Review: Tuesdays with Morrie

A Review on Tuesdays with Morrie

Katrina Dungca

photo credits to: wikimedia.com

The book, based on a real life experience, written by Mitch Albom is indeed a source of lessons that can be used in life. He knows how to tickle hearts of many by sharing his experiences with his favorite college professor, Morrie. Making documentation with his diseased old pal made him more mature and helped him make his decisions for the future. I chose this book because I remember my favorite teacher back in high school. Like Morrie, I know that my former teacher will never forget who I am and the felicity I brought him. Mitch was Morrie's favorite student. Back in high school I also felt I was a favorite too. My high school teacher brought me confidence. He even was my friend too. Morrie taught a lot of authentic knowledge to Mitch and used every Tuesdays to let him be visited. Every time Mitch visits him, there was always a new matter to be talked about like marriage, decisions to be made, friendship etc. And for every topic, there will always be a lesson, a reflection that touched Mitch's heart.

Reading the book makes me think everyone should meet a man like Morrie. He is a man who is not afraid of dying because he knew he had done enough things and is ready for every circumstance that he encountered. His courage to continue his life albeit he was dying shows how strong one should be. He was even a model of a good citizen and an example of great educator. Having him, as a teacher, is good enough for a student to learn in life with another's experience. A student like Mitch used to be is blessed by having an intelligent professor as Morrie. If I were Mitch I think I was guided well by a man who might be not just a teacher in school but a teacher for life. I also see Morrie a good father because he experienced having been battered by his own father and through that he still knew what to do. He never did the same as his father did to him to his sons instead he suffice more than love he can give. My heart touched when he told Mitch about his family. This type of man is strong who gave unconditional love for his family. I will not worry nor think why his family loved him more than twice back and the respect Mitch have for him. I look up to a kind of person like Morrie. He inspired many by sharing lessons he learned. What I like most from his book are his quotations which give the book life. If I were on his feet, I know I would not be as strong as he is, a man who was ready and was just waiting for his time. He deserves an everlasting respect and love from people who were around him when he was still alive. But for these people, he will forever live in their hearts.

Review: The Cheater's Guide to Love

A Review on The Cheater's Guide to Love

Christine Homeres 

photo credits to: entheosweb.com

The Cheater's Guide to Love is a short story belonging in a book written by Junot Diaz released last September 2012 entitled This Is How You Lose Her, which is a collection of short stories. The book was a finalist in the 2012 National Book Award. Diaz somehow wanted someone to answer the questions: How can you find real love and how can you make it last?

Your girl catches you cheating. (Well actually she's your fiancée, but hey, in a bit it so won't matter.) ... She'll stick around for a few months because you have been together for a long, long time. Because you have gone through so much together--her father's death, your tenure madness, her bar exam (passed on the third take). And because love, real love is not easily shed." The story is divided into years wherein his ex-fiancée is always present as if she wants something Yunior to realize. In those six years, Yunior started to realize what he has done. Each year represented the years of getting over his ex, which never happened. It is said that he always dreams of his ex. At the end of Year 6, Yunior reads the book given to him by her 1 month after their break-up and started to realize his mistakes. He is a writer so he started writing and writing again. He also think that, "When it hits us real. The half-life of love is forever."

On my personal opinion, the short story was beyond expected. It surpassed my expectations. As I thought that it was only one of those typical infidelity love stories. I recommend people to read this, especially men, for them to know about that when love is real it changes us for the better. And people should also read more works of Junot Diaz for he is an exceptional writer. He does not only write for a work or for a living thus, he writes with passion and gives us lessons and lets us know more about love, real love.

Review: Les Miserables

A Review of Les Miserables

Mico Canapi 

photo credits to: lamiradatheatre.com

Les Miserables is about a prisoner who was very strong aside from being strong he was good man. He is one of the victims of poverty and force to do things because of the government. After sometime he was freed, but he was never actually free because a certain man told him not to comeback anymore for if he shows again he will be back on being a prisoner. Years passed and he changed his name and became the city mayor of a small town. There he met a woman that was forced to do prostitution because she was fired on her job on a sewing company and she had to bring money and food to her daughter. He helped them and comfort them but time came when the mother passed away and he had to take care of the child but it's not that easy because he was being chase by the police. They already know that he was the prisoner of the past. They managed to get out of the town and started to live secretly in the city. The government was so rude that people started on having plans for a revolution and he was one of them. The revolution began and many casualties were recorded even children fought for their lives and the soldiers of the government felt guilty for their act. They were annihilated but he managed to help a young man that was hit by pulling him to the sewers and escaping but on the end of the sewers there lies this man who said that he will capture and bring him back to jail. But there the man saw that he was helping a comrade and felt guilty for his actions. The man committed suicide after asking God certain questions. The war was so brutal that he was severely wounded and as time passes he then dies with a smile on his face after seeing the woman who is the mother of the child he took care of and suddenly knows he's dead.  I've chosen this play because the story teaches you a lot of lessons and for us to knows what is right from what is wrong so that if ever we are the ones to control the country we would do our best for the people.

