Character: Yoon. father. Mother. Teacher. students.
Setting (When and Where): America
Plot: She doesn't like her English name Yoon.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Perspective: First-Person viewpoint (because there are many “I” in the story)
The story, “My Name is Yoon” written by Helen Recorvits, talks about a Korean girl named Yoon. She recently moved from Korea to America. Yoon is going to a new school, but she doesn’t like her name in English. In fact Yoon doesn’t like America because America is different. The first day, Yoon writes CAT as her name because she is shy. The second day, Yoon writes BIRD as her name because she wants to fly back to Korea. Then suddenly Yoon had a very good idea! She draws a picture for the teacher. She thinks the teacher will like her. Teacher smiles. Gradually, Yoon understands why she doesn't like her name or America: Yoon was lonely. Mom suggested to Yoon that she must be patient with everyone because good things take time. The third day she writes CUPCAKE as her name because the ponytail girl gives her a cupcake and she feels welcomed.
When people are in a challenging situation, people should think and take action in a positive way. If people have positive attitudes toward the challenging situation, sometimes the result would be unexpectedly good. Yoon is not happy because she is lonely. But she tries to improve. She draws a picture of a bird to the teacher. Teacher smiles. When Yoon just comes to America, she feels unhappy and uncomfortable because everything is different here in America, compared to Koean where she grew up and lives before. Instead of sitting there and being sad or unhappy, Yoon changes her thinking and attitudes. She takes the actions of drawing a picture to the teachers. She hopes the teacher likes it. This tells us when people have negative thinking and attitudes and they do nothing, things would be getting worse. However, when people change their mind and have positive thinking and attitudes, something good will happen. Challenging situations could be changed into a happy ending depending on how people think and act.
When encountering a difficult situation, people should think step by and step and find out what the true problem is. Some people will just run away and complain about what happened to them but others will try their best to figure out the real problem and solve it. Yoon did not like living in America. But she did not realize what the real problem was. Step by step she finally got an answer: The problem is that she felt lonely in America. Some people when they are seeing a difficult thing, they just run away, like Yoon wanting to go back to Korea, or pretend that they don’t see anything. But escaping will not help you to solve the difficult thing. It just makes things get worse. If you can understand where the true problem is, you can do something and change the situation from bad to good. So just don’t be afraid when you are seeing something difficult. When you find the problem, you can just try to fix it instead of complaining about it. Yoon tries her best and she draws a picture of a robin bird to the teacher. The teacher smiles and begins to like Yoon. Yoon will not feel lonely. Once people find the problem, they can also find the solution. Just don’t complain because complaining will not help you fix the problem or get the thing you want.
A friendly smile, a short talk, or sharing some snacks could make a newcomer feel welcomed and safe. A newcomer often feels scared and nervous in a new place. Talking or offering snacks would make the newcomers feel they are not lonely anymore. WhenYoon stood near the fence by herself at recess, a ponytail girl jumped off the swing and ran over to Yoon. She gave Yoon a cupcake. She giggled, and Yoon giggled, too. When there is a newcomer, what could we do to make the newcomer accept this new environment to make them feel it is their home? The newcomer is sad because he has to leave the place where they feel comfortable. The newcomer also feels lonely when they come to a new place which is so different from the previous place. What the newcomer needs is warm support, even a smile, saying “hi”, or offering a cupcake, to make them feel welcome. The ponytail girl shared a cupcake with Yoon. Now Yoon doesn’t feel lonely anymore. Yoon sang a new song in English to her dad. Yoon was very happy. Yoon began to accept the new language and accept the new culture. She finally wrote the English name Yoon. She began to like America. Yoon thinks “Maybe America will be a good home” When people welcome the newcomers with a warm smile or a simple “hello”, those simple words could help the newcomers accept the new place and new language more quickly.
“My Name is Yoon” is a warm story talking about a Korean girl Yoon and her thoughts and feelings about moving to America, and finally Yoon accepts America and begins to like it. This story teaches me three things. First, people should think and do things in a positive way especially when they are in difficult situations. Sometimes those positive thoughts and actions would bring excellent results. Second, people need to find out the true problem step by step in difficult situations. If people cannot find the true problem, the difficult situations will still be there and people will always have the painful or unhappy feeling. Third, we should show our respect, kindness, and support to the newcomer. A big smile, or short conversation, or sharing some snack would make the newcomer feel welcomed here in the new place.
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