In-class Online Lesson 9 (R&R War Poetry)

Passage A:

1. They are describing Cannons.

2. These "jackies" are common sailers, who served during the war-time. The sailors are singing war chanties because they came out victorious in a war.

3. “The shovel is brother to the gun” means to say that war and death are connected inevitably. The "shovel" represents Death, while the "gun" represents War. Sandburg wants to tell, through the poem, that war will inevitably lead to deaths.

Passage B:
4. It is to show how easily the soldiers and the citizens obey each other in the midst of war. As stanza 1 shows war in destruction and seriousness, shows how the soldiers destroy the citizen’s living area. While in stanza 2, it shows the hopeful side, as the soldiers sees the citizens having to rebuild the city they have lost in the midst of war.

5. The contrasting actions make the poem have 2 different sides, tones and point of view. The first stanza shows seriousness, while the second shows hope. The author’s attitude towards the soldiers are that they are only made for war, which he does not approve of, which also shows a negative attitude towards them. But the author’s attitude towards the citizens is mainly positive, showing how they rebuilding what seems not to be the first time.

6. I think its harder to build everything up again. This is because to destroy, not much effort is needed to destroy, but to build back up something is very difficult because no matter how hard someone tries to put back everything together, it will never be the same again. An example is the recent japan earthquakes. The tallest and strongest buildings all came down within a few minutes, and this shows how easily things are destroyed, and how hard it is to build everything up again.

Passage C:

7. The onomatopoeia represents new machines that no longer use motors anymore, yet to be invented by scientist, deadlier, stronger, better, faster.

8. Gaddafi is a good example. Previously he used to rule a lot of people and everyone had to follow his orders. But recently after a few days of rioting, he has fallen and now is wanted by the police. This is because the people had enough of him and does not approve of his style of ruling.

In-class Online Lesson 9

Fighting wars, killing enemies,
I see many dead bodies.
So many soldier are all dead,
So much sacrifices have been made,

War is challenging, war is tough,
It is not something for us to laugh.
As we sadly mourn the dead,
We wonder who would be next.

Everyday we fight in fear,
Treasuring our lives, so dear.
We yearn the end of this meaningless war,
when we can end all this bloody gore.

One-Sentence Narrative Scene

I was standing in a garden surrounded with trees and flower in the north eastern part of the Republic of Singapore on a very tranquil and calm beautiful Sunday afternoon and enjoying the beautiful scenery when a fat and short blur-looking boy entered the garden with big foot steps and loud stomps till he reached the sturdy wooden benches in the middle of the garden and let out a long and loud fart and after which he calmly sat down on of the wooden benches and took out three burgers and gobbled them down in a matter of seconds with a big smile on his face.

Will same-sex marriage ever become legal in Singapore?

The Singapore Government is bound to legalize same-sex in Singapore in the future. This can be seen from past statements by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, stating that gay is alright. From this, Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew, shows that Singaporeans accept how others are and not ostracize them because they are different in the way they dress, behave and beliefs. As such, the law of Singapore is bound to evolve and allow same-sex marriage in the future. Thus, the Singapore Government would one day legalise same-sex marriage.

Secondly, the Singapore Government is also bound to legalize same-sex marriage in Singapore as there is a rising pressure on Singapore to do so. Around the world, 11 countries and several states legalize same-sex marriage, with the latest addition being New York. This shows that more places around the world are recognising same-sex marriage and if Singapore does not follow suit, this may be seen by others as a form of discrimination and unfairness. Thus, the Singapore Government would one day legalise same-sex marriage.

Most Interesting thing during Home-Based Learning

From the 24th to 25th of May, there was a Home-Based Learning activity. The most interesting thing, in my opinion was the Mathematics Lesson. The Mathematics lesson was different from ordinary lessons, and something I had not done before. During the lesson, I was introduced to a fantastic program, known as GeoGebra. As the name suggests, it combines Geographical lines and shapes, bundled with algebra. In the program, you could use the various shapes and lines to form up a lot of different objects, from houses, to trucks. For the Home-Based Learning, my assignment was to draw up a meaningful image in an A4 size. For me, I designed a bus in an A4 size. Overall, I felt this activity very engaging and meaningful as Maths may not be all about numbers, but can also be the the surrounding around us.

"Rainbow Death" by Hubert Wilson

1. Whose Point of View
Statement: The poem is from the point of view of an American fighting in the Vietnam War
Evidence: He wrote "America did not foresee"
Elaboration: He is writing from the side of an American, suggesting he was an American soldier.

2. Situation and Setting
Statement: It was depicted in a war-torn place, where people are suffering from the aftershocks of war.
Evidence: "Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!" and"Generations untold will pay"
Elaboration: It shows how terribly people would suffer from the aftershocks of the Vietnam War.

3. Language/Diction
Statement: It uses a calm and respectful tone but its argument is strong and clear
Evidence: The poet's words are polite and not impulsive but his points are crystal clear and to the point.
Elaboration: Through this, the poet wants to express his anger and rage against the American Government for waging the Vietnam War but does not want to offend anyone.

4. Personal Response
Statement: The poet believes that the Vietnam War has strong detrimental effects on both the Americans and the Vietnamese.
Evidence: This is supported by "... pay a high price" and "Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn"
Elaboration: The poet shows how the Vietnam War results in tragic days for the people.

"Rainbow Death" by Hubert Wilson

Rainbow Death is a poem about how destructive the Vietnam War was, both for the Americans and the Vietnamese. The poet wanted to show our the America did not consider carefully the pros and the cons of starting a war with Vietnam. He expresses his disappointment by saying 'America did not foresee'. He also describes how much hardship the people will suffer, both the current generation and future generation. Last but not least, the poet wanted to show how the damage of the war can be long-lasting. He cites the examples of the Agent Orange spray, a widely used herb in during the war. The herb was harmful to humans millions of people suffered from severe health problems. In conclusion, this poem describes how detrimental the Vietnam War was for the people and future generations.