Please use this space to respond to each other's posts. You only need to write a post with a minimum of 100 words. You should write about your personal response to 'Grandma's House'. Please ensure that you include your name and ID #.
This essay is like a scene out of a movie. It was so vivid as the writer herself mentioned in the first sentence. I felt as if I became a little young girl exploring mysterious and magical place. Also, for me as a Korean, the scene described in this essay was a bit exotic. If the writer were a Korean, the description of ‘Grandma’s house’ would be very different. I think the writer effectively used the imagery of five senses -sight, sound, smell, touch, taste- and comparisons like simile or metaphor to depict her grandma's house more vivid and impressive to the readers.
I think what made this essay more vivid and easy to follow is the way the writer developed a story: spatial order. Just like Yoonju pointed out, lots of figurative language and the effective use of five senses definitely attained the goal of describing the scene. But hadn't this essay been organized according the spatial order, detailed and subjective descriptions might have made this essay a bit fuzzy or distracting.
I find this essay interesting because the writer conveys her image of her grandma's house effectively through description. Not only does she stimulate the various senses of the reader, but she also tells little stories such as how toys fell through the gap between the steps and the front door, how the piano keys wouldn't make noise, and how she didn't want to go in the bathtub. The writer's tone of description is also well chosen. From the essay, it can easily be inferred that Grandma's house is not a very well-kept place with convenient modern facilities. But that is precisely what makes Grandma's house such a mysteriously wonderful and comfortable place. Mentioning the table laden with pastries and jam gives adds a warm, welcoming air. However, although I like this essay in general, I felt that it was difficult to follow in a way, because the sentences were pretty long and filled with elaborate description. Maybe weaving in some shorter, simpler sentences would make an improvement.
P.S. I think the phrase "half a century and thirteen children ago" is pretty neat -:)
I was wonder there’s still like a hook-type lock and purple couch which writer’s grandmother has. I just imagined my grandmother’s house while reading (It’s recently renovated though). It was about 30 year old, so sometimes the roof leaked out when it rains. It maybe just old and creepy house, but writer show this house has full of fulfilled childhood dream and curiosity through detail explanation. Especially the smell of kitchen evokes sympathy toward my childhood. I think the writer succeed in making vivid image toward readers by lots of visual description. I could even figure grandmother’s living room stuff in my mind like virtual reality.(2011-12724 Park Dae-jin)
Today I went to my grandma's house and saw thoroughly the pictures of my own childhood which were hung on the wall. I felt strong nostalgia toward my childhood from my childhood pictures and I belive the author has same feelings. I think the author's sweet feelings toward the childhood is well expressed in the essay, by the method of description. Especially I was impressed with the expressions of 'like stepping into an enchanted forest' and 'pretending to be deep in a magic forest'. From these expressions, the essay conveys author's comfortable feelings beyond the mere expression 'I was comfortable.' By the description, I could draw picture of grandma's house vividly, firstly because of full use of five senses: 'old purple velvet(sight)', 'musty basement(smell)', 'curtains tickled my face(touch)', etc. Also, the author catches every detail things observed in past, even crack between house and steps, and varieties of trees in yard. I could grasp the author's attachment toward the childhood, not only from expressions like 'magic forest', but also vivid expressions from five senses and detailed explanation. I think since the house is a sweet 'historical museum' of the author's childhood, memories could be fully remaining in author's mind.
As Yoonju commented above, I, too, agree that a Korean would write a different essay of grandma’s house because things are so different in Korea. Nevertheless, the writer seems to have somehow succeeded in reminding the readers of each one’s grandma’s house. I think that’s because of the common feeling of warmth that we can feel both when reading this essay and when thinking of our own grandma’s house.
I think the writer’s good memory helped gaining readers’ sympathy. She recalled all kinds of subtle feelings she felt at the grandma’s house and used them in the essay. Although using spatial order could make the story somewhat formal and uninteresting, the various uses of the feelings and vivid comparisons led to an attractive descriptive essay.
As I finish reading this essay i automatically started to think 'my' grandma's house. Just like the writer described how her house looks like i tried the same way but it was kind of sad that i couldn't recall my memory as descriptive and as precisely as the writer did in his essay. This essay's overall mood was warm and cozy just like our grandma treated us who all used to be innocent baby. I also felt strange sadness in me after reading because I realized that I would never able to go back, to my childhood full of curiosity and incessant challenge. I'm pretty sure that we all have felt the similar way when we re-visit elementary or middle school or old apartment we used to go and surprised by its relative 'smallness' Those places were so big and spacious enough for all of us to run freely but now they all look so tiny. It is of course we all grown taller and bigger but still it's somewhat sad realizing irreversible time with so distinctive example right infront of us.
sorry for untidy paragraph since I am using iPhone for posting
Reading the essay, I was actually quite uncertain at first whether or not to regard Grandma's House as a warm, cosy place or not. When the author mentioned the food(homemade jelly, toast etc..) it did seem warm. Yet, in the other descriptions, I could not see much positive feelings. For example, a couch half-buried with old clothes and newspapers, old curtain hanging, a hole on the kitchen floor, a room wallpapered with old newspapers did not seem that warm to me. ^^;; If the writer focused more on the good memories related to Grandma's House rather than focusing on the things inside the house, it would have felt warmer. I only realized that the writer was talking about the good memories about Grandma's house in the last paragraph. The writer should have focused more on the actual happenings and memories, I think.
