Personal Statement

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

Gathered around the dinner table, new and old faces brought back to memory, the ancient languages of Cantonese and Mandarin fill the room with many conversations of how each relative and families’ year went. That’s how I feel like a normal family gathering should be like. My family is unlike the normal Chinese family though; ever since I was young, my family faced many complications with our relatives, and even closest relations.

My mother came to America with very little; she had her father’s support by her side, and some family scattered around California, and a few families on the East coast. She studied English with the help of a free tutor, and eventually, attended classes in the Alameda community college.

She lived with my dad and his parents, and they despised her. My father was unwilling to fight against his parents to change their views and act differently toward her. My mother was powerless for years, she had me to take care of on her own, her education, and she was still juggling a job to bring some income into the household.

My grandparents wanted a grandson to be able to carry on their name, but instead, they got me. They would cook nice foods, and have a feast, just my grandma, grandpa, and father. They made it obvious, and never invited my mother, or allowed us to have any of the food. My mother spent her own hard-earned money to feed me, even when she had such a busy schedule. She made sure that she would still sing and read to me at night before tucking me into bed, and waited for me to fall asleep before beginning to study. She slept at absurdly late hours, and woke up early, to have enough time to send me to day care before going off to class and work.

Before I started elementary school, when she had finally saved up some, and had enough of it, and refused to continue to put up with it. She told my father that they were either going to move out of the house, or else she would take me and go raise me on her own without him. She stood strong and confident of herself, and my father couldn’t bear to see her walk away from him, so he grudgingly agreed, and they bought a house together.

When we finally moved into the house and settled down, life seemed good, but my mother wasn’t done yet. She knew that there was more she could accomplish, and whenever she puts her mind onto something, she does it. She worked at different offices over the years, learning to stand up for herself more, and she found herself. She’s confident in what she does, and if she’s unhappy with something, she won’t stand for it. If anything the office doesn’t suit her, she quits and finds a new job that suits her tastes better, and is willing to cooperate with her personal ways and schedule . At one office, her supervisor was fired and replaced, and the new supervisor wasn’t as fair and hard-working as the last one was, she she quit, and now, that business isn’t as successful as it was.

Since then, my mother has constantly seeked self-improvement, even in the tiniest aspects of her life. She does everything in her power to make sure that both my brother and I are happy and deserve what we get. She’s worked hard for everything she has today, and deserves all that she has and more. Her consistent perseverance through the difficult times, and her commitment to raising my brother and I in a safe and healthy environment inspire me. They are a reminder to me that no matter how bad things seem, as long as I keep trying and do my personal best, things will get better. I’ve been raised in much better conditions that my mother has, but she’s accomplished so much. I know that if I continue to persevere, do my personal best, and think positively, I will be able to accomplish as much as she has and more. Then, I would be able to repay her for everything she’s done for me, and let her live the rest of her life happily, and stress-free, unlike she had in the past.

Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

For most of my life, I had hated roller coasters. They scared me terribly, and I was unable to even get on the little kid roller coasters without being scared gutless and thinking it was the end of my life. I would get onto the ride, hoping it would finally be the time I would get over my fear, and with my heart beating rapidly, and adrenaline rushing, I’d lower the bar, and sit nervously with my feet firmly planted on the floor, pushing against it to slightly calm my nerves. I silently watched as they warned us to keep our hands and feet in the ride, and hid my nervousness as the ride began its journey to scare me gutless. The bottom of the cart connected with the chain, and we gradually made our way up, several feet up from the ground. The tip of the first cart reached the top, and made its graceful start to leading the rest of the carts’ descent. The fall felt like eternity - me pushing against the side, clinging on for dear life, feet pushing harder against the floor, fingers clenching tighter around the bar. Once I got off the ride, my world was finally put back together again. I was alive, and still afraid of roller coasters.

