2) Find two quotes from each story and write down the page number
Paper
"After all,it's just paper gains so far."-pg 5
"What! Sell at a fraction at which I bought them! How can this be tolerated!"-pg 7
2) The Matyrdom of Helena Rodrigues
"Helena's tactics enabled her to tyrannize most people -with normally sensitive consciences" (pg 12 )
"It was Caroline"s daily effort to make George's scruples into absurdity."-pg 15
3) Sundowner
"So sincere was the greeting that Das.forgetting his pretensions to eqalitarianism"-pg 0
"Yes, tuan. Whatever the tuan says." - pg 22
4) Tanjong Rhu
'They are special glasses,big ones to help you see things faraway."-pg 31
"What! Does the little monkey fall slient when the tiger roars?"-pg 35
5) Evening under Frangipani
"She laughed a little at her own moralizing tone"-pg 53
"Treats, treats, that's all you Singaporeans ever think about." - pg 72
6) Lee
"Hey,I'm on hiatus from conventions."-pg 91
"What I mean is they're detached-from you-but even the most artificial of them,even the most deliberately constructed and deliberately aligned "-pg 98
7) A History of Tea
"a ghost steam into the humid air." - pg 108
"There were many inconsistencies " - pg 117
8) A Dream of China
"The Chinese are as bad as the Jews when it comes to making money." - pg 127
"That is where I truly belonged,among skyscrappers with glass fronts and gold-encrusted orchids." - pg 133
9) Release
"The man stood in the doorway,silhouetted against the corrridor light ." - pg 147
"She sat down, blinded by the scream that filled her mind." - pg 148
10) An Orbituary for Fifth Aunt Come Late
"She was my aunt but I didn't make it a point to be her niece" - pg 149
"My aunt smiled and rubbed her hands,rubbing her life,the life layered under the huge redness of her hands." - pg 161
11) Corridor
"the bravest ones further behind to make sure that nobody would run away from the gruesome scene." - pg 169
"And like an answer or a question the warm amber lights in her living-room came on." - pg 175
12) Mid-Autumn
"Instead she grinned from the photo she sent,spreading her bloodied hands beside the brick kiln in another continent." - pg 176
"The grains bit my skin as I swept the sand in search of lantern?"-pg 179
13) Hamid and the Hand of Fate
"He breathed in her talcum scent,sweet yet faintly laced with sour sweat" -pg 189
"He told God he accepted what had happened to him." - pg 194
14) The Move
"Perhaps I should take the pomegranate tree with me,she reflected." - pg 204
"and they began trundling northward up the island to a new life" - pg 211
15) Pastime
"You know this is just a story,a story to pass time.This isn't real life!" - pg 214
"It's a hobby, a pastime. It's not real life." - pg 220
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
June Holiday Literature Assignment
5 Memorable Quotes (Off Centre)
1."We are right on target,on the dot ,the arrow that slices the apple"
(Act One,Scene Three,Pg 26)
2."They are jealous because I am special" (Act Two,Scene Two,Pg 55)
3."You are strong,nothing can destroy you." (Act Two,Scene Two,Pg 58)
4."'If u want ,u can burn joss stick,so that the devil won't come to you"
(Act Three,Scene One,Pg 82)
5."Then why you want to control me?"
Answer Question 1 to 6 in the Off Centre Guide Book
Q1: In your opinion, how key is the parent-child relationship to Vinod's inevitable end?
Ans:In my opinion,I feel that Vinod's parents are responsible for Vinod's inevitable end.In Vinod life,his parents and him are like strangers because they hardly see and talk with each other.That why unlike other kids,Vinod is mostly living his life alone without any parent's love or care.When Vinod's parents call him.the first thing they care about is his studies.They do not even know about Vinod is having his mental illness which is depression.When Vinod try to tell them about his illness,his parents will say that it is just an excuse for him to skip his study. In the passsage page 27,we can see how Vinod say about his parent's expectation of him."My parents are hoping i'll get well tomorrow and then go abroad to study the next day,graduate on friday,do my Masters on saturday and start work as Deputy Public Prosecutor on Monday" From this we can see that when Vinod wants love and care from his parents,he get nothing back but more stress.Therefore i find that,Vinod's parents are the key to Vinod's inevitable end
Q2: 'Vinod's high expectations of himself caused his downfall.' To what extent do you agree with this analysis of Vinod's predicament and tragedy?
Ans:I think to a large extent I agree with the analysis of Vinod predicament and tragedy.Firstly,starting of the story we can see that when Vinod make up his mind,he will continue to complete without giving out like that way he try to befriend with Saloma after many time of rejection in Act 1,Scene 1,page 6 to 13.But as the story continue,we can see that Vinod'expectation getting higher and higher.In Act 2,Scene 3,page 63,we can see how Vinod thinks about Saloma,'Saloma like a stray kitten found in the expressway 'This make Vinod to feel that he should take care and protect her but what Vinod does not know is that it is beyond his control.Vinod is having his depression but yet he still have high expectation of himself.In fact by doing this,it worsen his condition as most of the things he has high expectation last time,he cannot even complete it now and this can be another factor that add in his depression.Therefore,i think that if Vinod does not have high expectation with himself from the starting,he will not even suffering and eventually die.