Review: Aida

A Review of Aida

Jan Claire Coros

photo credits to: wikimedia

Aida is all about a timeless love story of a Nubian Princess and the Captain of the Egyptian army. The story stars when a statue of Amneris, a female Pharaoh, comes to life in a museum wherein she transports the audience to Ancient Egypt, where Radames, captain of the Egyptian army returns from his expedition in Nubia. They came across a river where Nubian women were and they captured those women to become slaves in Egypt. One of those women was Aida, the Nubian Princess. He gave Aida as a handmaiden to his betrothed, Princess Amneris, while unknown to them that their slave was a princess.

As Amneris and Aida bonded, Amneris recognized that Aida could understand her so they became friends. As Aida spends more time in the palace and with Radames, she and Radames later realized that they were in love with each other. Radames later suggests that he will cancel his engagement with Amneris so that he and Aida can be together. But Aida rejects his offer as she feels that she is betraying her country in order to be with a man who belongs to their rival country who is also next in line to the Egyptian throne and she must also lead her people, the Nubians, as it is her duty as their Princess. Both of them agreed to let Radames go through the wedding and for Aida to escape Egypt. But Amneris has overheard their entire conversation and tries to face the fact that her upcoming marriage is a fake.

During the wedding the news was relayed that the Nubians are escaping. Radames helped the Nubians escape but both Radames and Aida are then arrested for treason. The Pharaoh then sentences Aida and Radames to be buried alive. But Amneris convinced her father to let the Aida and Radames die in the same tomb, as an act ofmercy. Facing death, Radames swears he will search through a hundred lifetimes to find her again if he has to. Then the scene goes back to the museum where it is seen that the reincarnations of both Aida and Radames meet each other again.

                I chose this play because this is a play we portrayed during my 4^th year high school and I played the role of Nehebka, a friend of Aida. I didn’t choose this out favoritism but I selected this because it was very meaningful to me. At first this play did not pique my interest because I was set on getting Les Miserables as the play that we will portray. But when we got Aida I was very intrigued by the fact as to why this is an award winning play which won 4 out 5 nominations in the Tony Awards. And as I’ve read the script I realized why. This play focuses on loyalty, love, selflessness and happiness. During the part where they sang Written in the Stars brought me to tears, because the emotions portrayed by the song was just so real that I felt the pain they were going through. This play is a classic star-crossed lover’s story comparable to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet because both plays end in tragedies where both of the leads die, but Aida ended in a happier note because of the reincarnations. This is a literary piece in which loyalty and emotions are being put to the test in which both of the main characters experienced this turmoil within themselves. I admired their bravery to just choose where their loyalty lies but their love is just so strong that they even died together. This is a play that will turn your emotional buttons on, a play that will give you Goosebumps and a play that will show you the value of loyalty and love.

Review: A Golden Chain by Helen Steiner Rice

A Review of A Golden Chain by Helen Steiner Rice

Venice Karla Sison

photo credits to: http://www.ceca-fashion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Men-gold-chain-rope-Review.jpg

This poem is about friendship. The author shows the similarities between a golden chain and a friend. In the first paragraph, it is stated that the links represent the friends that are treasured and are important. They are compared to rare gems that are considered to be very precious. In the second paragraph, it explains the foundation made in friendship. The happy memories and true love given by two friends to form their relationship. It also shows how tight the bond between two friends is. In the third paragraph, it explains that nothing could destroy friendship; not even time. As long as the person remembers the memories that make him/her happy, he/she will not forget their relationship as friends. In the fourth paragraph, it explains that nothing is more valuable than friendship. Having a friend that truly understands you has a higher value than gold. In the fifth paragraph, it explains that the "Golden Chain of Friendship" is a firm and blessed bond between two people. Their similar and alike hearts combine and become stronger as time passes.