I wonder how the author could possibly feel her Grandma's house as a sweet and wonderful place. During reading, I found many materials that would fit right in horror films. Limited vision caused from messy furnitures and holes; even same at the outside of the house, due to high grasses and shadowing trees, loneliness from shabby and yellowed curtains, piano, windows-even raining outside of them, and things with dangerous feeling such as deep crack in front of the porch and smell of petroleum. All of these made me feel chilly and scared. Of course I admit that some elements like flavors from roasted toasts, colorful homemade jelly, and trees with rich fruits can change atmosphere warmer and cosier. But they are just a small part of the story and so they can't cover whole things. Real world we live in is quite complicated and sometimes even ambivalent. So the fact that there are two oppositive group of descriptive elements in one story might make this story more realistic. But also it may make readers like me feel frustrated. I mean, it makes us hard to focus on one, significant point and follow the flow. I have a high regard of the author's descriptive skills such as vivid expression, rich vocabulary, and mentioning details, but I think the feeling she mentions at the end of the story(Grandma's house is indeed a place of wonderful memories) is somehow distorted as time goes by.
For me, at first, the description of grandma's house in this essay didn't seem as cozy and warm as the writer has stated in the last paragraph. But however, the way the author has described her grandma's house made it easy for me to imagine the house since she(he) has used plenty of expressions and words in describing. This essay also made me think back my own grandma's house. Even though my grandma has moved to a new apartment in Seoul few years ago, I still miss her big old house in the country side where there were lots of cows, chickens, and dogs. The house used to made me feel warm and cozy and also free from all the stress I get in busy, hectic city life. In addition, I especially liked the part where the author precisely described grandma's kitchen. It felt as I can really smell the toast, and yummy cherry pies.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis essay is like a scene out of a movie. It was so vivid as the writer herself mentioned in the first sentence. I felt as if I became a little young girl exploring mysterious and magical place. Also, for me as a Korean, the scene described in this essay was a bit exotic. If the writer were a Korean, the description of ‘Grandma’s house’ would be very different. I think the writer effectively used the imagery of five senses -sight, sound, smell, touch, taste- and comparisons like simile or metaphor to depict her grandma's house more vivid and impressive to the readers.
ReplyDeleteI think what made this essay more vivid and easy to follow is the way the writer developed a story: spatial order. Just like Yoonju pointed out, lots of figurative language and the effective use of five senses definitely attained the goal of describing the scene. But hadn't this essay been organized according the spatial order, detailed and subjective descriptions might have made this essay a bit fuzzy or distracting.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I reckon the proper mixture of detailed description and an account of personal experience also helps readers sympathize with the writer.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI find this essay interesting because the writer conveys her image of her grandma's house effectively through description. Not only does she stimulate the various senses of the reader, but she also tells little stories such as how toys fell through the gap between the steps and the front door, how the piano keys wouldn't make noise, and how she didn't want to go in the bathtub. The writer's tone of description is also well chosen. From the essay, it can easily be inferred that Grandma's house is not a very well-kept place with convenient modern facilities. But that is precisely what makes Grandma's house such a mysteriously wonderful and comfortable place. Mentioning the table laden with pastries and jam gives adds a warm, welcoming air.
ReplyDeleteHowever, although I like this essay in general, I felt that it was difficult to follow in a way, because the sentences were pretty long and filled with elaborate description. Maybe weaving in some shorter, simpler sentences would make an improvement.
P.S. I think the phrase "half a century and thirteen children ago" is pretty neat -:)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI was wonder there’s still like a hook-type lock and purple couch which writer’s grandmother has. I just imagined my grandmother’s house while reading (It’s recently renovated though). It was about 30 year old, so sometimes the roof leaked out when it rains. It maybe just old and creepy house, but writer show this house has full of fulfilled childhood dream and curiosity through detail explanation. Especially the smell of kitchen evokes sympathy toward my childhood. I think the writer succeed in making vivid image toward readers by lots of visual description. I could even figure grandmother’s living room stuff in my mind like virtual reality.(2011-12724 Park Dae-jin)
ReplyDeleteToday I went to my grandma's house and saw thoroughly the pictures of my own childhood which were hung on the wall. I felt strong nostalgia toward my childhood from my childhood pictures and I belive the author has same feelings.