Before I graduated eight grade, we had a trip to Great America, an amusement park with huge roller coasters. I decided to give the rides a try, and surprisingly, did not find it so life-risking. I convinced my family to go back over the summer, and slowly began going on more and more extreme rides. I learned to love the adrenaline rush and fear I had before getting onto a new ride more extreme than the last.

After I developed my liking for roller coasters, my personality took an unexpected turn. I became more risky, testing people more, making sure that they would be there for me through the thick and thin, and that they were honest true friends. At school, I began to speak out more, and made my voice heard, and myself seen, unlike before when I only observed in silence. I made new friends, lost old friends, and made new leaps and bounds with my relationships with others, and in the things I did. Instead of backing down in an argument like I once had, I would stand up for myself, and make sure that my opinion was acknowledged and made clear. I would gladly take on a debate with a friend, and would stand my ground with one of the more intimidating students at my school.

Thanks to roller coasters, I’ve been able to define myself more clearly, and can now stand up for myself without being as fearful as I once was. I have become a stronger, more confident person.

Peer Review Comments

For David:
The introduction seems choppy with your constant short sentences, you should combine them to make them flow better. Clarify the relationship between Katniss and Peeta; you should tell of their past before they were picked as tributes, and make it a bit clearer what their relationship was like in the arena, if you're going to mention how they acted as lovers. You should explain more about the Greek myth of Theseus, and specifically how it inspired Suzanne Collins and how it relates to Katniss. You should take out "currently" in "The Greek myth of Theseus also inspired her book and that is what Katniss, the main character is currently similar to." It doesn't really work. When you start talking about the Vietnam War, it's confusing, and sudden, it's not clear what you're talking about, and it doesn't relate to much, seems like it was just put there randomly. You should explore the reason why Collins wrote the book clearer, you're explanation is really brief, and kind of awkward, to be honest. I personally disagree with how you think the book was slow, I think the way she spent time with the details really helped visualize it clearly for readers, and she didn't explain what the reaping was to keep readers curious to find out what it was, and to be able to build some climax around it.

For Jay:
You need to tell readers what the title, author, genre, and subject of your book is in your introduction. You also need to summarize your book briefly and write a thesis statement for what you're going to write about. Your current introduction or start to introduce and answer the first question could start by being more clear, it's repetitive at the beginning, and there's a lot of clutter. Try to explain a bit more about tracker jackers, and how it shows why too much genetic engineering is bad. Is there seriously debate now about whether animals should be used as weapons of mass destruction in wars??? I've never heard of it. Reorganize your essay, so you talk about her purpose to write the book being the future if government had too much power first, instead of jumping back and forth between the subject. The end is a bit repetitive, you should try to answer another question, and be more creative and cut the clutter with it.

For Peter:
When you start off, tell readers the title, author, genre, and subject of the book. Summarize the book briefly and write a thesis statement about what you're going to write about in the rest of the essay. Don't give too many details on Kristina's youth and past, it's unnecessary. What question are you answering in your essay? You summarize the book more than really answering any question about it, and it really focuses on specific details in the book rather than the general idea and message, and it gives a lot away to readers who have never read the book; you told them that Kristina was pregnant. Instead of leaving your explanation of what is talked about in the book in the last paragraph, put it in the introduction.

Reincarnation Essay Rough Draft~~

Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn is about a love that spans the lengths of years, generations, and centuries. In prehistory, a young man and women fought over a jewel, and although the time they had together was short, the attraction is lasting and eternal. Over time, fate continues draw them together, and they feel a strange connection and attraction each time, although it's unexplainable. The novel tells about their love over the centuries, and in the different settings, situations, and relationships.It's a story of two souls that always find their way back to each other each cycle they are reincarnated. There are multiple characters in a sense, they have somewhat similar yet different personalities, but either of them always have a fear of fire, many times when they were reincarnated, several times, one of them had a weak ankle, but always, in each cycle, they come across some type of green gem, which is what they both fought over and died over when they first met.