Q3: Discuss the reasons for Saloma's transformation in the play
Ans:Saloma has made a big transformation throughout the story.In the starting,she does not even like to get close or chat to any people around her.This is because she is quite timid at that time and she does not believe anyone until Vinod comes in her life.But in my opinion,i think that the main reason that Saloma is cured and become normal at the end of the story is not because of Vinod but Emily.Saloma know Emily when she was in the halfway house last time.Emily was the only friend that encourage her at the point of time.Emily understands that how the life of her suffering from mental illness like schizophrenia that why Emily keep telling her that do not listen to what other people say about her,just believe herself.In Act 2,Scene 2,Page 55,we can see that how Emily is teaching her to be strong to face her illness,"They are jealous ......because i am special."Because of this words,Saloma' life start to change.Not only that,because Emily,Saloma start to eat doctor's medicine despite what Vinod and her mother say to her about eating the medicine.Then she become stronger and stronger,and she dare to step in to the society to find job.From this,we can see that she is normal person without any mental illness.
Q4: "Though a minor role in the play, the character of Razali is key to the plot of Off Centre." To what extent do you agree with this assessment?
Ans:To a certain extent I agree with this assessment.Razali is a person that act as the role of security guard of a building.Throughout the stories,we can see that Razali maybe just a normal securiy guard but in the Vinod and Saloma life,he is someone that they can rely on.Everytime when they see Razali,they will often chat with him all their problems and troubles.We can also see that both Vinod and Saloma treat Razali as a fatherly figure in Act 2 Scene 3(page 63 to 79)But even through their relationship are quite close,Razali is not there when the robbery incident take place,That why this make Vinod quite angry about him after knowing that Razali is doing something that is not important than helping them there.Because of this incident,his condition start to worsen and his life start to change after losing all the faith and trust in Razali.
Q5: "Datta, Dayadhvam, Damyatta" means to "Give, Sympathise, Control". How did the major characters in the play exert control in their environment and/or their lives? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
Ans:Basically this words,"Datta, Dayadhvam, Damyatta" is just for Saloma as this words mean a lots of things to her.Without these words,Saloma was still a mental illness patient like last time,afraid of almost eveything around her.This words encourage her to stay strong and fight back against her illness bravely.She eat medicine to make sure that her illness will not take over her.That why,she manage to become normal person in the end and lead a normal life that she always want.
Q6: Based on the text Off Centre, discuss how peer acceptance and family support are vital to social status and mental well-being.
Ans:Peer Acceptance and Family Support are definitely vital to social status and mental well-being.The reason is when a mental patient is having hard life with it illness,the only people that they can rely on,is their own family.Only with family encouragement,care and love will help in the patient recovery of their illness.Without all this family and friends encouragement,most mental patients will just give up on theirselves as there is no one to rely on on that point of time.for example,Vinod is lack of factors like family encouragement and also the acceptance to the people in the society that why he committed suicide as he begening to feel that there is no point of living this world.Vinod thinks that society is a bad place and a torture compared to Saloma who thinks that society is a place where they can be better. That why both factor are important to mental patient.
1."We are right on target,on the dot ,the arrow that slices the apple"
(Act One,Scene Three,Pg 26)
2."They are jealous because I am special" (Act Two,Scene Two,Pg 55)
3."You are strong,nothing can destroy you." (Act Two,Scene Two,Pg 58)
4."'If u want ,u can burn joss stick,so that the devil won't come to you"
(Act Three,Scene One,Pg 82)
5."Then why you want to control me?"
Answer Question 1 to 6 in the Off Centre Guide Book
Q1: In your opinion, how key is the parent-child relationship to Vinod's inevitable end?
Ans:In my opinion,I feel that Vinod's parents are responsible for Vinod's inevitable end.In Vinod life,his parents and him are like strangers because they hardly see and talk with each other.That why unlike other kids,Vinod is mostly living his life alone without any parent's love or care.When Vinod's parents call him.the first thing they care about is his studies.They do not even know about Vinod is having his mental illness which is depression.When Vinod try to tell them about his illness,his parents will say that it is just an excuse for him to skip his study. In the passsage page 27,we can see how Vinod say about his parent's expectation of him."My parents are hoping i'll get well tomorrow and then go abroad to study the next day,graduate on friday,do my Masters on saturday and start work as Deputy Public Prosecutor on Monday" From this we can see that when Vinod wants love and care from his parents,he get nothing back but more stress.Therefore i find that,Vinod's parents are the key to Vinod's inevitable end
Q2: 'Vinod's high expectations of himself caused his downfall.' To what extent do you agree with this analysis of Vinod's predicament and tragedy?
Ans:I think to a large extent I agree with the analysis of Vinod predicament and tragedy.Firstly,starting of the story we can see that when Vinod make up his mind,he will continue to complete without giving out like that way he try to befriend with Saloma after many time of rejection in Act 1,Scene 1,page 6 to 13.But as the story continue,we can see that Vinod'expectation getting higher and higher.In Act 2,Scene 3,page 63,we can see how Vinod thinks about Saloma,'Saloma like a stray kitten found in the expressway 'This make Vinod to feel that he should take care and protect her but what Vinod does not know is that it is beyond his control.Vinod is having his depression but yet he still have high expectation of himself.In fact by doing this,it worsen his condition as most of the things he has high expectation last time,he cannot even complete it now and this can be another factor that add in his depression.Therefore,i think that if Vinod does not have high expectation with himself from the starting,he will not even suffering and eventually die.