ReplyDeleteI think the author's sweet feelings toward the childhood is well expressed in the essay, by the method of description. Especially I was impressed with the expressions of 'like stepping into an enchanted forest' and 'pretending to be deep in a magic forest'. From these expressions, the essay conveys author's comfortable feelings beyond the mere expression 'I was comfortable.'
By the description, I could draw picture of grandma's house vividly, firstly because of full use of five senses: 'old purple velvet(sight)', 'musty basement(smell)', 'curtains tickled my face(touch)', etc. Also, the author catches every detail things observed in past, even crack between house and steps, and varieties of trees in yard.
I could grasp the author's attachment toward the childhood, not only from expressions like 'magic forest', but also vivid expressions from five senses and detailed explanation. I think since the house is a sweet 'historical museum' of the author's childhood, memories could be fully remaining in author's mind.
Moon Yewon
ReplyDeleteAs Yoonju commented above, I, too, agree that a Korean would write a different essay of grandma’s house because things are so different in Korea. Nevertheless, the writer seems to have somehow succeeded in reminding the readers of each one’s grandma’s house. I think that’s because of the common feeling of warmth that we can feel both when reading this essay and when thinking of our own grandma’s house.
I think the writer’s good memory helped gaining readers’ sympathy. She recalled all kinds of subtle feelings she felt at the grandma’s house and used them in the essay. Although using spatial order could make the story somewhat formal and uninteresting, the various uses of the feelings and vivid comparisons led to an attractive descriptive essay.
As I finish reading this essay i automatically started to think 'my' grandma's house. Just like the writer described how her house looks like i tried the same way but it was kind of sad that i couldn't recall my memory as descriptive and as precisely as the writer did in his essay. This essay's overall mood was warm and cozy just like our grandma treated us who all used to be innocent baby. I also felt strange sadness in me after reading because I realized that I would never able to go back, to my childhood full of curiosity and incessant challenge.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that we all have felt the similar way when we re-visit elementary or middle school or old apartment we used to go and surprised by its relative 'smallness' Those places were so big and spacious enough for all of us to run freely but now they all look so tiny. It is of course we all grown taller and bigger but still it's somewhat sad realizing irreversible time with so distinctive example right infront of us.
sorry for untidy paragraph since I am using iPhone for posting
Reading the essay, I was actually quite uncertain at first whether or not to regard Grandma's House as a warm, cosy place or not.
ReplyDeleteWhen the author mentioned the food(homemade jelly, toast etc..) it did seem warm. Yet, in the other descriptions, I could not see much positive feelings. For example, a couch half-buried with old clothes and newspapers, old curtain hanging, a hole on the kitchen floor, a room wallpapered with old newspapers did not seem that warm to me. ^^;;
If the writer focused more on the good memories related to Grandma's House rather than focusing on the things inside the house, it would have felt warmer.
I only realized that the writer was talking about the good memories about Grandma's house in the last paragraph. The writer should have focused more on the actual happenings and memories, I think.
-Hye-su
I wonder how the author could possibly feel her Grandma's house as a sweet and wonderful place. During reading, I found many materials that would fit right in horror films. Limited vision caused from messy furnitures and holes; even same at the outside of the house, due to high grasses and shadowing trees, loneliness from shabby and yellowed curtains, piano, windows-even raining outside of them, and things with dangerous feeling such as deep crack in front of the porch and smell of petroleum. All of these made me feel chilly and scared.
ReplyDeleteOf course I admit that some elements like flavors from roasted toasts, colorful homemade jelly, and trees with rich fruits can change atmosphere warmer and cosier. But they are just a small part of the story and so they can't cover whole things.
Real world we live in is quite complicated and sometimes even ambivalent. So the fact that there are two oppositive group of descriptive elements in one story might make this story more realistic. But also it may make readers like me feel frustrated. I mean, it makes us hard to focus on one, significant point and follow the flow.
I have a high regard of the author's descriptive skills such as vivid expression, rich vocabulary, and mentioning details, but I think the feeling she mentions at the end of the story(Grandma's house is indeed a place of wonderful memories) is somehow distorted as time goes by.
For me, at first, the description of grandma's house in this essay didn't seem as cozy and warm as the writer has stated in the last paragraph. But however, the way the author has described her grandma's house made it easy for me to imagine the house since she(he) has used plenty of expressions and words in describing.
ReplyDeleteThis essay also made me think back my own grandma's house. Even though my grandma has moved to a new apartment in Seoul few years ago, I still miss her big old house in the country side where there were lots of cows, chickens, and dogs. The house used to made me feel warm and cozy and also free from all the stress I get in busy, hectic city life.
In addition, I especially liked the part where the author precisely described grandma's kitchen. It felt as I can really smell the toast, and yummy cherry pies.