Hyouno Seo World Lit. Journal

 Araby, By James Joyce (1914)   2022 3/27 rate: 7/10  This story is boy's epiphany and we can match this story to hero's journey. There are many obstacles for boy to go to Araby. Maybe the way to go to Araby is 'call to adventure'. His uncle came home late, the train is delayed and the boy can't find the entrance. These are ordeals to go to Araby. I think that the reward is boy's epiphany and the story ends.  Someone will see the boy negatively because he is foolish. But I want to applaud to boy's executive ability. Many people will experience similar to this boy that fall in love to someone. Although we want to do anything to our's love, but it's hard to do actually. But this boy goes to Araby. I impress to boy's purity so this story is interesting. (134 words)

The Sisters - James Joyce (1914) 3/21, 2022 rate: 6.5  It's hard to understand this story to me, Before I search the analysis of 'The Sisters', I can't realize that the Father Flynn can be explained as children abuser. At first reading, I couldn't catch what James Joyce wanted to send to readers. Also, I couldn't understand why the title is 'The Sisters'. The main story is about the death of the Father Flynn and this story is described by the boy's point of view. I guess that the sisters of Flynn saw all process that Flynn becomes strange person and maybe Joyce wanted to emphasize them. I can't explain the reason in detail because I don't have ability to interpret this story. Just guess..  'Death' is the main theme of this story. The boy feel free by his death and I think death is not always negative. Death can mean the start of another thing and sometimes, we can leap forward by failures. Joyce also thought Ireland could advance more

Gooseberries, By Anton Chekhov (1898) 3/6, 2022 rating 7/10  While I was reading this short story, I thought carefully that what is happiness. This is main theme of the story and this story makes me change my mind. Before I read, I thought achieving the goal which I set is the most important in my life and maybe I will be happy when I reach my goal. But by seeing Nikolay's life, clinging to my goal is not the way to be happy.  Today, I realize that being happy alone is worthless. I'm happy when I play basketball or soccer with my friends and it's because all of us can share happiness by doing sports. Nikolay achieved his goal but I don't envy him.   This story gives me a big lesson, and I will not be a person who is selfish. (132 words)

The Lady With the Dog, By Anton Chekhov (1894) 2/27, 2022 Rating: 6.5/10  This story is crazy but more fun than 'the students', so I give 6.5 to this story. Nowadays, affair doesn't allow to married people. We blame who have a affair and also I was so angry with these behaviors. However, in this story, Chekhov describe affair like as romance and Dmitri rationalize the reason why he has loved with other women.   This story is first-person point of view, so readers think that this is romance and wish their love comes true. But we have to be rational. Is this right? Dmitri has children and he is head of household. I think he doesn't have right to be a father of children. I despise people such like that.  I don't understand what topic Chekhov wanted to convey, but it gives me a strong impression and it's interesting to read. (138 words)

The Student By Anton Chekhov (1894) 2/16, 2022 Rating: 7.5/10  This story is hard to understand at first because I'm not familiar with tales of bible. So I searched a background more in dorm and this story is quite interesting. This story is Ivan's epiphany so I think the hero is Ivan. Maybe any other story would depict hero only but in this story, Chekhov also described two widows in detail. So we can emphatize with not only Ivan but also two widows and we can learn from both of them. And most of hero's journeys, there are villains who oppose to hero. However, in this story, I think that there are no villains. Maybe Lukerya can be anti-gonist to Ivan but she didn't hinder Ivan.  I learned Chekhov's gun in class and I can find intention of Chekhov in this story. I didn't know the analysis before the class; The reason why Vasilisa cried after Ivan's story is guilt to Lukerya. I wondered why Chekhov describe Lukerya as widow who had been beaten by her husband.

  A Sound of Thunder, By Ray Bradbury (1952)  2/13 2022  Rating: 6.5/10  Eckels, protagonist of this story, seems to me that he is not hero, just Troll. At first, he was self-conceit and proud of his hunting records, confident to kill the Tyrannosaurus Rex.  Also, he didn't take Travis' opinion easily that small change in the past can alter the future a lot and he aimed his rifle anywhere for fun. But when he met Tyranno, he was so scared that he couldn't do anything. Travis said go back to the machine, but Eckels went off the path. When I read this story, I was so angry to Eckel's action. From this story, we also have to know that out behavior can be a storm in future. We should be careful in all day, and not neglect even small things.  When I read this book, I came up with the Avengers; End game. Maybe all of students watched this movie and feel similar things with this story. Little bit different thing is that in Avengers, heroes fought in past and many things were d