Q3: Discuss the reasons for Saloma's transformation in the play
Ans:Saloma has made a big transformation throughout the story.In the starting,she does not even like to get close or chat to any people around her.This is because she is quite timid at that time and she does not believe anyone until Vinod comes in her life.But in my opinion,i think that the main reason that Saloma is cured and become normal at the end of the story is not because of Vinod but Emily.Saloma know Emily when she was in the halfway house last time.Emily was the only friend that encourage her at the point of time.Emily understands that how the life of her suffering from mental illness like schizophrenia that why Emily keep telling her that do not listen to what other people say about her,just believe herself.In Act 2,Scene 2,Page 55,we can see that how Emily is teaching her to be strong to face her illness,"They are jealous ......because i am special."Because of this words,Saloma' life start to change.Not only that,because Emily,Saloma start to eat doctor's medicine despite what Vinod and her mother say to her about eating the medicine.Then she become stronger and stronger,and she dare to step in to the society to find job.From this,we can see that she is normal person without any mental illness.
Q4: "Though a minor role in the play, the character of Razali is key to the plot of Off Centre." To what extent do you agree with this assessment?
Ans:To a certain extent I agree with this assessment.Razali is a person that act as the role of security guard of a building.Throughout the stories,we can see that Razali maybe just a normal securiy guard but in the Vinod and Saloma life,he is someone that they can rely on.Everytime when they see Razali,they will often chat with him all their problems and troubles.We can also see that both Vinod and Saloma treat Razali as a fatherly figure in Act 2 Scene 3(page 63 to 79)But even through their relationship are quite close,Razali is not there when the robbery incident take place,That why this make Vinod quite angry about him after knowing that Razali is doing something that is not important than helping them there.Because of this incident,his condition start to worsen and his life start to change after losing all the faith and trust in Razali.
Q5: "Datta, Dayadhvam, Damyatta" means to "Give, Sympathise, Control". How did the major characters in the play exert control in their environment and/or their lives? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
Ans:Basically this words,"Datta, Dayadhvam, Damyatta" is just for Saloma as this words mean a lots of things to her.Without these words,Saloma was still a mental illness patient like last time,afraid of almost eveything around her.This words encourage her to stay strong and fight back against her illness bravely.She eat medicine to make sure that her illness will not take over her.That why,she manage to become normal person in the end and lead a normal life that she always want.
Q6: Based on the text Off Centre, discuss how peer acceptance and family support are vital to social status and mental well-being.
Ans:Peer Acceptance and Family Support are definitely vital to social status and mental well-being.The reason is when a mental patient is having hard life with it illness,the only people that they can rely on,is their own family.Only with family encouragement,care and love will help in the patient recovery of their illness.Without all this family and friends encouragement,most mental patients will just give up on theirselves as there is no one to rely on on that point of time.for example,Vinod is lack of factors like family encouragement and also the acceptance to the people in the society that why he committed suicide as he begening to feel that there is no point of living this world.Vinod thinks that society is a bad place and a torture compared to Saloma who thinks that society is a place where they can be better. That why both factor are important to mental patient.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Questions for Island Voices
1. "However, China had nothing to say to my spirit, if indeed land speaks to spirit. My spirit was as alien here as I was. It inclined towards a diamond city of trees and meaningful occupation, efficiently sparkling in the modern world. that was where I truly belonged, among skyscrapers with glass fonts and gold-encrusted orchids."
Do you think the reference to Singapore as a "diamond city" is apt? Why or why not? How would you describe your feelings towards Singapore, using imagery you feel suitable?
Ans:In my opinion, Singapore is a diamond city is rather quite true because most of the things in Singapore sell are more expensive than other countries.Especially jewellerys like diamond which is very expensive in Singapore. My feelings towards Singapore is,,i feel rather safe and happy in Singapore,other than the fact that Singapore sell expensive things.The reasons are Singapore have education which is one of the best among other countries and our security is good and its safe to live in Singapore.Not only that,our standard of living also better than some of the countries beside us.That why,we are quite fortunate to live in Singapore without any war or terrorism.If using imagery to say about Singapore,i will say Singapore look like a weak animal in the outside but inside it,is can be stronger than anyone.
2. "With great grandness, my uncle ordered orange drinks from the waiter. He criticized the glasses as dirty when the drinks arrived and insisted on new ones..... I kept buying him the orange drinks he swallowed with suck relish."Why do you think her uncle behaves in this manner? Do you feel sorry for him or do you regard him with distaste, as his niece does?
Ans:i think that the uncle want to act like the rich people who live in a comfortable life that why we can see that he criticized the glasses as dirty when the drinks arrived.By doing this can show him that he is a person that have status, that has the right to criticize on others and find fault with them. Actually to me,i don't feel sorry to him because he want to be this way,no one force him to do it.Not only this,he depends on his wife to work and support him and yet he wants to be rich and treated with respect.That why to him,i don't nid to feel sorry about.
3. "I returned to Singapore alienated from the china I saw, but no less eager to listen to my father's stories of the most beautiful lands."Do you find this contradiction? Why or why not?
Ans:Yes, I find it contradicting as the author did not really see the China that the author's father was talking about.However,she still want to continue to find out more about what her father's thoughts about China even though she know that the China that her father is saying,maybe not be the actual one now.
4. "A country is only as good as its men. My father is a good man.... whichever country can clain him as its own."What do you think the narrator means by the first statement? To what extent would you agree that her father is a good man? Give reasons for your answer. Which country, do you think, should claim him for its own?
Ans:I think that the narrrator is saying that a country can only be good and safely if is the citizens there are good people which mean that people there are not corrupted or bad.That why i think that good country is can only make up of good citizens . To a large extent,i believe that his father is a good man.In the story we can see that,her father send back a lot of money to help and provide his brother who is still in China.Even though he know that his brother's wife only ask for a small of money but he just send back a big sum of money to his brother with any grumble or complain.I think that Singapore is the best place to claim him because he can stay here and enjoy his peaceful life rather than going back to China to work hard just to provide his brother.
