Learner Autobiography 2024 - Raymond Kim by Raymond Kim

Fahrenheit 451

raykim25 — 2024-09-04 22:24:02 UTC

I was introduced to dystopian literature in middle school, and immediately fell in love with the genre and its concepts. I read Fahrenheit 451 during the summer between middle and high school, and it really made me think about why society is the way it is today, and how it can potentially transform into the future. Although the book talks about a future where books are no longer legal, I started to envision a future where education and reading are more emphasized by society, and more people do it. Dystopian literature encourages me to think about both positive and negative outcomes.

The Great Gatsby

raykim25 — 2024-09-04 22:31:55 UTC

Does societal class really matter? That was the question I asked myself as I read through the novel. Unfortunately, the more I read through it, the more I realized that it does. I think in modern society, people try to encourage one another by claiming that societal standing is irrelevant, and hard work and perseverance are the only things that matter. While hard work is crucial, I realized that societal standing also matters a lot. Gatsby made me realize the struggles of the poor and even those with "new money", compared to those who had inherited wealth. The ending in particular solidified my views. Although it's a sad view, I'm glad I was able to gain a more realistic view of the world through this book.

My Brilliant Friend

raykim25 — 2024-09-04 22:57:56 UTC

Let me explore the concept of unfairness a little more. Most people assume My Brilliant Friend to be a bildungsroman that follows the main character's pursuit of education. This isn't wrong by any means. However, the more I think of this novel, the more I think of it as Lila's tragedy. The novel starts with describing Lila's disappearance, which has always remained in my mind. Elena describing Lila's enthusiasm and potential also makes her leave from school even more depressing, since her life could have gone down a completely different path. the ending really does it in for me, as it shows the unfortunate life that Lila now has to live. This novel really made me question how many more people could do amazing things if they just had the resources to do so.

The 400 Blows

raykim25 — 2024-09-04 23:16:32 UTC

I feel like I somewhat missed out on my "coming of age" period, since it happened over the pandemic. That is the reason why this film led me to think about how people change and develop over their young teen years. Truffaut forced me to think about what young people want out of life, and what they are willing to sacrifice for it. For Antoine, this want is freedom, and he is willing to give up his future prospects for this freedom. I was somewhat similar in middle school. I wanted to be free from studying, so I decided that I would try to take it lightly and let my grades suffer. I eventually learned that this is not a good idea for obvious reasons, and came to the realization that I needed to try my hardest all the time. Antoine has yet to figure this out, but watching his early development has made me chuckle after recalling my experiences.