User:Tuannguyen

Bio
Underneath of it all, I'm just a down to earth kind of person. I'm really driven, very ambition and goals oriented. When I set a goal for myself, I will go a great length to archive it. I was born into a family of artists, they are what inspired me to become an artist.

I immigrated to the United States with my mother in 1992, it was hard to try to adapt to the new world, learned new language, however, challenges, taking risks and working hard are a part of the formula to make me stronger.

Video games, music, acting, fashion, photography. All of these elements are a great form of art. I was blessed and lucky enough to experience all of these elements, and I'm hooked. These elements helped me to express myself creatively and it helps me to become more versatile in the art industry. One of my future goals is to become an art director, and mastering these elements will be a great beneficial for my career.

http://www.youtube.com/tuanlesoleil

http://www.lesoleil.us

Response
"The PeaceBringer" by Ben Wheeler Art sculpture story - Schubert Sonata - Artist Mark di Suvero


 * I had a great experience reading this unique story by B. Wheeler. The story is has the Ying and Yang with the touch of sci-fi.

It took place in the future in the year of 2186. The Britain joined force with United Americas resemble of the good guys. Middle Eastern, Korea and Chinese resemble the bad guys. East meet West, East vs. West. The West believes in freedom, while the East impose it.

The best part about this story is that the author introduced us the future weapons of choice called the PeaceBringer. The West develop the sophisticated technology weapon that is powerful that can shut off electrical devices or fries the machine system from the opponents. Therefore no blood or killing is necessary, brilliant!

Finally the West won and the East lost. It is the PeaceBringer that help the West to vitory. PeaceBringer is a symbol of peace and survival. Times went by Only one PeaceBringer remains. It was once a powerful weapons that has changed the world now just a bare rusted metal skeleton frame standing tall and closely guarded.

This piece of weapon reminded people about the past, how the world has become a better place because of it. The world shall remember the PeaceBringer.

After reading this story from B. Wheeler. Every now and then when I take a walk at the Olympic sculpture park, I will never see that piece of sculpture the same way as I was before.

I really enjoy the creative writing that the author has produced. Part of the story can be related to the world we see today with all the tension between Nations around the world. The Ying and Yang. The heroes and the villains.

Compare/Contrast
In my opinion, Mark Twain and Robert Frost has their own remarkable styles of writing. I did some research to compare these two great American authors of all time:

Robert Frost born in 1874, and died in 1963. He married his high school Sweetheart, even after she was refused. And was a teacher majority of his life. He constantly encouraging the creativity in his students, He received honoree from several universities Most of his audience saw him as a very recognizable, very gentle, very Reachable personality with whom they could identify or empathized.

Usually when people thought about Robert Frost, they saw a man who stood little less than 6 foot tall. He had a great shock of white hair. He spoke in a kind of gravelly voice with a New England accent. And it was always with New England that Robert Frost associate, especially with the state of Vermont and New Hampshire. When the Audience heard or read Robert Frost read or silently read his poems, they found certain values that associate with New England or more broadly American and those values affirmation of tradition of American deeply felt. Therefore, when the audience heard Robert Frost read or when they read his poems, They audience has a wonderful sense of deeper affirmations of things that they felt and even more then that since Robert Frost wrote in a language that apparently straight forward, Very plain, very simple, no fancy. His audience felt very comfortable with his language and with his value. For that reason, he recieved popular recognitions. Samuel Langhorne Clemens also known as by the pen name Mark Twain was born in November 30 1835 and died in April 21 1910. Was an American author and humorist. One of his most famous novel is “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” published in 1884. Over his lifetime he has very good relationships with other famous artists, presidents, and including European royalty.

Mark Twain writing styles are humorous evolved into grim, almost profane chronicler of the vanities, hypocrisies and murderous acts of mankind. With Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain he combines with rich humor and social criticism. Huckleberry Finn has been restricted from high school numerous times due to the frequent use of the word "nigger,” which was a common term when the book was written. “Adventure of Huckleberry Finn” solidified Mark Twain as a noteworthy American writer; some critics say that “Adventure of Huckleberry Finn” is the first Great American Novel. The book became the must read in every school in US. The main ingredient from “Adventure of Huckleberry Finn” is about a boy who belief in the right thing to do even though the society belief that was wrong.