Do you think the reference to Singapore as a "diamond city" is apt? Why or why not? How would you describe your feelings towards Singapore, using imagery you feel suitable?
Ans:In my opinion, Singapore is a diamond city is rather quite true because most of the things in Singapore sell are more expensive than other countries.Especially jewellerys like diamond which is very expensive in Singapore. My feelings towards Singapore is,,i feel rather safe and happy in Singapore,other than the fact that Singapore sell expensive things.The reasons are Singapore have education which is one of the best among other countries and our security is good and its safe to live in Singapore.Not only that,our standard of living also better than some of the countries beside us.That why,we are quite fortunate to live in Singapore without any war or terrorism.If using imagery to say about Singapore,i will say Singapore look like a weak animal in the outside but inside it,is can be stronger than anyone.
2. "With great grandness, my uncle ordered orange drinks from the waiter. He criticized the glasses as dirty when the drinks arrived and insisted on new ones..... I kept buying him the orange drinks he swallowed with suck relish."Why do you think her uncle behaves in this manner? Do you feel sorry for him or do you regard him with distaste, as his niece does?
Ans:i think that the uncle want to act like the rich people who live in a comfortable life that why we can see that he criticized the glasses as dirty when the drinks arrived.By doing this can show him that he is a person that have status, that has the right to criticize on others and find fault with them. Actually to me,i don't feel sorry to him because he want to be this way,no one force him to do it.Not only this,he depends on his wife to work and support him and yet he wants to be rich and treated with respect.That why to him,i don't nid to feel sorry about.
3. "I returned to Singapore alienated from the china I saw, but no less eager to listen to my father's stories of the most beautiful lands."Do you find this contradiction? Why or why not?
Ans:Yes, I find it contradicting as the author did not really see the China that the author's father was talking about.However,she still want to continue to find out more about what her father's thoughts about China even though she know that the China that her father is saying,maybe not be the actual one now.
4. "A country is only as good as its men. My father is a good man.... whichever country can clain him as its own."What do you think the narrator means by the first statement? To what extent would you agree that her father is a good man? Give reasons for your answer. Which country, do you think, should claim him for its own?
Ans:I think that the narrrator is saying that a country can only be good and safely if is the citizens there are good people which mean that people there are not corrupted or bad.That why i think that good country is can only make up of good citizens . To a large extent,i believe that his father is a good man.In the story we can see that,her father send back a lot of money to help and provide his brother who is still in China.Even though he know that his brother's wife only ask for a small of money but he just send back a big sum of money to his brother with any grumble or complain.I think that Singapore is the best place to claim him because he can stay here and enjoy his peaceful life rather than going back to China to work hard just to provide his brother.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Island Voices
Questions: 1, 2, 3 & 4 (pg 13 & 14 on notes)
1) Do the respective authors use these traditional chinese rituals ( eating paper dissolved in drink, burning of paper money and houses, lighting joss-sticks and praying to dead ancestors) just for irony or for more profound purposes? What are these purposes?
To me,I believe they do all these things is for profound purposes.According our chinese's belief,by drinking paper that dissolved in the water help us a lot of things.If we have incurable diseases like cancer,by drinking the paper that dissolved in water will cure the disease.If we have a lot of bad luck lately,it is to believe that by drinking dissolved paper will clear all the bad luck and good luck will start to come.Burning of paper money and houses is a traditional thing to do for chinese ritual because people believe that burning all these paper money and houses ,the person that passed away will receive it and can live a good life in heaven.Lighting joss-sticks to the dead ancestors is a form of respect.People pray to them is because it is to believe that their dead ancestors are able to hear them and also protect them.
2) Would you yourself, as a modern young Singaporean, see the relevance of such cultural rituals in your society as necessary still, or are a hindrance to progress and enlightened thinking?
As a modern young singaporean,I see the relevance of such cultural rituals in this society as neccessary still.One important reason is because this is a chinese culture and for all chinese people have to do all these things like burning of paper money and houses, lighting joss-sticks and praying to dead ancestors because all of these is a tradition of our chinese culture which had started from very long ago until now.Therefore as a chinese singaporean,I should follow and also respect it as this is our chinese traditional things to do when we have a chinese rituals.Therefore in conclusion, cultural rituals is still necessary and it should not be a hindrance to progress and enlightened thinking.
3)Do you think the elderly in Singapore are out of touch with the contemporary world? How far is it a virtue to remain contented like old Mrs Li and think that there is nothing more that a person, especially an elderly one, can want?
1) Do the respective authors use these traditional chinese rituals ( eating paper dissolved in drink, burning of paper money and houses, lighting joss-sticks and praying to dead ancestors) just for irony or for more profound purposes? What are these purposes?
To me,I believe they do all these things is for profound purposes.According our chinese's belief,by drinking paper that dissolved in the water help us a lot of things.If we have incurable diseases like cancer,by drinking the paper that dissolved in water will cure the disease.If we have a lot of bad luck lately,it is to believe that by drinking dissolved paper will clear all the bad luck and good luck will start to come.Burning of paper money and houses is a traditional thing to do for chinese ritual because people believe that burning all these paper money and houses ,the person that passed away will receive it and can live a good life in heaven.Lighting joss-sticks to the dead ancestors is a form of respect.People pray to them is because it is to believe that their dead ancestors are able to hear them and also protect them.
2) Would you yourself, as a modern young Singaporean, see the relevance of such cultural rituals in your society as necessary still, or are a hindrance to progress and enlightened thinking?
