laughed for Wesley twins’ humor, and felt warmed for the love between the family and the friendship. I wondered how the writer meditated such a spectacular that impressed me and other readers, and even made a hit around the globe. Up to now, there are still billions of people talking about this, crazy for this, and so am I.

     What made me really impressive was the foreshadowing that the writer hinted in the previous books. The horcruxes were planned to show up and that really exciting. I adored the wit that J.K. Rowling owned. I loved the bond between the students in the Gryffindor, fascinated with the power of magic, and touched by the deeds that everyone fought for his/her friends and family. I hated Lord Voldemort for his cruel, brutal means. Without him, no one would have died, and there were no tragedies. Though I understood that villains were the indispensible roles in all stories, I still poured scorn on him. Besides, I thought that Harry was a lucky guy because he received so much love and support though he lost his parents when little. On top of that, when I finished reading, I was sorry for Snape. He was a great man who was misunderstood and resented for his camouflage. It was not until he passed away that the truth was disclosed. It turned out to be that he fell in love with Harry’s Mom, Lily, and his love was never changed till death. To protect his lover’s son, he could do nothing but pretend to be a Death Eater so as to get Voldemort’s trust. I sighed with regret when I read that part. I used to be filled with disgust at that role, and how could I detect the fact before I finished reading? I could never forget the scene in my mind that Snape’s dying but he still struggled to whisper to Harry with his blood mingled with silvery substance leaking out. After reading the rest of the book, I not only realized everything suspicious, but got a knot in the pit of my stomach. I could not help but burst out crying with my head buried in the novel. There’s no denying that Snape devoted himself to guarding the world more than anyone did.

     Another part of the book that I’d like to mention is the quarrel between Harry and his best friend, Ron. Undergoing countless plights together, they eventually faced the most terrible difficulty—the test of friendship. They separated. The atmosphere was down to freezing point then. I was downhearted as if I were the character. I had been indifferent to my best friend, so I comprehended the feelings. That was fairly unbearable. Breathing a sigh of relief, I was glad that they ended up reconciling. After all, friendship is invaluable.

     No matter how fascinating the whole book presents, I choose for my favorite part, and to recommend it to others. The scene which the writer designed in this part was magnificent. I can envision all men and women, giants and monsters, fighting with each other at the old castle. Although some of them died, the rest did not surrender. They still gathered, kept their faith to the last moment. To their surprise, Harry’s still alive, leading them to fight against Voldemort. Whenever I read this part, it agitates me and makes my mind stirred, as if there were waves, surging over my mind.

     There is so much to list, and I’m so glad to share my feelings with others. I enjoyed the majestic, rich and colorful plots. I hope everyone has secret room for magic in his/her mind, just like me do. When we get bored or unhappy, we can take a rest, imaging that we are wizards or witches, throwing those horrible memories away, but enjoying the happiest, interesting world that we create by ourselves, and only for ourselves, no matter how bad the real life becomes, we can still find consolation in this way. After all, we have magic when we hold a positive attitude toward our life. A miracle happens when we believe it. In the end, what I’d like to say is that “I find pleasure while reading. I love this novel and have got many ideas from it. I hope that everyone loves it as I do.”

【100-1 第二名】企管三A 林〇薇：Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

參賽者：林〇薇（企管三A）
名次：第二名
書名：Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
得獎作品：

     This book is about how Chinese parents raise children differently than western parents. Western parents try to respect their children's individuality, encouraging them to pursue their true passions and providing a nurturing environment. The Chinese believe that the best way to protect your children is by preparing them for the future and arming them with skills, strong work habits, and inner confidence. Amy expects her children to strive for excellence with no ground for retreat. For example, the two daughters can’t have a play date, can’t be in a school play nor complain about not being in a school play. Moreover, they have to be the number one student in every subject except gym and drama.