Comparison between Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken” and Mark Twain “Adventure of Huckleberry Finn” clearly that they both author has completely different way and styles of writing. Robert Frost sum up his entire point of view in short four paragraphs poem. While Mark Twain wrote and express and build up the characters in a novel. However the context of both stories gave the audience the same message. There are 2 recognized interpretations in “The Road Not Taken” one is ironic Interpretation, and the second is literal interpretation. The ironic interpretation tells the audience that instead about regret and personal myth-making, rationalizing our decisions. In this interpretation, the final two lines: I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Are ironic – the choice made little or no difference at all, the speaker's protestations to the contrary. The speaker admits in the second and third stanzas that both paths may be equally worn and equally leaf-covered, and it is only in his future recollection that he will call one road "less traveled by".

According to the literal (and more common) interpretation, the poem is inspirational. The poem's last lines, where the narrator declares that taking the road "less traveled by" has "made all the difference," can be seen as a declaration of the importance of independence and personal freedom. "The Road Not Taken" seems to illustrate that once one takes a certain road, there is no turning back. Although one might change paths later on, the past cannot be changed. It can be seen as showing that choice is very important, and is a thing to be considered.

“Adventure of Huckleberry Finn” gives the audience the message that Huckleberry Finn is the young boy's belief in the right thing to do even though the majority of society believes that it was wrong. He chooses his own path and not regretting it. The 2 main focal points in this novel are: escape and freedom. Mark Twain wrote a novel embodied in search a path of freedom. “Throughout the story, Huck is in moral conflict with the received values of the society in which he lives, and while he is unable to consciously refute those values even in his thoughts, he makes a moral choice based on his own valuation of Jim's friendship and human worth, a decision in direct opposition to the things he has been taught. Mark Twain in his lecture notes proposes that "a sound heart is a surer guide than an ill-trained conscience," and goes on to describe the novel as "...a book of mine where a sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision and conscience suffers defeat” according to Wikipedia.org

Other Media
The Journey
 * Poetic -

Two Souls Searching

Leaving arguments behind Ignoring all there is to hate Disappearing in the morning Not wanting to take the bait I love her for who she is Not what she aspires to become Her masks and shield help to hide Yet I can see her growing numb Lying about her pain and wounds Forgetting that I’m willing to stay Not wanting the love and comfort But not wanting it to go away Fairness to me is hard to come by The pain I feel sometimes seems half-hearted I know she needs my strength But I need the love that she started She gave me a glimpse of what I want And closed the emotional doors Hiding in her darkness and midnight Sleeping next to me on the floor I see her dreaming of a chainless world So picturesque of the chain I need So far from my touch yet only inches away Inside I feel myself begin to bleed I scream out for understanding A cry so loud even God covers his ears Sympathizing with my pain And loathing each and every one of my tears Christ will be my answer As soon as I allow him to be His guidance is so solid and secure And His love beyond all stages of free In my emotional state I express Writing of terror and pains Blocking out all His love Locking myself into these chains His love will guide me with hers And our faith will grow together For I know I can’t do it alone Yet through Him, everything gets better.

Analysis
Sonnets V by: William Shakespeare

Those hours, that with gentle work did frame The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell, Will play the tyrants to the very same And that unfair which fairly doth excel; For never-resting time leads summer on To hideous winter, and confounds him there; Sap checked with frost, and lusty leaves quite gone, Beauty o'er-snowed and bareness every where: Then were not summer's distillation left, A liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass, Beauty's effect with beauty were bereft, Nor it, nor no remembrance what it was:
 * But flowers distill'd, though they with winter meet,
 * Leese but their show; their substance still lives sweet.

1st Gloss: When I first encounter this sonnet number V by Shakespeare, I sense the familiar nature theme from his previous sonnets. Shakespeare is using nature as a metaphor to paint his poem. The theme for sonnet number V is about timing of our lives, human life is like seasons, a perfect equation of nothing will last forever. We can't work against time. Beauty and youth can only last for an amount of time and it will be fading. However, we can preserved the beauty of youth by having children.

2nd Gloss: Life is like the seasons. That’s what Shakespeare's Sonnet 5 is all about. The poet compares the young man's life with seasons, spring, summer, autumn and hideous winter. A man can't escape the times "Those hours that with gentle work did frame” This translate that the times of when you growing up, is what made you who you are.

“The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell” The youth beauty, everyone notices, however,

"For never-resting time leads summer on" we can never fight against time, because time never resting it's also a metaphor for that youth beauty will eventually fade.

"To hideous winter, and confounds him there; Sap checked with frost, and lusty leaves quite gone, Beauty o'er-snowed and bareness every where: Then were not summer's distillation left, A liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass, Beauty's effect with beauty were bereft" The poet argues that in order to preserve the youth, you must have children. It is natural to have children to take care of you when you grow old. "Nor it nor no remembrance what it was:
 * But flowers distill'd, though they with winter meet,
 * Leese but their show; their substance still lives sweet."

