ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Life is peppered with rare and extraordinary moments. This, the completion of my thesis, feels like one of those, and I would like to thank all those who helped this project come to fruition. First, and foremost I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Wu Yu-Hsi, my advisor. His support, patience and kindness were nothing short of inspirational. I cannot remember a time when I left his office without a sense of renewed enthusiasm for continuing this work. Working with Dr. Wu gave me a deeper understanding of what it is to be a good teacher. Thanks are also due to the members of my thesis committee, Dr. Yu – Chih Sun and Dr. Nathan Jones. Their insightful comments helped me realize this final version. I would also like to thank the department of Foreign languages and literature for the privilege of being able to study at Tsing Hua University. I am grateful for the unique opportunity that was granted me by the faculty members, who over the course of my MA degree inspired and guided me through their respective areas of expertise. Furthermore, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all the department secretaries who hav