     Amy Chua, the author wrote this book in a moment of crisis, when her younger daughter seemed to turn against everything she stood for, and it felt like she was losing her. Everything was falling apart. After one terrible fight, she sat down at her computer, and even though she usually has writer’s block, this time the words just poured out. Amy showed every page to her daughters and her husband. It felt like a therapy one of a kind to her.

     Amy Chua was raised by very strict, Chinese immigrant parents, who came to the U.S. as graduate students with practically no money. Her mother and father were so poor they couldn’t afford heat their first two winters in Boston, and wore blankets around to keep warm. They demanded total respect and were very tough. That was the family she was from, and she still loved her parents very much and is grateful for it. The strictness equipped her well for her later life. Therefore, she believes that the same method should work on her daughters.

     What I love the most about this book is that it is very honest. The book depicts the ugliest scenarios of parenting. However, those are just about what happens every night in every teenage family, each story of how Lulu was forced to play violin and how she wanted to attend a sleepover at a friend’s place. It is depicted in a very genuine way, not trying to garnish the greatness of parenting. I feel as if I can relate to the stories. Reflecting on my teenage years, I could remember that some of the stories happened to me, too. I could still remember how angry I was at my mom for being anal and strict. I had known better enough at that time to understand that everything she did was at the best interest of me. However, I still felt that her requests were somehow against me, as if she tried everything to make me feel worse. I honestly thought that. And I ruthlessly showed it. I let my mom know how mad I was at her. She in return, showed how hurt she was.

     The power of love is that it hurts. I had known that everything she asked of me was for my good, but I was angry at myself for not achieving them so I let it out on her. She loves me so much to have been willing to take that risk, the risk that I would rebel her, and yet still asked more and more of me. Growing older, I then understood love is so powerful that it hurts. And Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is the best book to depict this process. It has pointed out that the process may seem harmful to the relationship of parent and child. In truth, it is just love in disguise. Every parent should assume strength in their children, not weakness. It’s a process of helping children realize their potential.

     This is the hard way, and love has given the will for them to parent the hard way. Therefore, reading this book, through the tension of Amy and Lulu, I felt love was filled in every scenario. Only loved ones would do such for you. Now reading it, I think it is a reminder for me to be grateful of how my parents would chose the hard way to teach me. Moreover, it’s a thought for me to think I should do the same to whom I care. My closest friends, I should tell them how much more they ought to prompt themselves and not idle away time. My family, I shall remind them that discipline will lead them to unprecedented success. My co-workers, I should work hardly together with them to strive for the best performance. There are many forms of love, and Amy has shown us a kind that is hard-core down-to-ear.

【100-1 第一名】財法三 施〇輝：The English Teacher, R.K.Narayan

The English Teacher, R.K.Narayan

參賽者：施〇輝（財法三）
名次：第一名
書名：The English Teacher
得獎作品：

     The English Teacher by R. K. Narayan is the story of a young man teaching English in a missionary college. The story is set in Malgudi, in the twentieth century colonial India. The reason behind penning this review is because of this amazing novel which left a deep emotion in my soul. The English Teacher is not another humorous storytelling, but rather it is a solemn one comprising of emotions and tragedy together with a few tiny patches of smile. This novel, dedicated to Narayan's wife, Rajam, is not only autobiographical but also poignant in its intensity of feeling. The story revolves around the lead character, Krishna, his experiences in life, and his quest towards achieving inner peace and self-development.

     This novel narrates about a simple ordinary living man, Krishna, who lives with small dreams and limited expectations. As an English teacher at Albert Mission College, Krishna has enjoyed a bachelor's life for several years, leading a mundane and monotonous lifestyle comparable to that of a cow, but this took a turn when his wife, Susila, and their child, Leela, come to live with him in a town called Malgudi. Krishna's life expands to include the blissful domesticity of living with his wife and child. This first half of the book, in which Krishna comes to learn how to love his family, is unexceptional by design, through the mundane joy of his day-to-day experiences with his family and teasing from the mundane intricacies of normal life a picture of largely untroubled domestic happiness. With their welfare on his hands, Krishna learns to be a proper husband and accepts the responsibility of taking care of his family. He felt that his life had comparatively improved, as he understood that there is more meaning to life than to just teaching in the college.