This suggests that childless, a man will grow old alone and will have no one to remind him of his youth days.

Definition:

Winter= old age Frame= structure, Scaffolding Confounds= destroys or mix confusedly o'er-snowed= covered with snow, enter the age of being old Summer's distillation= perfume or fragrant flowers Beauty's effect= beauty exerts on the world Were bereft= would be lost or die but= only their show= their appearance

Final Opinion:

I found these sonnets are very meaningful. Especially this sonnet V. Reading this sonnet is like doing a crossword puzzle, you have to pay attention and know the clues and the meaning and style if the way Shakespeare’s wrote his poems in order to unlocking the meaning behind it. After doing some research on the internet about sonnet number V. I have discovered so many clues and metaphors in this sonnet. This was my first time reading Shakespeare’s sonnet and I want to thank you for introduce me to these sonnets; I will read some more of these sonnets over the summer break. Reading these sonnets give me a lot of inspirations to create my art and it definitely help me to shape up of how I view life. I really like how the poet used nature as a metaphor to paint his poems, very creative, charming and deep.

Personal
When were you last really really cold?

The cold night air Whistles through the thick stands of foreboding evergreen trees. High above, a pale moon hangs in the night sky, A father drinks and his anger builds, His child cries secretly in terror.

The cold wind breaks down the trees, The father hits his child.

When the cold wind softens, The trees calm. The cold wind dies, The damage shows.

When the father calms, The child runs. The father passes out, The child’s pain shows.

The cold wind comes and goes, As does the father’s anger. The child cries and feels deep pain, Fearing the cold

Transcription
The Last King of Scotland

All the characters in "The Last King of Scotland" are based on real person. However The Scottish character is fictitious character I watched this movie over the weekend and I was intrigued by the performance of Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin, therefore, I thought it would be appropriate to write about the movie for this part of my chrestomathy.

Nicholas Garrigan played by James McAvoy after graduated from medical school. He chooses to go to Uganda to work as a missionary clinic. During his missionary in Uganda, Nicholas crosses path new president Idi Amin played by Forest Whitaker at the scene of a car accident. Nicholas helped Amin injured hand. That’s when their friendship starts to grow. Amin came across as a charisma, driven, powerful, and generous person. Nicholas impresses with Amin and accepts the president’s invitation to his personal physician and take charge of modernizing Uganda’s health care system.

Nicholas quickly earns the trust of Amin and quickly became Amin’s adviser. Amin gave Nicholas the lavish lifestyle from nice apartment to brand new Mercedes car, from parties at the presidential mansion that being paid by the economics of the Ugandan people. Nicholas also met and fell in love with Amin’s third wife name Kay played by Kerry Washington. Although Kay is very beautiful and independence and full of spirit, Amin was not happy with her because she has given brith to an epileptic son. Despite her marriage to Amin. Nicholas and Kay felt in love in eventually Kay got pregnant. Kay was very scare that Amin would find out about her prenacy with Nicholas. Key begs Nicholas to perform an abortion. Eventually Amin found out and he sent is forces to savagely mutilated Kay.

The more Nicholas explore deeper into Amin’s world, he discover that Amin was not the person that he used to admired, Nicholas loses faith in Amin. Nicholas learned that Anim’s brutal regime in perpetrating mass murder against the Ugandan people. And with the death of Kay. Nicholas had enough and wanted to return to Scotland. However things are not as simple as he thought. Amin replaced Nicholas ‘s passport with Ugandan one. Nicholas appeals for help to the Foreign office, they tell him if he wants to leave the country, he must assassinate Amin.

Nicholas plot to kill the president by poisoning him with headache pills, however, this plot soon to be discovered. Nicholas got beaten, they pierced Nicholas’s chest with meat hooks and string him up to the ceiling. However Dr. Junju comes to his rescue. In exchange for Nicholas’s promise to return to Britain and tell the world the truth about Amin’s regime. Nicholas sneak aboard a plane from a group of hostages from France. In the end, Nicholas escape the country Amin was furious to learn about the news. Junju got shot for the fact that he rescued Nicholas.

The film ended with footage of the real Amin and the text saying “Forty eight hours after some hostages were released, Israeli forces stormed Entebbe and liberated all but one of the remaining hostages. International public opinion turned against Amin for good. When he was finally overthrown in 1979, jubilant crowds poured onto the streets. His regime had killed more than 300,000 Ugandans! And expelled tens of thousands of Asians who had made Uganda their home for years. Amin died in exile in Saudi Arabia on August 16 2003”.