Each time they are reincarnated, they often are already married, or engaged, or there is some obstacle that keeps them from being able to be together. In one cycle, the father disapproved of it, and she was already set to be engaged to someone else. Many times, they fall for each other through their meeting, and they feel a strong bond and odd connection to each other, one that makes them feel as if they have known each other before, although in their lifetime, they never remembered the other. They instantly grow close and form a strong bond with the other, but most times, one of them is killed by someone who sees their love and is jealous of it, so they try to get rid of the other, or in one case, the girl died because of a misunderstanding between her and the boy because of a jealous girl that loved the boy, and didn't understand their relationship, and why she was unwilling to give up her current life in praise of Athena, for the suitable mate instead.
I've read a lot of romance novels, but they can often seem cliché afterwards, when I review the story in my mind and realize the overall story of what basically happened: guy and girl fall in love, but it's an impossible love, they go through all these hardships just to stay together, or sometimes the guy falls for girl, but the girl doesn't love him, and he fights his way through to woo her, or some other ones, but it's still generally cliché.

Reincarnation is different, it talks about a love that is accepted and encouraged, but because of a wrong turn of events, each generation and rebirth of their soul in which they meet, they are unable to stay together. Their parents and society disapprove of it, they're formerly married before they meet, or the most common, the other dies. They face multiple experiences, each different from the next, allowing readers some variety in the love story between the two. But through each time they meet, something other that the odd connection they both feel to each other is common. There's always a green jewel, a beautiful earring, a stone, and other forms.

The first time, they encounter, it is a stone/rock.
Still he held on to her, unwilling to release his grip. He would not let go of her or the green prize. (24)
In this story, the two souls die time and time again, but still, they still have a story. They fight over the rock, and both are connected for eternity.

Unlike the often perchance meeting and falling in love in many romance novels I come across, the two souls in Reincarnation come across each other coincidentally often, but when they meet, there's still that instant attraction, but they get a feeling of déjà vu that I've never read from any other romance novels.
As she sipped the water she studied his hazel eyes and brown curly hair. "Have I met you before?" she asked.
"I don't believe so. I'm not from around here."
"I just experienced the most overwhelming déjà vu. Do you know that expression?" (pg.249-250)
Their strong bond is also shown when they meet each other, in one of the first times they met each other as Samantha and Jake:
He smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Every time I look at you I feel like I'm trying to remember something that I can't get a hold of."
"Me, too," she said.
"Really?"
"Really." When she looked at him she felt it, too. It was something she felt was just out of reach, like trying to recall someone's name that she once knew but could no longer quite call to mind. (pg. 288-289)
Because it is always the same two souls meeting time and time again over the centuries, they have a stronger connection with each other than couples from other romance stories. They feel some odd connection between them when they first meet, but because it was in a past life, they are unable to point out exactly from what they recognize the other.


Although the book was very interesting, there were still a few weaknesses, in my opinion. The book seemed to have a structure to it, but it was inconsistent. It started with a small introduction to the reincarnation of the life, then the death, which is narrated by the one that passed away, then there's a transition, sometimes about the transition between the time they are reincarnated again at the same time, before they go back into the actual reincarnated life between the two souls again. Sometimes though, the introduction is omitted, or the transition from the time between the death and the time both of the two souls are reincarnated again at the same time. There was always the actual story of when they were both reincarnated, and the part immediately following it, telling readers of how all the soul left the body, and the feelings behind their death and parting from their love.

Reincarnation (After I Finished the Book)

If you've read other books in this same genre, how does this one compare?


Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn is a story of two souls that always find their way back to each other each cycle they are reincarnated. There are multiple characters in a sense, they have somewhat similar yet different personalities, but either of them always have a fear of fire, many times when they were reincarnated, several times, one of them had a weak ankle, but always, in each cycle, they come across some type of green gem, which is what they both fought over and died over when they first met. 