     However, on the day when they went in search of a new house, Susila contracted typhoid after visiting a dirty lavatory, keeping her in bed for weeks. Throughout the entire course of her illness, Krishna constantly tries to keep an optimistic view about Susila's illness, keeping his hopes up by thinking that her illness would soon be cured. However, Susila eventually succumbed to the illness and passed away. Due to the loss of his beloved wife, Susila, Krishna broke down and even conceived suicidal thoughts. In Narayan’s words, “I feel nothing, and see nothing”. As you read it, you are almost transported into Krishna’s world which is so blurred by grief. You cannot help but feel the protagonist’s pain when his wife died. As quoted from the book ‘Nothing will make him worry or interested hereafter’, Krishna led his life as a lost and miserable person after her death. He became indifferent to the other materialistic things when he lost his most precious belonging. We may think that Krishna is a very impractical and emotional man, but back in reality, I am sure we can find ourselves inside him. A person will definitely be affected when his closest or dearest ones leave him even though it may be part and parcel in the natural course of life. We know we have to accept such hard truths in the end and move on with life, but the path towards the future is intimidating and daunting when no one is there with you.

     Later on, when he received a letter from a stranger who indicated that Susila has been in contact with him and that she wanted to communicate with Krishna, he became more collected and cheerful. This led to Krishna’s journey in search of enlightenment, with the stranger acting as a medium to Susila in the spiritual world. The novel brings readers to another realm which speaks of how a person starts believing the supernatural and slowly gets involved into it. It is obvious that Krishna loved his wife too much and could not accept the fact that she has already departed, thus dwelling into such supernatural. Leela, on the other hand, goes to a preschool where Krishna gets to meet the Headmaster, a profound man who cared for the students in his school and taught them moral values through his own methods. The Headmaster placed his students as his top priority but he did not show care and concern for his own family and children, eventually leaving them on the day predicted by an astrologer as to be when he was going to die, which did not come true in the end.

     Krishna got to learn through the Headmaster on the journey to enlightenment; eventually learning to communicate to Susila on his own, thus concluding the entire story itself, with the quote that he felt 'a moment of rare immutable joy'. Eventually, Krishna started believing the existence of his departed wife and how others believed him or respected his simple ideology. Susila told Krishna how in the spiritual world, that to think of a thing means to be with it, and according to the theory, Krishna and Susila can never be forced apart even by death. It is touching seeing the relationship and bond Krishna and his wife share, that it transcends the notion of life and death.

     It is a brilliant piece of writing with experiences so beautifully put to words that it touches every chord inside your heart. The language is devoid of any unnecessary pompousness and grandiose that is visible in today’s authors. From the domestic details in the first half to the excruciating agony of Susila’s death and then the positivity in the supernatural second half, a great flow is thoroughly maintained with an inexplicable blend of subtle humour and strained tragedy.

     This story is all about belief and faith and how plans and dreams can become meaningless when things come to an end. It will make you cry or laugh and admire the characters in the novel. It talks about realms that are not necessarily obvious like the spiritual world, but might exist. Krishna’s stint with spirituality comes to me as a ray of hope and a sort of inspiration. It is an intellectually and emotionally stimulating work and it allows readers to think. There are a few moments in the book when you ‘feel’ and not just read the writing. Many questions will be raised in your mind like was his wife really communicating with him even after her death? This is the beauty of Narayan’s writing as he compels you to think. The story is subtly done but strikingly, with the touching knowledge that such a book must have originated in Narayan's desire to be with his own wife again.


     This novel will always hold a special place in my heart. It displays love in its purest form, love and kinship that bound Susila to Krishna and Susila to Leela. So pure is their love, that even mortality cannot snatch away any of its dew-drop freshness and in turn make it eternal. In a very novel way, the story shows how love can make a person a better human being.