As a modern young singaporean,I see the relevance of such cultural rituals in this society as neccessary still.One important reason is because this is a chinese culture and for all chinese people have to do all these things like burning of paper money and houses, lighting joss-sticks and praying to dead ancestors because all of these is a tradition of our chinese culture which had started from very long ago until now.Therefore as a chinese singaporean,I should follow and also respect it as this is our chinese traditional things to do when we have a chinese rituals.Therefore in conclusion, cultural rituals is still necessary and it should not be a hindrance to progress and enlightened thinking.
3)Do you think the elderly in Singapore are out of touch with the contemporary world? How far is it a virtue to remain contented like old Mrs Li and think that there is nothing more that a person, especially an elderly one, can want?
Actually,not all the elderly people are out of touch with the contemporary world is because nowadays,the elderly people are slowly catching up with things like technologies.For example,using computers and handphone.They learn all these through their friends,their son and daughter and sometimes their grandchildren too.But most of the elderly are still out of touch with the contemporary world because most of elderly people do not really know and also use all those things like technologies nowadays in Singapore.Most of the elderly's thinking are quite traditional.That why,when come to get in touch with technology,they will have problems with it as they have totally no idea of it and also how to use it.It is a virtue to remain contented like old Mrs Li and think that there is nothing more that a person wants but nowadays we can see most of the people are not so easily satisfied,that why they keep buying new things for their satisfactory
4)Is looking back at the past necessarily a good thing? This particular story uses the past to affirm strong ties, emotion and sentiment, but when can it become a negative habit?
Looking back at the past has its advantage and also disadvantage.Sometime,if we look back at the past,we can learn and also correct our mistakes to prevent from doing it again in future. Past does not mean sadness only,there is also happy memories.For example.Mrs Li remembered the happy times that she and her husband had before he died.But looking back at the past consistently is not very good habit to do as you cannot see the reality.You will always live in your past and will not have even a chance to get in touch with the real world.For example,Mrs Li always look back at her past that why she become too focus on the past causing her to have lesser chance of getting in touch with the real world.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Choose two stories that reveal the thinking of older generation of Singaporeans.What new insights have u gained from such a revelation ?
-Choose file (5) links and write comments of comment of 50 to 100 words about the content of the blogs(not design/pictures/layout)
-Fatin
-Faris
-Nuraini
-Zulkarnaen
-Amirul
The two stories that i will talk about is Tanjong Rhu and The Move.
First,let talk about Tanjong Rhu,Mr Lee's mother who is known as Ah Ma is representing the older generation of Singaporean.She always likes to chat about her past.All things that happen on that time.Not like Mr Li who always talk about things that is present nowadays.Ah Ma also quite a thrifty person.She does not like her son spend money to buy things just for her for example the binoculars for her eyes.She recollects times when her husband was still alive and Mr Li was just a kid playing by the sea.Through this,we have gain a new insight about the past and those who living aroung her.
-Choose file (5) links and write comments of comment of 50 to 100 words about the content of the blogs(not design/pictures/layout)
-Fatin
-Faris
-Nuraini
-Zulkarnaen
-Amirul
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Q 12
How are Young people and their ideals presented in two stories in the collection? How far do you identify with these young people?
-Evening Under frangipani
At one level at touching love story that *bemoans the "barriers of pride that isolates each and every human being", the story also involves the racial prejudice that keeps two people apart from each other.
-Hamid and The Hand of Fate
The tale of Hamid whose life is changed forever by an accident which claims his right arm. A simple young man, Hamid decides to be patient and accepts his fate stoically. This decision does not prevent him from sensing that people around him are merely making use of him, hoping to get money from him.
-Evening Under frangipani
At one level at touching love story that *bemoans the "barriers of pride that isolates each and every human being", the story also involves the racial prejudice that keeps two people apart from each other.
-Hamid and The Hand of Fate
The tale of Hamid whose life is changed forever by an accident which claims his right arm. A simple young man, Hamid decides to be patient and accepts his fate stoically. This decision does not prevent him from sensing that people around him are merely making use of him, hoping to get money from him.
Q6
-With reference a suitable story,discuss how far changes is shown to be either welcome or feared?
-Lee
It is between a Singaporean father and his westernized daughter, the weird and uneasy relationship between father and daughter clashes between the 'Asian' and 'Western' culture .
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Q4
Select two stories in which there is conflict between parent and child, and show how far there is some resolution of these differences at the end of the story.
-Tanjong Rhu
In this story, most of the conflict is between Mr Li and his mother. Mr Li follows the death of his mother feels that he has forgotten so much about his childhood life. He regrets himself not turning to his mother while she was alive. While she was alive, Mr Li had always argued with his mother about her eyesight and how stubborn she was when she said that she could see and she did not want to go for surgery.Mr Li's mother is talking about she is seeing the past but Mr Li does not understand .When he finally realise and understand, it was too late for him as her mother had already passed away.
-Lee
At the starting of the story,when Lee return to Singapore to meet her father .That is the time when the external and internal conflicts starts between Lee and her father.The main reason is because she not used to the things in Singapore like the culture all those stuffs which she does not even like and also understand it when she first come to Singapore.She also cannot adapt to the life in Singapore as she is more used the life on the other countries like America as she grows up from there. All her lifestyle is so different from Singapore that why we can see there is so much conflicts between Lee and her father at the starting of the story.Both of them still do not understand each other yet after so long since the last time they seen each other.
