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HUMAN NATURE DECIPHERED
LITERATURE IS LIFE 
DECIPHERED
DECIPHERED
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert The Film (2000) (DVD)
Read: To Kill A Mocking Bird (TAKE TE QUIIZ)
Naguib Mahfouz depicted Egyptian society's norms with remarkable power,
delving into the constraints and struggles individuals face within it. Growing
up in Egypt, Mahfouz's homeland, I have always admired his courage in
portraying society as it is through his authentic storytelling and profound
characters. His work inspires me to seek truth in my own writings, striving
to capture the essence of our shared humanity.
I once had the honor of meeting Naguib Mahfouz at the Nile Sheraton
Hotel. He was seated, enjoying a drink and reflecting, when I gathered
the courage to approach him. Shaking his hand, I shared my admiration for his work
and expressed my gratitude for his immense contributions to literature.
Tragically, Mahfouz faced three or four assassination attempts during his
lifetime—proof that the truth he revealed often unsettled people. Yet, his works
remain timeless, offering profound insights into the complexities of society
and human nature.
The Man Who Married Himself by Charlie Fish
SAKI'S OTHER MASTER PIECE
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Tales of the unexpected
Sabri Bebawi
Edited: ChatGPT
In the small, picturesque town of Willowbrook, a boy named Daniel met a girl named Lily on
a sun-drenched afternoon in June. The moment their eyes met across the bustling farmer's
market, something magical sparked between them. Daniel, with his messy brown hair and
warm hazel eyes, felt an immediate connection to Lily, whose bright smile and sparkling blue
eyes made his heart race.
As summer unfolded, their bond grew more assertive. They spent countless hours wandering
through the meadows, discussing their dreams and aspirations. Their love blossomed quickly,
and soon, they became inseparable. The townspeople often remarked on how perfect
they seemed for each other.
One evening, as the sun set over the rolling hills, Daniel and Lily lay on a blanket, gazing at the stars.
Daniel turned to Lily and took her hand in his. "Lily, I love you more than words can say. Will you marry me?"
Lily's eyes filled with tears of joy. "Yes, Daniel, I will."
They set their wedding date for the following spring, choosing a date that held special significance
for both—the anniversary of their first meeting. Excitement and happiness filled their days as
they planned their future together.
However, as the wedding day approached, an unease settled over Lily's mother, Margaret.
She had always supported her daughter's relationship with Daniel, but a dark secret had haunted
her for years. Unable to bear the weight longer, she decided to tell the truth.
One rainy afternoon, Margaret asked Lily to sit with her in their cozy kitchen. The smell of
freshly baked cookies filled the air, but Margaret's expression was grave.
"Lily, there's something I need to tell you," Margaret began, trembling. "It's about Daniel."
Lily looked at her mother, confusion and concern written on her face. "What is it, Mom?"
Margaret took a deep breath, tears welling up in her eyes. "When I was young, I had a brief
relationship with a man named Michael. It ended before I met your father, but I recently discovered
that Michael is Daniel's father. Lily, Daniel is your half-brother."
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Lily felt as if the ground had been pulled out
from under her. She stood up, her heart pounding in her chest. "No, that can't be true. There
must be some mistake."
Margaret reached out to her daughter, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Lily.
I never wanted this to happen. I never knew about Daniel until recently."
Lily ran out of the house, her mind spinning. She found Daniel at their favorite spot by the river
and tearfully told him what her mother had said. Daniel was equally devastated. The love they
shared, so pure and true, was now tainted by a cruel twist of fate.
The days that followed were filled with pain and confusion. Daniel and Lily, once so sure of their
future together, now faced an impossible reality. They knew they couldn't be together despite their love.
In the end, they made the heartbreaking decision to part ways. They vowed always to cherish
the memories of their time together and to support each other as siblings. The love they shared
would never fade, but it would have to take on a different form.
Life in Willowbrook went on, but nothing would ever be the same for Daniel and Lily. They carried
the weight of their lost love with them, finding solace in the knowledge that, despite everything,
they had once shared something beautiful.
Sabri Bebawi
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Common Writing Problems
Assignment
For this assignment, you must read the Supplementary Material links "Bonus Material 1: Clarifying
Prepositions of Time and Place" and "More on Prepositions." So, read these links first before attempting
this assignment!
This exercise will make you more aware of the prepositions that occur with common verb and
adjective phrases. First, read my short story titled "The Talking Horse." After the story, you will find a
list of the prepositions and then some fill-in-the-blank sentences about the characters in the story.
You must select the preposition that goes with the verb or adjective phrase.
Good luck
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The Talking Horse
A Short Story, by Sabri Bebawi
FOR MY ENGLISH STUDENTS
© Sabri g. Bebawi: Under publication: Sagan, Miriam (2004). Sudden Fiction, UCLA.
