WLIRP+Christine

World Literature Independent Reading Project Quarter 1 2009-2010 Note: In order for your book to qualify it must be by an author from a country other than the United States or the United Kingdom OR the primary setting must be outside of the United States or the United Kingdom.


 * Title: The Hundred Secret Senses
 * Author: Amy Tan
 * Author’s Nationality: China
 * Setting (only list the primary settings): America
 * Total Pages: 399
 * Original Publication Date: 1995
 * If your book is translated, who is the translator? If not translated write “NA” NA
 * Do you currently have a physical copy of the book? yes
 * If you do not have a physical copy, how soon can you get one? (Write “NA” if you have a copy.) NA

1. If you don’t already, obtain a physical copy of the book and bring it to class when instructed. 2. Become an expert on your book by the end of the first quarter. The quarter ends on October 15th, so you have about seven weeks to complete the book. Keep in mind that you will be reading this book in addition to assigned readings for class, so when the homework load is light read your book. This is also the book you should use for KIS Reads. 3. Read actively by taking notes in the book (use Post-its if it’s on loan), and make sure you understand the main conflicts, how the characters develop, and any major themes. 4. At the end of each weak, write a 100-200 word reflection about your reading. Use your notes or post-its for ideas. 5. Your book will be the basis of a writing project at the conclusion of the first quarter, so keep track of the book.
 * Directions:**

How many pages do you need to read per week to be completed by 15 October, 2009? Week 2: 7-11 September: 1-70 Week 3: 14-18 September: 71-140 Week 4: 21-25 September: 141-210 Week 5: 28 September - 2 October: 211-280 Week 6: 5-9 October: 281-350 Week 7: 12-15 October: 351-399 You must be completed with your book by Thursday, 15 October, 2009.
 * Once your selection has been approved, fill out the following:**

Reflections
I am currently on page 130 and I think I'm keeping up with my reading plan fairly well; I need to read everyday to follow my plan. My book is very fascinating and fun so far. There are some main conflicts in this novel. A major one would be an inner conflict of the main character, Olivia; she is confused about how she feels towards her half sister, Kwan. Another conflict is between Kwan and Olivia; since they are from different countries and have different cultures, they sometimes don't get along. Another big conflict is between Olivia and her husband, Simon. They are about to get divorced, and she is reminiscing about the memories that they share. To me, Kwan is an interesting character, because she is very sweet and annoying at the same time. I can see how much she loves Olivia and cares about her, but sometimes, it does seem that Kwan goes over the line and overreacts. I am not sure about the themes, yet; maybe, I will find those out when I read more. One way that my book and __Romeo and Juliet__ are similar is that they both have love stories. In __The Hundred Secret Senses__, Olivia talks about her love with Simon and what they used to do when they were younger. In __Romeo and Juliet__, both of the characters try hard to confess their loves and without their parents finding it out.
 * Reflection Week 3**

I am currently on page 313 and I'm keeping up with my reading plan. I think I can finish my book soon! One thing I really like about __The Hundred Secret Senses__ is that there are many Chinese words in the text and I can learn about Chinese culture. It is fascinating to see how Americans and Chinese think and act differently. Since I have a sister, it's interesting to see how Kwan and Olivia live together as sisters. With the story progressing, I can see how the characters are developing and changing. Olivia is opening her mind towards Kwan and it seems like she's beginning to understand her. Also, Olivia and Simon are getting closer again. I'm very curious about how the book is going to end.
 * Reflection Week 6**

**World Literature Book Podcast Outline**

 * Introduction:** I'd like to tell you about __The Hundred Secret Senses__ by Amy Tan, a book about an American woman called Olivia and her older sister Kwan; the two of them have the same father, but Kwan is Chinese. Due to the cultural differences, Olivia can't accept Kwan's sisterly love towards her. Olivia's marriage with Simon isn't working out either. As the book proceeds, she begins to understand Kwan and Simon. Near the end, the three of them visit China. Over there, Olivia finally realizes how much she truly loves them. Unfortunately, Kwan dies, but Olivia soon learns to move on with her life.


 * Body:** __The Hundred Secret Senses__ and __Romeo and Juliet__ share some similarities, but have differences when I compare the characters of the two books. First of all, Olivia is an adult, but Juliet is just a young teenager. Despite their age differences, they both have many concerns. While Olivia has a lot of siblings, including Kwan, Juliet is the only child in her family. Kwan is always there to support Olivia, but since Juliet doesn't have a sister, she has the Nurse to help her out. Both the Nurse and Kwan sometimes irritate Juliet and Olivia. Juliet always have to consider her parents' opinions, but Olivia doesn't necessarily have to; Juliet seems to be more protected, watched over, and dependent than Olivia. The characters in __The Hundred Secret Senses__ are not rich, but those in __Romeo and Juliet__ are very wealthy. Simon and Olivia, as well as Romeo and Juliet, truly love each other; the two couples are both married, too. Surprisingly, both of the couples have some leaks in their marriages. While Olivia and Simon fight countless times, Romeo and Juliet never fight. However, the characters in __Romeo and Juliet__ often have sword-fights, but those in __The Hundred Secret Senses__ don't have physical fights. __The Hundred Secret Senses__ focuses more on the bond between the sisters while __Romeo and Juliet__ focuses more on the bond between the couple. The main characters of both books die at the endㅡJuliet and Romeo, as well as Kwan.


 * Conclusion:** To conclude everything, I would recommend you to read this book, especially if you have a sister like I do. __The Hundred Secret Senses__ taught me many different lessons. While reading this book, I saw how sisters, or any other siblings, have different ideas that lead them to fight often. I learned that what matters the most in the end is the true love between the siblings, not the petty arguments they've had. Also, the book showed how couples sometimes break up without discussing what their real problem is. If lovers take their time to reflect upon their time together, there is going to be less possibility of breaking up their relationship. I learned that when there are any problems or misunderstandings, people have to talk it out, instead of keeping it to themselves. If you read this book, you'll learn a lot of valuable lessons.