ACE Journal Reflection: Words Go Round 2011

ACE Journal Reflection: Words Go Round 2011

Tasks: 
1. Which speaker did you find the most engaging, informative, or enjoyable? Why?

2. Elaborate on 2 insights about poetry and Singaporean literature you have gleaned from the panel  discussion.

3. In your opinion, how do writers make “words come alive”? Based on what you’ve heard during the panel discussion, how would you make “words come alive” for you and your friends?

My Response: 
1. After listening to the panel discussion, I feel that the speaker “Li Sui” was most interesting, and I feel that I enjoyed his speech the most. He was very humorous while speaking, and cracked jokes to spice up the atmosphere every now and then during the discussion. He was also quite interactive with the audience, and asked many questions, along with a show of hands to see how many people agreed with his points. Also, he constantly used hand gestures, or figurative language to express what he meant as he spoke. He shows many of his experiences, for instance, himself getting a ‘fail’ grade for literature in High School, and he was constantly scolded by the teacher over this. After trying hard for literature, he finally achieved an “A” for his ‘O’ levels examination. He then realized the usefulness and importance of literature.

2. I have learnt from the panel discussion that Singaporean literature comprises of a collection of literary works by Singaporeans in any of the four official languages, English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Singaporean literature is viewed as a distinct body of literature representing various aspects of Singapore society and is a significant part of the Singapore’s culture. Poetry is the predominant mode of expression; it has a small but respectable following, and most published works of Singapore writing in English have been in poetry.  However, even with a good use of language and a defined setting, a personal experience by the reader might change his or her point of view. Literature explores things, and builds up our ability to express our thoughts.

3. In my opinion, in order for writers to make “words come alive”, they must make use of a little descriptive and bombastic language around their work, and be inspiring and come up with interesting ideas. Having and own interpretation of his or her work will allow the writer to be more creative as well. A good piece of work begins as close to the conclusion as possible, and grabs the reader from the very first line, so as to make the reader feel inclined to carry on with the story. It would also be more realistic if the writer were to draw on a real life experience, so that the topic would be more personal. Furthermore, this would be better, as describing a powerful and emotional experience would most likely generate emotional responses in the reader. As mentioned earlier, the first sentence of a good writer’s work should catch the reader's attention with the unusual, the unexpected, an action, or a conflict. Beginning with tension and immediacy would help make a greater impact on the reader. I believe that in order to “words come alive” for my friends and I, I must have a greater range of vocabulary, and reading more will help. Also, I must be more creative in order to make “words come alive”, so I must try to be as inventive with ideas as much as possible. I believe the speakers during the talk were very motivational, and they helped me to understand deeply the importance of literature. I understand that literature is all about talent; it’s about creativity and a good grammar usage. With just being able to allow words to “come alive”, one is already starting to become somewhat a good writer. Having a good story or poem, etc. with impactful phrases or words will allow the reader to be more affected by the writing, and this is required for the makings of a successful writer. Having a clear purpose for your writing will also allow it to be more understandable, and it is required for a good piece of work to be fully comprehensible and containing a strong sense of feeling and emotion to enhance the writing style. The writing style of literature work is also important.  Most writers have a different style of writing, and a good writer will pick the writing style which he or she deems the most interesting and suitable. With all these factors, it is certainly possible for a writer to come up with a decent piece of work with the stated qualities. This piece of work will have more lively words, and an entertaining storyline or introduction will make it better by adding to the usage of description. I feel that these are the main ways to become a good writer and allow words to “come alive”, and I also feel that the best way to start being a good writer is by reading more.