Each time they are reincarnated, they often are already married, or engaged, or there is some obstacle that keeps them from being able to be together. In one cycle, the father disapproved of it, and she was already set to be engaged to someone else. Many times, they fall for each other through their meeting, and they feel a strong bond and odd connection to each other, one that makes them feel as if they have known each other before, although in their lifetime, they never remembered the other. They instantly grow close and form a strong bond with the other, but most times, one of them is killed by someone who sees their love and is jealous of it, so they try to get rid of the other, or in one case, the girl died because of a misunderstanding between her and the boy because of a jealous girl that loved the boy, and didn't understand their relationship, and why she was unwilling to give up her current life in praise of Athena, for the suitable mate instead.


Unlike the often perchance meeting and falling in love in many romance novels I come across, the two souls in Reincarnation come across each other coincidentally often, but when they meet, there's still that instant attraction, but they get a feeling of déjà vu that I've never read from any other romance novels. 

As she sipped the water she studied his hazel eyes and brown curly hair. "Have I met you before?" she asked.

"I don't believe so. I'm not from around here."

"I just experienced the most overwhelming déjà vu. Do you know that expression?" (pg.249-250)

Their strong bond is also shown when they meet each other, in one of the first times they met each other as Samantha and Jake:

He smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Every time I look at you I feel like I'm trying to remember something that I can't get a hold of."

"Me, too," she said.

"Really?"

"Really." When she looked at him she felt it, too. It was something she felt was just out of reach, like trying to recall someone's name that she once knew but could no longer quite call to mind. (pg. 288-289)

Because it is always the same two souls meeting time and time again over the centuries, they have a stronger connection with each other than couples from other romance stories. They feel some odd connection between them when they first meet, but because it was in a past life, they are unable to point out exactly from what they recognize the other.

Reincarnation

Answering: If you've read other books in this same genre, how does this one compare?

The novel, Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn had been sitting in my bookshelf for years, but even though it was a book I wanted to read, I would often forget about it whenever I went to the library to borrow ten more books. So Sutherland tells us we can pick any book we want to read, so I searched my bookshelves, and decided that this would be the perfect chance to finally get to read this romance novel.

Reincarnation is about a love that spans the lengths of years, generations, and centuries. In prehistory, a young man and women fought over a jewel, and although the time they had together was short, the attraction is lasting and eternal. Over time, fate continues draw them together, and they feel a strange connection and attraction each time, although it's unexplainable. The novel tells about their love over the centuries, and in the different settings, situations, and relationships.

I've read a lot of romance novels, but they can often seem cliché afterwards, when I review the story in my mind and realize the overall story of what basically happened: guy and girl fall in love, but it's an impossible love, they go through all these hardships just to stay together, or sometimes the guy falls for girl, but the girl doesn't love him, and he fights his way through to woo her, or some other ones, but it's still generally cliché. 


Reincarnation is different, it talks about a love that is accepted and encouraged, but because of a wrong turn of events, each generation and rebirth of their soul in which they meet, they are unable to stay together. Their parents and society disapprove of it, they're formerly married before they meet, or the most common, the other dies. They face multiple experiences, each different from the next, allowing readers some variety in the love story between the two. But through each time they meet, something other that the odd connection they both feel to each other is common. There's always a green jewel, a beautiful earring, a stone, and other forms. 


The first time, they encounter, it is a stone/rock. 

Still he held on to her, unwilling to release his grip. He would not let g of her or the green prize. (24)

In this story, the two souls die time and time again, but still, they still have a story. They fight over the rock, and both are connected for eternity.

Family History Connections

After reading numerous stories of my classmates, I found that the social and educational ways and conditions of different families were quite similar in the past, regardless of the country. From Carly's family history about many of her relatives, John's story about his great-grandparents, and Camal's history about his parents, I noticed that the neighborhoods of their elders did not have high education, were poor, and/or the children had to become responsible and take on jobs at a young age.

She gave herself the responsibility of raising her siblings, from when they were babies to adults..."Everyone was equally poor.” The entire country suffered from poverty...the children in the family mostly had elementary school education. (Carly)

Carly's grandma had to take the responsibility of raising her younger siblings at a young age, and as a result, became more like a motherly figure in her family. During the Mao period, everyone was poor, and the entire country suffered from poverty. They didn't have much to eat for meals, and the main meal everyday was always dinner. The children there also did not have a high education, with most children having an elementary school education.