-Tanjong Rhu
In this story, most of the conflict is between Mr Li and his mother. Mr Li follows the death of his mother feels that he has forgotten so much about his childhood life. He regrets himself not turning to his mother while she was alive. While she was alive, Mr Li had always argued with his mother about her eyesight and how stubborn she was when she said that she could see and she did not want to go for surgery.Mr Li's mother is talking about she is seeing the past but Mr Li does not understand .When he finally realise and understand, it was too late for him as her mother had already passed away.
-Lee
At the starting of the story,when Lee return to Singapore to meet her father .That is the time when the external and internal conflicts starts between Lee and her father.The main reason is because she not used to the things in Singapore like the culture all those stuffs which she does not even like and also understand it when she first come to Singapore.She also cannot adapt to the life in Singapore as she is more used the life on the other countries like America as she grows up from there. All her lifestyle is so different from Singapore that why we can see there is so much conflicts between Lee and her father at the starting of the story.Both of them still do not understand each other yet after so long since the last time they seen each other.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Q2
How is the motherhood presented in any two or three stories in the collection?
-The Martyrdom of Helena Rodrigues
From the start of story,we can see that Helena is a mother that likes to control people judging by the way that she controls her husband. Her husband had died.Her next target was her own son.Helena would nurture in him a hypersensitiviy of conscience which bordered upon the pathological;she brought him up to believe that insult his mother's devotion to him was the ultimate blasphemy.Far more securely than her husband,Aloysius had been,George was kept tied to Helena's side. As he gets older, George met his lover and they wanted to get married. On the other hand Helena has fakes illnesses, but Helena's old friend Doctor de Cruz took them seirously and told terrified George thatt his mother's heart was not strong as she did not want George to get married. She wants George to always be by her side as she is lonely and needs company.
-Paper
The couple's desire of getting rich is destroyed when they play the stock market and lose everything. In a twist of fate, the husband's dream house is finally realized in the paper house that is burnt during his funeral for his afterlife. At the funeral, everything was set up, the house was well decorated with delicate framework of wire and thin bamboo strips covered with finely worked paper of myriad colours. There were silver flowers scattered liberally throughout the paper house which gave a carnival-like atmosphere. There was a paper swimming-pool which was put in the house. There were also paper figures inside the house. These things were what the Mother did for Tay Soon.
-The Martyrdom of Helena Rodrigues
From the start of story,we can see that Helena is a mother that likes to control people judging by the way that she controls her husband. Her husband had died.Her next target was her own son.Helena would nurture in him a hypersensitiviy of conscience which bordered upon the pathological;she brought him up to believe that insult his mother's devotion to him was the ultimate blasphemy.Far more securely than her husband,Aloysius had been,George was kept tied to Helena's side. As he gets older, George met his lover and they wanted to get married. On the other hand Helena has fakes illnesses, but Helena's old friend Doctor de Cruz took them seirously and told terrified George thatt his mother's heart was not strong as she did not want George to get married. She wants George to always be by her side as she is lonely and needs company.
-Paper
The couple's desire of getting rich is destroyed when they play the stock market and lose everything. In a twist of fate, the husband's dream house is finally realized in the paper house that is burnt during his funeral for his afterlife. At the funeral, everything was set up, the house was well decorated with delicate framework of wire and thin bamboo strips covered with finely worked paper of myriad colours. There were silver flowers scattered liberally throughout the paper house which gave a carnival-like atmosphere. There was a paper swimming-pool which was put in the house. There were also paper figures inside the house. These things were what the Mother did for Tay Soon.
2009 DEC holiday HW
Story: Evening Under Frangipani
Conflicts
· Internal conflicts :Prakash is having intense fear about the interview and showing physical sighs ( pg 47,first paragraph)
· External conflicts :Elaine is talking a issue of marriage that imposed by the society (pg49, last paragraph)
· Internal conflict: Elaine cursed about her foolishness and also Prakash
(pg 58,first paragraph)
Climax
· When Prakesh jokes about Elaine’s father (pg 62 to pg 63)
Resolution
· Open Ending
Characters
1)Prakash
He is a nervous-wreck (during job interview , pg 47)
He is competent (pg 48-49)
2)Elaine
She is a feminist (pg49-50)
She is caring (pg 53)
3)Elaine’s father
He care more about his collection of insect rather than his own family (pg 55)
He is passionate about insects (pg 55)
The most interesting segment is when Prakesh goes for first interview at the starting of the story. Prakesh start to feel uncomfortable on the other side of the desk. Prakash was sure that his sweat would leave a W-shaped mark, however momentary. on the plastic chair. A ‘W’ that would spell ‘washout’, another rejection. He knew that his armpits were circled in sweat glands. He tried to appear attentive, to master his feelings and seem the right man for the job.
Story: Lee
Conflicts
· External Conflict: Lee and her father argue about her walkman matter (pg 87,line 10 to line 14)
· Internal Conflict :Lee asked her father why he never wrote (pg 91,line 1)
· External conflict between lee and her father (pg 91, line 7 to line 15)
Climax
· When Lee’s father found lee and Holden Mankiewicz in his bedroom (pg 103)
Resolution
· Complete resolution
Characters
1)Lee
She likes music a lot ( listens to music wherever she goes (pg 87,line 10 to line 12)
She is a sarcastic person the way she talks to he father (pg 87, first paragraph)
She also a healthy person (pg 91,last second paragraph)
She also quite a rude person (Pg 90, line 17 )
2)Lee’s father
He got jealous easily when Lee talked about piscopo, (pg88,last paragraph)
· He does not like to pay attention (pg 98,line12)
3)Alan
He didn’t feel up to the responsibilities of fatherhood (pg 89,line 7)
· He dresses like a trucker(pg 89,second paragraph)
He sometimes get a bit of a pretentious creep(pg 89,second paragraph, last line)
The most interesting segment is when Lee visited her grandmother during the family reunion. Her grandmother was very happy to see her and Lee talked about everything she does in her country. This tell that how different is Lee and the Singaporeans as she live in other country when she was young.
