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Should Taoyu have jumped off of the diving board?

  One of the discussion questions that we debated during class when discussing the short story “Vaulting at Sea” was the question “Should Taoyu have jumped off of the diving board?” My initial thoughts during the class period was that he should have finished the stunt, but upon further reflection of the different arguments presented, I began to resonate with a variety of views. I wanted to holistically analyze all possible aspects and opinions of this question to understand more of why Taoyu decided to make his ultimate decision. My first opinions mostly stemmed from the large effect that he projected on himself and others upon deciding to not jump off the board. In particular, his decision ruined any chance his partner Hai had of winning in the Olympics, a feat they were predicted to achieve. All the years of training and hard work to lead to these platform moments like the Olympics were taken away in a single instant. Because synchronized diving is so heavily dependent on the pre...
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The Evolution of Jenny

I would retitle the short story “The Evolution of my Brother” to “The Evolution of Jenny.” While Jenny’s younger brother exemplifies growth through his experiences, I think that Jenny has many concrete instances of clarity and understanding as she gets older. I personally enjoyed reading through Jenny’s phases of life, and I empathize with her realizations and gratitude that came with her maturing. Thus, I feel as though this new title draws more attention to Jenny, allowing readers to focus on her moments of growth.  This short story recounts many of Jenny’s experiences throughout childhood and beyond. I find the author’s interpretations of Jenny’s emotions to be one of the most compelling aspects of this story. The representation of her anger, longing, and resentment are shown through her life experiences, many of them involving her younger brother. The change from her younger brother desperately craving her attention to having to be forced to talk to her contributes to her devel...
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The Relation Between the Korean Adoptees of “Mothers, Lock Up Your Daughters Because They are Terrifying” and the Recent Scandals Regarding the South Korean Adoptee System

  Dr O’Brien’s mention of the recent turmoil surrounding the South Korean adoptee system when we were discussing the short story “Mothers, Lock Up Your Daughters Because They Are Terrifying” piqued my interest. I had not heard of anything regarding the adoptee system in South Korea, but I was curious to learn more. Through reading articles surrounding this topic, I was able to connect some of the points back to the three girls, Mini, Ronnie, and Caroline in this story, furthering my understanding of experiences they had as Korean adoptees. I came to recognize the injustices of the system that are finally getting exposed, and viewed the girls in a deeper and more understanding way. I read an article from the New York Times titled “World’s Largest ‘Baby Exporter’ Confronts Its Painful Past.” The article goes in depth about how South Korea’s adoptee system has proven to have many flaws, with recent stories coming to light regarding the corruption set in place. South Korea built a...
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Analyzing a Sentence from “Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain”

  “Your father is a dark, sturdy man and so unlike you that, as a child, you were sure that one day Hagrid would come to your door and inform you of your status as a Mudblood, and then your true life- the life without the weight of your father’s history, pain, guilt, hopelessness, helplessness, judgment, and shame- would begin” (Kochai 4).  This sentence from “Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” provides a multi-layered understanding of the characters, emotions, and relationships of this short story. With just one sentence, Kochai is able to give insight to many of the details further elaborated on throughout the story. The author’s attempt at relatability through an analogy of Hagrid and a Mudblood successfully connects the feelings of not belonging and failure that the main character has, due to the fact that Mudbloods in Harry Potter are considered as inferior. The sentence utilizes the adjectives “pain, guilt, hopelessness, helplessness, judgment, and shame.” I ...
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