CALL Literary Reaction Journal 3

Reaction to “The Important Things in Life”

Ⅰ.Summary
 The story I chose to summarize and react to is “The Important Things in Life” by Stephen.
A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter. The professor said to his student “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.　The rocks are the important things - your family,your partner, your health, your children- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff. The rest is just sand.”


Ⅱ.Reaction
1.Character
 A main character of this story is a philosophy professor. And his student appear it. He experimented with a mayonnaise jar to tell a important things of life.

2.Metaphor
 The rocks, pebbles and sand represented the important things of life. Rocks are important things. For example, your family, your partner, your health, your children. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand means rest.

3. Appeal
 The professor tells the student. The most important things is rocks. It is easy to express it by words, but it is difficult for us to understand.


Ⅲ.General opinion
 This story about important things in life. I agree the professor's opinion. The most important things family, partner, health. If there is nothing, I can't enjoy my life.