When his father died, Joy's mom remarried. Joy's new stepfather did not want him around, so
he persuaded his wife to send Joy to the village to live with her husband's sister. "Your son will be
well taken care of in my sister's house," the husband assured his new wife. Reluctantly, Joy's
mother agreed, and Joy was sent to the village. Joy's stepfather drove to his sister's farm in the
village to drop Joy off. Joy's new guardian was a middle-aged, five-foot-tall woman who looked
mean and unkind. She had a booming voice and used vulgar, impolite, crude language Joy
was not used to hearing. She dressed in black and covered her head with a scarf that allowed
locks of gray hair to hang from beneath it.
"My name is Louva; you call me Aunt Louva, little boy," said she to Joy, who felt uneasy around
her. Standing in front of Louva and looking up at her, Joy could see her badly stained, chipped
front teeth and smell her bad breath.
"God! She is ugly," he thought. "Yes madam—I mean Aunt Louva."
Joy was then led to his room. It was a tiny and dirty room with a tiny window looking at the
stable where Louva kept a horse named Joshua. The room had a small mattress on the floor,
one small pillow, and a very dirty cover. "This is where you will sleep," yelled Louva in her screechy voice.
Every day at dawn, Louva would wake Joy up and have him do the house chores. He would wash
the floor, clean up the kitchen, sweep the outside of the house, and clean the stable. While in the
stable, Joy would talk with Joshua, the horse, and would complain about Louva's treatment. Over
time, Joy became attached to Joshua and so did Joshua to Joy. Many cold afternoons, Louva, Joy,
and Joshua would go into the woods to collect wood for the fireplace and for the cooking stove.
Louva would hit Joshua hard and yell, "Move, you lazy horse, move." One time Joy asked Aunt
Louva not to hit Joshua. Consequently, Joy was spanked several times on the buttocks hard and
told to mind his business. While Louva was not watching, Joy whispered in Joshua's ear, "Don't worry, J
oshua; don't worry; she is crazy." Joshua shook his head up and down as though he understood and agreed.
Every night, Joy would lie on the dirty mattress on the floor shivering from cold; he would
think of home, miss his mother, and weep. Sometimes his crying and weeping could be
heard from outside. At times, Joy would hear Joshua's whinnies coming from the stable
beneath his window.
One night Joy heard a voice beneath his window calling his name, "Joyeeee . . ." He rushed to
the window and looked down but saw no one there except Joshua. Astonished, Joy climbed out
the window and approached Joshua, who greeted him warmly. A moment or two passed, and Joy
realized that Joshua was talking to him. After the initial shock, Joy was very happy, and ever
since they would meet and talk every night.
Louva felt that there was something going on between Joy and Joshua. She could hear some
voices at night, and she asked Joy several times about these voices. Joy would tell his aunt that
she was imagining things. One night, Aunt Louva stayed awake to investigate these voices. She
thought she was hallucinating when she saw Joy and Joshua actually talking to each other. She
decided that a demon possessed Joy and that he should be locked up.
Just before dawn, Joy was awakened by a loud noise the next morning. Opening his eyes, he
noticed the room was too dark and heard heavy knocking on the window. Louva was boarding up
the window; she covered the window with wooden bars to prevent Joy from getting out. Joy jumped
out of bed and ran toward the door but discovered that the door was locked. He realized that he was
locked in like a prisoner. He cried continuously. He remained imprisoned for days and nights. His Aunt
Louva would open the door, leave small pieces of bread and sometimes some pasta and water
on the floor, exit, and lock the door.
For several nights, Joy would hear Joshua beneath the window, whispering words of encouragement
to him. One night, Joy heard scratches at his window. He wondered but made nothing of it. Another
night, he heard the same noises, so he came close to the window and saw Joshua pulling the nails
out of the wooden bars with his teeth. He was surprised and pleased; he was full of hope that he would
be free. After some struggle, Joshua could remove all the wooden bars from the window and in joy
forgot himself and gave a loud whinny. Aunt Louva heard the noise and came out with a shotgun.
Joshua saw her coming; he called Joy to jump from the window. Joy did and fell to the ground. Joy
saw Joshua running toward Aunt Louva, and as he approached her, he turned around. He kicked her
so hard with his hind legs that she flew far away and was no longer seen. Joshua ran back toward Joy,
neighed excitedly, and told him he would take him back home. Joy climbed on Joshua's back, and through
the wind, Joshua raced away from the farm.
Prepositions: about, around, at, between, by, in, of, to
Now, on a sheet of paper, write down how you would fill in the blanks. To view the answer, place your
mouse pointer over the blank.
In this story, Joy's mother remarried, and the new stepfather didn't care ________ him.
He convinced his wife that her son would be well taken care ________ in his sister's house.
Joy's mother reluctantly agreed ________ let her son go to the sister's house.
