This is a story about three of my ex-classmates, named John, Mary and Jane. They were good friends and often hang out after classes either to study or play together. As time went by, both Mary and Jane fell for John. However, they did not know that they liked the same person. After a few months, John and Mary got together but they decided to keep it a secret as they were afraid that the classmates will tease them. Jane was sad but she still decided to give them her blessings and helped them to keep it a secret.
The class thought that John and Jane liked each other. During recess on a particular day, one classmate decided to cheer when Jane walked towards John. The rest of the class followed suit. Naturally, Jane was very embarrassed. She looked towards Mary for help, hoping that she will stand up to clarify or even just to convince the class to lower their volume. However, Mary was just clapping and laughing along together with the rest of the class. Jane was hurt as she felt that Mary had used her as a shield against all those teasing. She thought that Mary was her good friend. Aren’t good friends supposed to help each other when one is in need? On the other hand, Mary did not know that her actions caused Jane to feel troubled. She was unsure of the reason behind the sudden change in Jane’s attitude after that day. The lack of communication caused Mary and Jane to slowly drift apart.
Do you think there is still any hope for them to find their friendship back?
What would you do if you were Mary, Jane or their friend?
UCS1001 MME Tri2 2023-24 Dynamic Thinkers
3 weeks ago
Hi Jiamin,
ReplyDeleteI think there is still hope for them to find back their friendship. However, one of them must first initiate the process of communication. Without communication, there will be no chance for them to clarify any misunderstanding or unhappiness between them. Since Mary noticed a change in Jane's attitude, maybe she can make the first move to approach Jane. She can try to sound out Jane's displeasure and take the opportunity to explain her previous reactions and apologise if necessary. If none of them make the effort to initiate any form of communication, maybe their common friends can step in to mitigate the problem.
Interesting scenario, Jia Min. You describe the characters and the scenario well (even though there are some verb tense issues).
ReplyDeleteXiu Ling makes a good case for open discussion. I look forward to seeing how others comment.
Thank you!
Hello Jiamin,
ReplyDeleteLike what Xiu Ling said, communication is the key to resolving conflicts. By ignoring the problem, Mary will always be in the dark regarding Jane’s sudden change in attitude, while Jane will always think that Mary is insensitive. I think it is best if their mutual friends can step in to help. As observers, they will be able to see the whole picture clearly and will therefore be able to solve the problem more effectively. Alternatively, Jane can also tell Mary that she felt hurt by what Mary did. It is a potential pathway of communication that can bring both of them one step closer to resolving their differences.
Cheers
Russell