The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

     For me this is a very good story because the writer put a lot of moral values that we can added to our daily lives. Yes I do learn something from it.

     The story tells about how a husband willing to do anything in order to make his wife pleased and happy. It begins when the husband got invitation letter from the place he works. He came home in a very good mood in hope that his wife will be delighted because his wife never goes out. But sadly, his wife didn’t happy at all. Instead his wife felt very humiliated because she hasn’t a dress and she can’t go to this party. Because of that he gives his wife four hundred francs to buy a really nice dress. So it is true because of love we could do anything right? But she never satisfied on what she got. She asked her husband to give more money to buy some jewels because she thought she looks absolutely no one when she not wearing any jewels.

     But her husband suggested borrowing from Madame Forestier because he didn’t have any money anymore to give. The day of the party arrived. She was the prettiest woman, elegant, graceful and smiling. All the men stared at her, inquired her name and asked to be introduced to her. To make the story, the necklace lost when they were getting home. She was careless and should be more careful because the necklace was borrowed. Her husband try to search everywhere for the necklace because they got no money to replace it. Besides, he just works as a little clerk in the Ministry of Education.

     They went to Palais-Royal and found a string of diamonds which seemed to them exactly like the one they were looking for. It was worth forty thousand francs but they were allowed to have it for thirty-six thousand. They have to borrow some money from a lot of people to buy the new one necklace. It is such a hard times for both of them especially her husband. After they got replaced for the necklace, they got another problem to lay all the debts back. After ten years, she meets her friend back and tells the truth about what actually happened to the necklace. She was surprised to know the real price and it cost lower than they think. For your information, the necklace just an imitation! Even I was surprise too. So it is not even worth for what they do after all this. Pity them right?

     The lessons that I got from this story are firstly, it is better just tells the truth about something you did whether is good or bad.  Secondly, always appreciate about what you have and never complain about how hard your life is. Thirdly, respect and listen to your husband because that is your husband! Last but not least, being a poor is nothing to be ashamed of because life is sometimes we are at top, sometimes we are down. Just believe in our fate :)

My Friend Luke by Fernando Sorrentino

     What I like about this story is how the writer gives us the other side of human that have bad and good character at the same time. This story remains me of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hide.

     The good thing about Luke is in order not to inconvenience anyone, he always walks sideways. Instead of saying ‘excuse me’ he prefers to glide by one side. He speaks with a very thin and subtle voice. He has never interrupting him. Luke working at a company that imports cloth. His salary is ludicrously low, but he still stays behind in the office every day and works for another three or four hours.

     There is one remarkable aspect to Luke, his behavior as soon as he steps on a bus. Generally, this is what happens: Firstly, he requests a ticket and begins to look his money, slowly. Secondly, he holds up one hand to ensure that the driver keeps waiting, unsure what to do. Thirdly, he pays with the largest possible number of small coins, which he delivers a few at the time. For some reason, Luke including his payment an old Paraguayan coin. Finally, the driver chooses to throw out the coins. Actually there is more about Luke that completely annoying that I could not describe about it.

     But at the same time, I feel sorry for Luke because his wife is a nervous woman who as well as having an unbearably shrill voice and the personality of a lion tamer. His wife and his son, Juan Manuel has always agreed that Luke has little to offer the world and therefore choose to ignore his scarce and rarely expressed opinions. Also his wife has decided that Juan Manuel must not do his secondary studies in a state school. Besides, she has chosen to put his name down for a very costly institution in the Belgrano area. Because of that, Luke has stopped buying his newspaper and his two favorite publications. Pity right? He is doing that just because for the sake of his temper wife.

     As a man, he should show what are the capability to manage his family properly so that his wife is not the one who are controlling everything because as a man, Luke must be a leader for the family. For end my conclusion, I wonder is there any person in this world has the same character like Luke.

All’s Fair in Vietnam by Noah Klinger

     This story tells about a girl first arrived in Vietnam and took a small room in the backpacker quarter with the aim of becoming an English teacher. She realized that she needed some more formal attire with which to maintain her respectability. So she trotted over to Ben Thanh Market in search of some cheap clothes.

     The story begins when she found a shop selling khakis and asked the salesgirl how much they cost and the salesgirl said “Forget that. Tell me how much for your skin?” This conversation shocked me because I thought this story tells about a Vietnamese sells part of human body. Well Vietnam is quite famous about that right? Thank God it’s not.

     Which I like about this story is how the writer gives me a new part of knowledge that I didn’t even know about it. For your information, in Vietnam, this curious genetic discrepancy became a source of admiration for the locals. The effect was usually immediate. Those who had a little English would simply announce upon meeting “Oh, you are very white!” Others did not speak, simply grabbing arm and holding it up to their own for the sake of comparison. Other than that, one woman demanded to know what kind of special diet to maintain such a complexion. Sick right?

     Besides, sunscreen is expensive. So proper Vietnamese girls solve the problem of protecting themselves from UV rays by wearing an assortment of covering. Including hats, gloves and face-masks that makes them look like motorbike-driving, cellphone-chatting ninjas. On the sands of Vung Tau local tourists dressed more like they were going to the office than the beach. Among of thousands of people there look exactly like one woman in a two-piece bathing suit.

     Instead of going tanning, Vietnamese girls go to spas for whitening. Though exactly how this was accomplished that never did find out. Instead of bronzing the various skin creams all promised to make you look like you would spent your life in a dungeon 100 feet underground. Occasionally it would see women who had slathered themselves a bit too liberally with these products and the result was always lamentable. They looked deathly ill more than anything else.

     It doesn’t take a genius to discover the moral in this story, if there is one. Namely that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that people always desire what is expensive and difficult to maintain. I learned not to take it too seriously. Of course, a little adoration never hurt anyone. 

Twelve and Not Stupid by Zuraidah Omar

     I find this story very mysterious. It is because of how the writer starts the opening. First my thought about this story is Papa were having an affairs with Auntie May behind Mama knowledge. But no actually. Papa just wants to help Auntie May family problem because Yem which is husband to Auntie May and he is Papa’s older brother too. That’s why Papa gets involved.

     Also I like how the writer plays with the character. They have bad and good character. For instance, even though Papa was willing to help Auntie May, he has another character that I kind of not like. He’s like another different world when he with his family. Papa is reserved and doesn’t talk much. Which is true: Whenever Grandpa, Mama’s father, comes to visit Sasha’s family for a few days, he and Grandpa can sit in the living room together for hours and not say much to one another.  But then again, when his friends come by, Papa is not reserved at all and is often the most talkative in the group. Weird isn’t?

     I dislike Yem’s character because Yem is doing a lot of wrong towards Auntie May and his sons, Kassim. First by marrying Auntie May without Jah’s knowledge (Yem’s first wife). Then by pretending that he hasn’t a second family and even worse, neglecting this second family. This shows that Yem is not responsible husband and Auntie May is patient woman because she pays for everything. The house and their food.

     I adore Mama’s character because Mama is a very correct person who gives a lot of thought to what she says or does. She who keeps informed about plans for the family, what they are to do over the weekend and where we will be going for their holiday. This shows that Mama was very responsible mother toward her husband and daughter, Sasha.

     Last but not least, I like how the writer ends the ending. 

“I (Auntie May) didn’t invite you (Sasha) into my (Auntie May) house the last time. It’s late now so I (Auntie May) can’t invite you (Sasha) in this time. You (Sasha) must come again and get to know Kassim (Auntie May’s son) better”

“Mama turn her head in my (Sasha) direction and one of her (Mama) eyebrows is lifted in a question-mark”