The sister, Louva, was vulgar, stinky, and ugly. Joy did not feel comfortable ________ her.
Louva yelled ________ Joy, shouting ________ a shrill voice.
Whenever Joy was working in the stable, he would complain ________ Louva's cruel treatment.
Gradually, Joy and Joshua became attached ________ each other. There was a special feeling ________ them.
When Louva was mean to Joshua, Joy told the horse not to worry ________ it because the woman was crazy.
Joy was astonished ________ the horse when he actually spoke ________ him.
Louva suspected there was something going on ________ Joy and Joshua.
When Louva continued to hear the two of them talking ________ each other, she thought Joy was possessed ________ a demon and locked him up.
oshua was very excited ________ racing away from the farm with Joy on his back.
Answers
1. In this story, Joy's mother remarried, and the new stepfather didn't care ____ him. Answer: about
2. He convinced his wife that her son would be well taken care ____ in his sister's house. Answer: of
3. Joy's mother reluctantly agreed ____ let her son go to the sister's house. Answer: to
4. The sister, Louva, was vulgar, stinky, and ugly. Joy did not feel comfortable ____ her. Answer: around 5. Louva yelled ____ Joy, shouting ____ a shrill voice. Answer: at, in
6. Whenever Joy was working in the stable, he would complain ____ Louva’s cruel treatment. Answer: about
7. Gradually, Joy and Joshua became attached ____ each other. There was a special feeling ____ them. Answer: to, between
8. When Louva was mean to Joshua, Joy told the horse not to worry ____ it because the woman was crazy. Answer: about
9. Joy was astonished ____ the horse when he actually spoke ____ him. Answer: by, to
10. Louva suspected there was something going on____ Joy and Joshua. Answer: between
11. When Louva continued to hear the two of them talking ____ each other, she thought Joy was possessed ____ a demon and locked him up. Answer: to, by
12. Joshua was very excited ____ racing away from the farm with Joy on his back. Answer: about.
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The Great William Shakespeare
AMAZING PARALLELISM - LITERATURE AND REAL LIFE
- LET US SMILE FOR A MOMENT OR TWO
- Enhance your reading, listening and critical thinking skills
- Read The Story of My Life, Helen Keller.
Many students ask me about logical and verbal bridges. Please read this, courtesy of Purdue University: Retrieved from the Internet (2024)
Logical Bridges
- The same idea or topic is consistently carried from one sentence to the next.
- Successive sentences can be structured in parallel form to enhance coherence.
Verbal Bridges
- Key words are repeated across several sentences for continuity.
- Synonymous words can be used to reinforce ideas without repetition.
- Pronouns can refer back to nouns in previous sentences for smooth connections.
- Transition words help link ideas across different sentences.
Topic Sentence
A topic sentence broadly introduces the main idea or thesis of the paragraph. While not all paragraphs require a clearly defined topic sentence, it is a helpful tool, especially for less experienced writers. A topic sentence can appear anywhere in the paragraph—at the beginning, middle, or end—but placing it near the beginning is a reliable strategy to help readers quickly grasp the focus.
Even if you don't include an explicit topic sentence, you should be able to clearly summarize the main idea of the paragraph.
The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and
adequately. Again, this varies from paragraph to paragraph, depending on the author's
purpose, but writers should be wary of paragraphs that only have two or three sentences.
It's a pretty good bet that the paragraph is not fully developed if it is that short.
Some methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed:
- Use examples and illustrations
- Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others)
- Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases)
- Use an anecdote or story
- Define terms in the paragraph
- Compare and contrast
- Evaluate causes and reasons
- Examine effects and consequences
- Analyze the topic
- Describe the topic
- Offer a chronology of an event (time segments)
You should start a new paragraph when:
- Introducing a new idea or point: Each new idea or topic should begin in a fresh paragraph to maintain clarity and focus.
- Expanding on an extended idea: If an idea is complex and spans multiple paragraphs, each distinct point within that idea should have its own paragraph.
- Contrasting information or ideas: Use separate paragraphs to present opposing sides of a debate, highlight different arguments, or emphasize contrasts.
- Providing a pause for readers: Paragraph breaks act as natural pauses, making your writing easier to follow. Consider starting a new paragraph if one becomes too long or the material is particularly dense.
- Transitioning to your introduction or conclusion: Introductory and concluding material should always have their own paragraphs. Depending on the content and purpose, introductions and conclusions may span multiple paragraphs.
Transitions
Two key components of effective paragraphing are signposts and transitions. Signposts serve as internal guides to help readers navigate the text. They often include a few sentences or a short paragraph that summarize what has been covered and preview what is coming next in the article.
Transitions, on the other hand, are one or more sentences that smoothly connect one idea to the next. They are commonly placed at the end of a paragraph to create a natural flow between paragraphs.
THE AMAZING JOURNEYS READING PROVIDES
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