Kim, Jusung / Page 66-67 D&E / 2017 Summer Session Prose & Paragraphs

D-1

             The story is beautiful and gives a hope that cultural division would not stop humanity by separating each other through language, race, history and so on. However, I found the story unbelievable and couldn't really understand what the real reason for the hostility is. I know that there was a rift between their families and it was like Montagues and Capulets to talk about the relationship. However, the writing does not really provide specific reason why their families grew against each other. Because of that vagueness in their relationship, the whole story became untrustworthy. Also, it is unlikely for a "Bitter and sworn enemy" to turn the attitude and become friend. I understand that the writing is written in the view of one woman, but it still should have explained the reason why the other woman changed the mind to become a friend saying, "You needed allies."

 

E-2, 3

             I do not think that a culture determines a person to be a good friend. The culture does not really matter when it comes to a friendship. Some might say it does have effect on it, but I think it does not because in 21^st century, we share the norms and general values throughout the world. I agree that I have not experienced all the cultures, and there will be a culture that I may not be able to accept. However, friends from countries other than Korea that I ever met did not bring any resistance in my mind in making friends with them. There are special things about those friends but, those special features came to me as a merit or virtue rather than a flaw or limitation. They inspire me with things very new and it extends the spectrum of thoughts of me. I think I can make friends with people from different culture as good as with the people from a similar culture.

             "Birds of a feather flock together," "Opposites attract" both makes sense in some ways. I think the former is what I have and the latter is what I think. In other words, I think that I am attracted to people who has different perspective from mine. For example, I think having a different view itself is a very interesting situation because it will finally broaden my ability to understand things better. However, when I think about the friends around me, they tend to be similar to me. Of course, they have difference from me, and I find it very helpful to get advices from them because they suggest a totally different idea. But when we hang out and talk about each other, we often say, "Why is there only weirdos around me?" and answer back, "It is because you are a weirdo yourself!" Therefore, I think two sayings both have a point in some way even though it contradicts each other; we are attracted to the opposite, and at the same time, friends find themselves similar to each other.