Jason's+Page

Jason's Page Though my life there have been many forces have shape me to a better person. The most important is high school. I never thought high school was going to be hard as what I experienced back in my home country China. It turned out that every where you go you treated the same. High School is the most memories that follow a persons footsteps. Is where you start a relationship, your first step towards your future. The second thing I have to say is my family. I'm really connected to my family ( really doesn't seem that teens will get along with there parents these days). My parents helps me when I'm at the darkest time of my life. From there experience i can learn that life is a much different side of view then what I expected. Without my parents I literally don't think I can be here in America. Third thing that is really important to me is my friends. Friends are people that will listen to you talk to you and sometime make the best memories of your life. I have live in many part of the world. And meeting new friends has become part of my daily activities. The last but not least is music. I'm a fan of all music, the two I like the most are classical music and hip hop. I been playing the violin for almost 10 years now. There is a quote saying that "Music can inspire people to be more active and live a happy life". Some other things I like to point out that's important to me like sports, grandparents, learning a new language, my swim coach, my 8th grade ESL teacher, and most important ONEEEE, mistakes. i could write a book about how mistakes can change a persons life most importantly my life.

Jason, I agree with the point you mentioned at the end of your paragraph. Mistakes. You hit the nail on the head. If someone thinks that they are going to fly by life without making a mistake, they have another thing coming. Great insight and I enjoyed reading what inspired your being.

Damian Gallagher

Jason, Great stuff here, man. I noticed that one of your biggest influences has been your past experiences and that's really important. It's good to draw from your past and understand where you've come from in order to know where you're going. I also agree with you 100% on friends and music being huge forces in life, as those have affected me as well. -Dan

**__Confession of a Mask__**
__Summary:__ Yukio Mishima, the main character of the book tells a story of his life from his childhood till present. The harsh life that he sees since he was a little boy. Yukio was like many people in Japan. After the nuclear attack many children like Yukio have to live in the street. Without any parent, the only thing they can do is living in a foster home. When Yukio turned ten, he go to a local school that just rebuild. He sees the other kids have fun with there friends while he is sitting at a table by himself. He knows that he have to live with the painful fact that he is unlike other young children. Before the attack of Hiroshima, Yukio had a great life, his parent was middle class citizens. They had a decent size house that could benefit Yukio's family of three. All of this turned around because of World War II. and now Yukio have to live a different life then anyone else.

__Analysis:__ I think this demonstrate how war and destruction and change a persons life. Yukio was happy and enjoy the life he have before. He remember at the breakfast table, the laughter and story that share around the table. Many children like Yukio lost there life because of the world war two. This book just shows what is the life of a unhappy child. After World War II, Japan was in the recovery mode. The book described as the Dark stage of Japan. Homeless shelter every where on the street. No food and nothing else to do than saying prayers. During this time of the world, people rather celebrate the great victory that the Allie win the war. Then young life die in Japan. Personally, I won't be to happy about it.

__Application:__ This book relate many other post-war book. But this one seems to be different. Many other war book, describe the horrible stories happen to the citizens. This book is the more telling how a boy can change his life around. ( Just a prediction of my own). After Yukio see the rich kids playing around and have parents around them. Yukio decide to change his life around on his own. This book also made me understand a little of how it feels to be Japanese. Always live the life of discrimination, always name the bad guys. But after reading the first couple chapters I think I could be the same page as them.

__**Confession of a Mask**__ __Summary:__ During this section of this book. Yukio go to flashback of his middle school years. It was a time of joy and excitement. Yukio had a group of friends that he can trust also they have lots of fun together. One of Yukio's friends name Omi is the leader of there group. He is the oldest and everyone looks up to him. Omi was also the strongest among all of them. Yukio had a special relationship with Omi, because both there parents works together and also good friends. The relationship between Omi and Yukio is almost like brother to brother. But, during one gym class. Omi was called up to do pull ups. Everyone watched him and was impressed by how many push ups he can do. At that moment, Yukio realize something might be true. During the past years, Omi overshadow what Yukio been doing. Omi's talent make Yukio looks like nothing but a useless toy. After class, Yukio yelled at Omi for overshadow him. Omi immediately fell shocked and angry at the same time. That was the last conversation they had and was the last they will have because Omi died in a car accident 3 month later.

__Analysis:__ I don't think this flashback means anything at this part of the book. The detail is too cloudy to say what Yukio is feeling right now. Because without his parent and friend seems worst loosing one friend. This flashback seems like a difficult time for Yukio to swallow. We all can say in our childhood there are some stupid fights between your best friend. I heard some stories and personally experienced a few as well. Eventually, we came to an agreement and apologize to the others. In Yukio's situation is too late for that. Omi on the other side was really shocked by the words of Yukio. They are almost like brothers and hearing all the love and care that Omi is giving to Yukio. It really feels like a stab in the heart. If I was Yukio, I would never say that.

__Application:__ This reminds me of mistakes. A human's life is full of mistakes. Without them we can't learn anything, but if you make a mistake you blame yourself. In Yukio's mistake he took a persons life. In my opinion, there are different levels of mistake. First level is when you make a mistake during a test. All the preparation you put in and turns out a mistake cost that perfect 100%. I had that feeling before. Second level is the more conversational mistake like you pass a message wrong and make the other person misunderstand the message. Last level is the life threatening, for example what Yukio did.

__**Confession of a Mask**__ __Summary:__ In the last chapter of my book it talked about Yukio's love life. During high school, Yukio had lived in a foster home. He become friends with many people in the foster home. and one girl he had a crush on was called Sonoko. Sonoko also lost her parents during the nuclear explosion. She never get through the pain of loosing her parents. She cries everyday. No one ever talk to her. When Yukio noticed Sonoko, he want to get to know her. After days and days of trying to talk to her. They start to see the connection. But that was all Yukio get. Because Sonoko got adopted the very next day. 30 years later, they meet each other at a local bar. They exchange words with each other. Eventually, they start dating and married afterward. Here comes the sad part, Sonoko died in a car crash. Yukio can't believe the same thing is happening again.

All of this was during a class that Yukio share his story to a group of people. Try to influence people with his story.

__Analysis:__ I think this a nice way to end the book. By talking about his life rather acting out. I could imagine interview Yukio in a live TV show. Asking how his life has changed by different events. He had ups and downs. i would like to know how his life is now. It leave the reader in a suspense feel. It bring the level of the book to a next level.

__Application:__ The lat chapter reminds me of how people come back from their hardships. yukio looks forward to the future rather living in the painful present. It takes a lot of will power and confidence. Yukio did it without any help. He still carried on. Now he want to teach other kids to learn from him and be happy. Living your life to the fullest. That nothing will stop you. Is the matter of being happy.