Story: A History of Tea
Conflicts
· Internal conflict: about Beverly going to China. (pg 112,last second paragraph)
Climax
· The climax began when Beverly say that she was going around Asia(pg 113,first paragraph)
Resolution
· The resolution of the story is a revelation
Characters
1) Beverly
· She is a person that like tea too.(pg 108)
· She is a fussy person too(pg109)
2) Tien Yee
· He a casual person, dress simple not like Beverly(pg 109)
· He a calm person judging the way he tell Beverly the story( pg110,last paragraph)
3)Grandmother
· She is traditional person. (pg 115)
· She also an religious person as Beverly’s grandfather meet her grandmother at the church. (pg 116 ,last paragraph)
The most interesting segment is when Beverly talks about her boyfriend and her parents disapprove of her relationship with him.
Story: Release
Conflicts
· External conflict :Between Eileen and her new neighbour (pg 139, last paragraph )
· External conflict :Between Eileen and her husband (pg 140, last few lines to pg 141, first paragraph)
· External conflict: Between Eileen and her neighbour (pg 141,line 15 to line 23)
Climax
· It is when the puppies started whining and whimper in the night (pg 143,last line)
Resolution
· Ironic resolution
Characters
1)Eileen
She is friendly person ( pg 139, first paragraph )
· She is also forgetful person (pg 141, line 1 to line 9)
· She also a persistent person (pg 143 ,line 1 to line 13 )
2)Philip
He listen to his wife (pg 142,line 1 to line 6)
He finds work more important than his gardens matters (pg 145, line 7 to line 12)
3)Neighbours
(Wife and husband)
She is a impatient person (pg 139,line 18)
· She also very rude person the way she speak about Eileen (pg 139, line 19 to line 21)
She and her husband talk rude word to Eileen, (the wife, pg 140 ) and (her husband, pg 142)
The most interesting segment is when Eileen told the man to move the kennel to another side. So that she and her baby can finally get some sleep but the man mistaken what she said and killed the puppies with the spanner. Eileen was shocked and her heart froze.
Story: An Obituary for Fifth Aunt Come Late
Conflicts
· External conflict: Aunt and her mother quarrelling about the issue of using sugar.(pg 152.last paragraph)
Climax
· The climax is when the war is started. Everything start to change since then.(pg 156)
Resolution
· The resolution in this story is complete. At the end, she died peacefully. All the issues and conflict is resolved.
Characters
1) Aunt
· She is quite a hardworking person. She do all the things at her mother house.(pg149,first paragraph)
· She is also a clumsy person. She walks slowly, move slowly from one thing to another or spot to spot. (pg149,first paragraph)
2) Aunt’s Parents
· Aunt’s parents biased on their son only, they always neglected their daughters like their daughters are invisible.(pg 151)
· They also quite a bad people in the way how they talk to their own daughter when she needs some sugar for her medicine to treat her cough.(pg 152,last paragraph)
3)Dressmaker
· She is quite an attentive person. She take care of her customers by letting them to sit comfortably under the ceiling fan in front of the shop.
The most interesting segment is when the starting of the story. when Aunt start her life in her mother house by doing the all the things there, for example housework. All her life goes on, we can see that how her family ignore her at home, how they treat her until the day she die.
Story: Pastime
Conflicts
· The Internal conflict: the man with a limp in Tai Poh’s story, he has a mental struggle over a certain issue. (pg213,last paragraph)
Climax
· The climax is when Mr Lee start his own story and tell Tai Poh about it.(ph 216,last paragraph)
Resolution
· The revelation
Characters
1)Tai Poh
· From the starting of the Pastime, it show that Tai Poh is quite a creative person as he make up stories of people with his own ideas.(pg 212)
· He an observant person. He observes carefully at the people around him before he considered who to pick on for his story. (pg 212 ,third paragraph)
· He also an helpful person .He help and look out for his friends when they need help.(217,last second paragraph)
2)Mr Lee
· He is a attentive person as he listen to Tai Poh’s story quietly (Pg 213 to 216)
· He also like Tai Poh, he is an creative person as he also creates stories by himself .pg 217)
3)The man that is in Tai Poh’s story
· He is an ambitious person who have full of dreams. (pg 213.line 10)
· He also a strong-minded person. Once something is lock on. no one can change his mind.(pg 213 to 214)
The most interesting segment is when Mr Lee says his own stories after listening to Tai Poh’s story. And the stories he says are quite similar to Tai Poh’s stories. This makes feel more interesting to continue reading the story.
Conflicts
· Internal conflicts :Prakash is having intense fear about the interview and showing physical sighs ( pg 47,first paragraph)
· External conflicts :Elaine is talking a issue of marriage that imposed by the society (pg49, last paragraph)
· Internal conflict: Elaine cursed about her foolishness and also Prakash
(pg 58,first paragraph)
Climax
· When Prakesh jokes about Elaine’s father (pg 62 to pg 63)
Resolution
· Open Ending
Characters
1)Prakash
He is a nervous-wreck (during job interview , pg 47)
He is competent (pg 48-49)
2)Elaine
She is a feminist (pg49-50)
She is caring (pg 53)
3)Elaine’s father
He care more about his collection of insect rather than his own family (pg 55)
He is passionate about insects (pg 55)
The most interesting segment is when Prakesh goes for first interview at the starting of the story. Prakesh start to feel uncomfortable on the other side of the desk. Prakash was sure that his sweat would leave a W-shaped mark, however momentary. on the plastic chair. A ‘W’ that would spell ‘washout’, another rejection. He knew that his armpits were circled in sweat glands. He tried to appear attentive, to master his feelings and seem the right man for the job.