In my opinion about this movie is that Forest Whitaker (Amin) gives the performance of his life, which he earned Best actor award at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild and the BAFTAs. The film earned total of 23 major awards. The film was will received in Uganda. The historical accuracy about this film is that the character Amin and the events surrounding him are mostly factual. Nicholas however is a fictional character. His story is inspired on events in the life of English-born Bob Astles. The movie mixed fiction and real events in Ugandan history to portrait an impression of Amin and Uganda under his years in presidency. Kay character in real life and in the book was pregnant by her lover Dr. Mbalu Muskasa. She however passed away during the abortion operation by Mukasa, who eventually committed suicide. Dr. Nicholas was inspired by Bob Astles story. Believes that Kay’s body was cut up not on Amin’s orders but by Mukasa while tryin to hide it.

Ekphrastic
Inspired by the "Love & Loss" sculpture by Roy McMakin at the Olympic Sculpture Park

Before She Left Despite his grief, For the last time, She said she loved him.

Above the rive On the bridge Beyond the sun and moon, Down into the water, Among the time-forgotten things Under the waves.

Since the down of time, Through thick and thin, They had always been together, Until she was gone, Like the wind Blowing across the desert, Off the distant mountains.

Without her, He couldn’t go on, But when she asked Him to stay, He had left Despite her apology.

Underneath the waves, Down at the bottom of the river His body lay Until the divers found it.

Beyond the end of time, Between this world and the next, Past the realm of the mind, The two lovers are together still, Without mind, Without body, Within each other’s soul, Beside their hard times On this earth, Their love will last forever

Memorization
The Drunken Driver Has the Right Of Way

by Ethan Coen

The loudest have the final say, The wanton win, the rash hold sway, The realist's rules of order say The drunken driver has the right of way.

The Kubla Khan can butt in line; The biggest brute can take what's mine; When heavyweights break wind, that's fine; No matter what a judge might say, The drunken driver has the right of way.

The guiltiest feel free of guilt; Who care not, bloom; who worry, wilt; Plans better laid are rarely built For forethought seldom wins the day; The drunken driver has the right of way.

The most attentive and unfailing Carefulness is unavailing Wheresoever fools are flailing; Wisdom there is held at bay;, The drunken driver has the right of way.

De jure is de facto's slave; The most foolhardy beat the brave; Brass routs restraint; low lies high's grave; When conscience leads you, it's astray; The drunken driver has the right of way.

It's only the naivest who'll Deny this, that the reckless rule; When facing an oncoming fool The practiced and sagacious say Watch out — one side — look sharp — gang way.

However much you plan and pray, Alas, alack, tant pis, oy vey, Now — heretofore — til Judgment Day, The drunken driver has the right of way.

Self Assessment
Looking back the past 11 weeks went by very fast. Although we started out slow because I was sick, in fact that was the first time I got sick after 3 years without being sick, it was about time though, however, for a moment I thought I caught H1N1 A.K.A swine flu.

I really enjoy this class for the fact that Steven has brought many new materials to the table and I have learned many new perspectives such as reading “My Jim”, from the sonnets from William Shakespeare. I have to say that the Shakespeare’s sonnets were my favorite. I will definitely continue to read more of Shakespeare’s sonnets on my own time. I found Shakespeare sonnets quite refreshing ,very inspiring, and very deep. The way he uses natures and hidden messages to convey his point of views is brilliant, I will definitely use this method when I create my art. I think it’s important to create a piece of art that have a meaning behind it.

Reading the poet’s sonnets is like doing a puzzle. You have to pay attention to the poet creative writing in order to fully understand his sonnets.

I also enjoy going to the Olympic sculpture park and write a poem or a story inspired by a piece of sculpture that we saw in the park. This is very refreshing and very creative idea. This class helped me to compare and contrast between authors such as Mark Twain and Robert Frost. These authors have a very different ways of writing, yet they seem to have the same message in some way.

I really value the fact that Steven gives us the freedom on our home works, and sometimes that’s what artists need. The freedom to write our opinions and the freedom to be creative in writing.

I also enjoy the discussions in class such as “Huckleberry Finn”, ” My Jim”, “Are Prison Obsolete” “The Flea”, “The Road Not Taken”, When were you last really cold?, and Shake Shakespeare’s sonnets. These discussions helped me to understand the perspectives from my classmates.

11 weeks flew by very quickly, and I had such a great experience learning all the new materials that Steven brought to the table. I’m looking forward to explore new reading materials on my summer break.