I chose this poem because it makes me reminisce the happy memories I had with my friends. This poem made me realize that friends should be treasured because not everyone would be there to help and support you. It made me realize that not everyone could be considered as a true friend. I remember the time when I had my first day in high school, I was so shy because I don't know anyone in my section. After a few weeks, I had a couple of friends and I became so close to them. As the years go by, I became a fourth year student. My friends from first year were still my friends. I also gained new friends. I managed to balance my relationship between my old and new friends. I wanted to give my time to them as much as possible. They help me in relieving the stress I'm feeling at school and at home. They always try to make me smile whenever I'm down or whenever I have problems. The foundation of our relationship was built with happy and sad memories. We've all been through good and bad times together. I've realized that the memories I had with my friends are very precious to me. I value it more than the material things that I have. In the future, I will do my best in creating friendships that will make my friends and I happy. I will create happy memories with them too. I will try to give them the happiness that was given to me by my other friends.  I would also continue to manage my time with my high school friends and college friends. I would focus on strengthening my relationship with them. I would make sure that our relationship would be like this golden chain, a strong, firm and treasured bond that nothing could ever break or destroy; not even time.

Review: Phantom of the Opera

A Review of the Phantom of the Opera 

Geraldine Navarro

photo credits to: http://www.lyrics007.com/images/cover_art/64/12/23

The story begins when two men, Andre and Firmin, take over the opera once owned by Lefevre. To celebrate the change of owners they decided to throw a gala, but the lead diva, Carlotta, refuses to sing as she was afraid of the "opera ghost". Madame Giry, the opera's ballet mistress recommended Christine Daae, who is well taught by a mysterious tutor. The night of the gala Christine told Meg, Madame Giry's daughter that she doesnt really know her tutor and only pertains to him as "the angel of music". An opera patron, Rauol, recognizes Christine as his childhood playmate, which he wants back in his life. Christine tells Rauol of her “angel of music” but he doesnt believe her. Meanwhile in the theater a man called Joseph Buquet, like Madam Giry who knows about the phantom of the opera tells everyone tales about the opera ghost and his Magic Lasso.  In the managers’ office, Madame Giry delivers a note from the Phantom that he demands that Christine replace Carlotta in the new opera, or there will be a terrible disaster "beyond imagination". Firmin and Andre assure the scared Carlotta that she will remain the star but during her performance, disaster strikes. The Phantom makes Carlotta's voice to sound like a frog’s croak. A ballet interlude begins, to keep the audience entertained. Suddenly, the corpse of Buquet, hanging from the magic lasso, drops from the rafters. Firmin and André was saying that was only an accident while the Phantoms laughs were heard from the backstage.

In the end Phantom wanted to marry Christine so he too her to his lair and forces her to marry him. Rauol to the rescue comes to Christine’s aid. Christine kisses phantom and says that it is his soul that is deformed, not his face. Christine forces herself to turn away knowing she loves him but has to leave and exits with Raoul. The Phantom makes his way to his throne and covers himself with his cloak.

Back in high school we were open to different kinds of musicals, plays and literary works. In which it made me curious into the different famous works such as, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Anna Karenina and A Midsummer night’s dream. The Phantom of the Opera tickled my fancy as I watched the production at the Royal Albert hall for their 25th anniversary. Not only the way that the actors acted their specific roles, but also the way they sung the different songs and lines they have. Phantom’s character was what I liked the most since at first he seemed like an antagonist but in the end he was a protagonist after all, searching for someone who will love as he is and not be afraid of him nor his face. There was a part 2 or a continuation for the phantom of the opera which I also saw called, Love never dies. It was a story about how a few years later, Christine married to Rauol has still feelings for Phantom in which she had a child with.

Reading List

Reading List

credits to: zerochan.net

10 Poems 

1. Tonight I can Write the Saddest Lines by Pablo Neruda

2. The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

3. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

4. Love Poem with Toast by Miller Williams

5. Birthdays by Lang Leav

6. A Golden Chain by Helen Steiner Rice

7. The Lamp of Life by Amy Lowell

8. Trees by Joyce Kilmer

9. The passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe

10. The River Merchant’s Wife: A Letter by Ezra Pound

10 Short stories

1. The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

2.  Kiss of Death by Conrado de Quiros

3. Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving

4. The Three Tradesmen by Aesop

5. Spring in Fialta by Vladimir Nabokov

6. The Great Divorce by Kelly Link

7. A Vine on a House by Ambrose Bierce

8. Heaven by Mary Gaitskill

9. A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

10. The Cheater's Guide to Love by Junot Diaz

5 Novels

1.Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

2.Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

3.Heaven is for Real by Lynn Vincent and Todd Burpo

4.Thirteen Reasons Why by  Jay Asher

5.Paper Towns by John Greene 

5 Plays

1. Phantom of the Opera

2. The King and I

3. Les Miserables

4. Miss Saigon

5. Aida