My grandmother's grandparents...where two school teachers who had about a 12th grade education. At that time in Texas for African American people that was considered to be rather high. (John)

John's great-grandparents were different from others in their neighborhood, and had an education around twelfth grade, which was considered to be high. Many of the African Americans in Texas then did not have an education as high as their's.

Not a lot of money flowed in and out of this area so the income level was real low. As a kid, my dad was already given huge responsibilities. (Camal)

Camal's parents lived in poverty in Yemen, and his father had to take on large responsibilities as a child. He would take on many tasks on the family farm to make sure thieves didn't steal and that the farm and cattle were fine by watering and watching them.

Cycle of Jewelry

In The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, she incorporated many cyclical elements into the novel. There's other hidden cyclical elements in the story that don't involve the structure of the book, how it is written from the view point of the mothers, then from the daughters views, their views again, then the mothers again, or how the daughters had difficulties with their mothers, or how most of them married a white husband (eg. Ted, Harold, Rich, and one of the mothers married Clifford, also white).

The mothers in The Joy Luck Club gave their daughters jewelry, ranging from gems to gold to jade. When they gave their daughters the jewelry, it was often as a symbol of love, to prove to them that they were special, and worthy and mature enough to receive the precious keepsakes.

In The Red Candle, told from Lindo Jong, a mother's point of view, her mother gave her a necklace before she left her with Huang Taitai.

"The dowry was enough, more than enough, said my father. But he could not stop my mother from giving me her chang, a necklace made out of a tablet of red jade" (53).

Lindo's mother left her the necklace as a last token and symbol of her love for her, and to give her the necklace, somewhat as a placeholder for her mother's presence in her life, even though she had to leave her.

Rose Hsu Jordan watched her mother give away her ring to Bing in Half and Half, when he drowned in the sea, and she could not find him. After hours of searching, the mother slowly came to the realization that they would not be able to find Bing, and threw the ring into the water.

"...she opened her fist. In her palm was a ring of watery blue sapphire, a gift from her mother, who had died many years before...She threw the ring into the water" (129).

 After Bing fell and drowned in the water, never to be found, An-Mei Hsu threw the sapphires as an offering, believing that the ring would make the Coiling Dragon forget Bing.

In Best Quality, Jing-Mei Woo tells of the time when her mother gave her a jade pendant on a gold chain after a crab dinner celebrating Chinese New Year. The meal had not gone as well as expected, and after, when Jing-Mei was talking to her mother, Suyan, when she gave her the jade necklace.

"...she unhooked the clasp of her gold necklace and took it off, wadding the chain and the jade pendant in her palm. She grabbed my hand and put the necklace in my palm, then shut my fingers around it...I looked at the necklace, the pendant with the light green jade" (208).

Suyan wanted to give the necklace to Jing-Mei, because she had waited a long time before she gave her the necklace, wanting to give it to her for a long time, and when she gave it to her, she understood that Jing-Mei wound understand her meaning, as the necklace was her "life's importance." She wanted to show Jing-Mei that she loved her, and supported her, regardless of the mean, degrading and insulting comments that Waverly said.

In the last story, A Pair of Tickets, told from Jing-Mei Woo's point of view again, but speaking namely about her mothers past experience with her first two daughters, she speaks of the recollection of her father telling her  the story of how her mother left her two daughters along the road with jewelry, money, and photos.

"When the road grew quiet, she tore open the lining of her dress, and stuffed jewelry under the shirt of one baby, and money under the other" (282).

Suyan Woo, the mother, put jewelry into the shirt of one baby, because she loved them, and although she had to leave them since she had lost all strength to carry them any farther, she left the money and jewelry as a symbol of her love, and for whoever who found the two daughters to use to raise them, and hopefully cover some costs.