The end...

I'm sad that with the end of the exams, most of you will not be studying literature anymore; perhaps 90% or more of you will not read the subject for the rest of your life.

But I think reading literature can still be a part of your life! So long as you carry on reading, whether it's the newspapers, storybooks, or even reports and essays, and you think about them critically and carefully, you are doing literary studies. You examine the language to see what the author wants to make you feel, try to guess their intention, and analyse the issues that the reading talks about the standpoint that the writer is presenting.

And ultimately, that's what I want you to bring away from your literature studies - to read with an open and questioning mind. Be empowered by knowledge, think about everything yourself and make your own conclusions. Be aware when people are trying to persuade/coerce/influence you,and be an independent judge of things. These skills are useful everywhere and for everything you do.

I love literature so passionately because I'm amazed at the eloquent way the classic literature writers can express their ideas so well, whether in essay or story forms. They make me think deep and hard about life and all the tough and complicated issues, and it always make me realise how complex and interesting the world is. It keeps me curious and makes me a knowledgeable person.

And I hope that through my lessons, you will feel a little bit of all these feelings too...