At the beginning, I found Literature is a difficult subject to study. Until nearly the of the semester; however, I realized and understood what the purpose of studying Literature is; even it seemed a bit late, but I could understood at the last minute. So, to evaluate the teaching effectiveness and the learning achievement, this essay will illustrate the effectiveness and the achievement that I received through the evaluating on the reflection writing, the instruction and practice of teaching and learning, the Lit-Mini-Project work and presentation, which put in Literature Studies 201, also included what I have learnt and my opinion about the lit course.
My point of view concerning to the reflection writing, it help me gain two advantages. First, I could improve writing by practicing writing the reflection papers. After returning the papers, I knew my mistakes both in grammar and in language used in my writing. I can use the language properly in my writing. Moreover, I could improve reading habit when lecturer assigned us to write the reflection paper we had to do it. And I had to read many stories to select the stories that I have to write about. Second, I could gain more general knowledge which reflected in each story about the society at that time in different way from the different stories. So, writing the reflection papers provided me significant benefits in writing, reading, and gathering more knowledge.
For the instruction and practice of teaching and learning, I think it went smoothly. We had received good and cleared explanations. You gave us enough detail and handout about the stories. For example, in Oliver Twist, on the spot Fagin look at Oliver closely and the he took the jewelry box to look. In that point I think only the surface of it but when I heard your explanation, it shook my mind how you could think of such an idea that Fagin’s action wanted to show about Fagin’s expectation which he could get more jewelry from making use of Oliver. The point made me clearer about the purpose of studying literature. However, a small bad point was included in the instruction and practice of teaching and learning; it seemed very fast to get your detail of explanation.
Similarly, the Lit-Mini-Project work and presentation also provided a lot of advantages. First, to do this project, we, members in my group, had to do lots of researches through internet, magazines, newspaper, the text book, and the extra handout to cover our project. Beyond this point, we made a group discussion about our topic which taught us how to interact with one another both in our group and when we leave school for work. Last, doing the presentation is another way to build confidence in officially speech. To conclude, doing Lit-Mini-Project work and presentation is the useful means that I can apply it in my real life.
From the beginning to the end of the semester, I have learnt many things from the Literature Studies 201. The first significant point is the women status in the society. For this point I could infer from the stories that women were inferior form men; they did not have right to decide on any problem they faced. The head of their family were their husbands. Women at that time had to be obedient, stayed home, and looked after their house and their children; their lives depended on their husband. If they did not have husband their lives would face serious trouble. In addition, all the stories, no one has a woman as a leader of their tribe or their society but men. However, comparing to our real society at the present; it is different. Now women have opportunities to get education, work outside, and their ideas also update to the modern time. For example, in Oliver Twist, Nancy factually had time to escape from Bill Sikes, but because of the old idea was full in her, she decided not to escape. Yet, our modern life, if women met such a situation, a hundred percent, they decided to escape and to find their happiness; they would not live with such a man. At the mean time, it also shows about the prejudice of social class at that time. For instance, in Necklace, Mrs. Losel was a beautiful and charming girl born in the low class family, so she had to married with a person who had the same class. The prejudice of social class still exists in our society at the present. The poor marry the poor; the rich marry the rich. Another real example, in the government their children married with the persons who their parents working in the government.
Moreover, there are some more points that I have learnt. First, the people in the society were selfish. Namely, in Oliver Twist and in Happy Prince, most the people in the stories thought only about their survival. Second, the people were also materialistic. In Necklace, the language that the author used, for example on the spot, Mr. losel threw the common wrap over his wife’s shoulder she drop it and ran away. This show that people judge other by their outlook, for the real society, it absolutely applies in the real life. If a person have car, modern telephone, and wearing expensive clothe the person must live in the rich family that she or he could afford such a thing. The judgment by the outlook make some people pretend them self as a rich one by getting such thing in bad way, while others try to challenge each other by working hard. Last point is about nature and nurture, in Oliver, nurture could not turn Oliver behavior, but to our real society, nurture could change people’s behavior.
To my opinion, Literature is an extensive and productive subject because I can gather general knowledge; it helps me improve writing and reading, and building my confidence by practicing reflection papers and doing Lit-Mini-Project work and presentation. Most of all I could apply what I have learnt from literature to social practice.