Story: Lee
Conflicts
· External Conflict: Lee and her father argue about her walkman matter (pg 87,line 10 to line 14)
· Internal Conflict :Lee asked her father why he never wrote (pg 91,line 1)
· External conflict between lee and her father (pg 91, line 7 to line 15)
Climax
· When Lee’s father found lee and Holden Mankiewicz in his bedroom (pg 103)
Resolution
· Complete resolution
Characters
1)Lee
She likes music a lot ( listens to music wherever she goes (pg 87,line 10 to line 12)
She is a sarcastic person the way she talks to he father (pg 87, first paragraph)
She also a healthy person (pg 91,last second paragraph)
She also quite a rude person (Pg 90, line 17 )
2)Lee’s father
He got jealous easily when Lee talked about piscopo, (pg88,last paragraph)
· He does not like to pay attention (pg 98,line12)
3)Alan
He didn’t feel up to the responsibilities of fatherhood (pg 89,line 7)
· He dresses like a trucker(pg 89,second paragraph)
He sometimes get a bit of a pretentious creep(pg 89,second paragraph, last line)
The most interesting segment is when Lee visited her grandmother during the family reunion. Her grandmother was very happy to see her and Lee talked about everything she does in her country. This tell that how different is Lee and the Singaporeans as she live in other country when she was young.
Story: A History of Tea
Conflicts
· Internal conflict: about Beverly going to China. (pg 112,last second paragraph)
Climax
· The climax began when Beverly say that she was going around Asia(pg 113,first paragraph)
Resolution
· The resolution of the story is a revelation
Characters
1) Beverly
· She is a person that like tea too.(pg 108)
· She is a fussy person too(pg109)
2) Tien Yee
· He a casual person, dress simple not like Beverly(pg 109)
· He a calm person judging the way he tell Beverly the story( pg110,last paragraph)
3)Grandmother
· She is traditional person. (pg 115)
· She also an religious person as Beverly’s grandfather meet her grandmother at the church. (pg 116 ,last paragraph)
The most interesting segment is when Beverly talks about her boyfriend and her parents disapprove of her relationship with him.
Story: Release
Conflicts
· External conflict :Between Eileen and her new neighbour (pg 139, last paragraph )
· External conflict :Between Eileen and her husband (pg 140, last few lines to pg 141, first paragraph)
· External conflict: Between Eileen and her neighbour (pg 141,line 15 to line 23)
Climax
· It is when the puppies started whining and whimper in the night (pg 143,last line)
Resolution
· Ironic resolution
Characters
1)Eileen
She is friendly person ( pg 139, first paragraph )
· She is also forgetful person (pg 141, line 1 to line 9)
· She also a persistent person (pg 143 ,line 1 to line 13 )
2)Philip
He listen to his wife (pg 142,line 1 to line 6)
He finds work more important than his gardens matters (pg 145, line 7 to line 12)
3)Neighbours
(Wife and husband)
She is a impatient person (pg 139,line 18)
· She also very rude person the way she speak about Eileen (pg 139, line 19 to line 21)
She and her husband talk rude word to Eileen, (the wife, pg 140 ) and (her husband, pg 142)
The most interesting segment is when Eileen told the man to move the kennel to another side. So that she and her baby can finally get some sleep but the man mistaken what she said and killed the puppies with the spanner. Eileen was shocked and her heart froze.
Story: An Obituary for Fifth Aunt Come Late
Conflicts
· External conflict: Aunt and her mother quarrelling about the issue of using sugar.(pg 152.last paragraph)
Climax
· The climax is when the war is started. Everything start to change since then.(pg 156)
Resolution
· The resolution in this story is complete. At the end, she died peacefully. All the issues and conflict is resolved.
Characters
1) Aunt
· She is quite a hardworking person. She do all the things at her mother house.(pg149,first paragraph)
· She is also a clumsy person. She walks slowly, move slowly from one thing to another or spot to spot. (pg149,first paragraph)
2) Aunt’s Parents
· Aunt’s parents biased on their son only, they always neglected their daughters like their daughters are invisible.(pg 151)
· They also quite a bad people in the way how they talk to their own daughter when she needs some sugar for her medicine to treat her cough.(pg 152,last paragraph)
3)Dressmaker
· She is quite an attentive person. She take care of her customers by letting them to sit comfortably under the ceiling fan in front of the shop.
The most interesting segment is when the starting of the story. when Aunt start her life in her mother house by doing the all the things there, for example housework. All her life goes on, we can see that how her family ignore her at home, how they treat her until the day she die.
Story: Pastime
Conflicts
· The Internal conflict: the man with a limp in Tai Poh’s story, he has a mental struggle over a certain issue. (pg213,last paragraph)
Climax
· The climax is when Mr Lee start his own story and tell Tai Poh about it.(ph 216,last paragraph)
Resolution
· The revelation
Characters
1)Tai Poh
· From the starting of the Pastime, it show that Tai Poh is quite a creative person as he make up stories of people with his own ideas.(pg 212)
· He an observant person. He observes carefully at the people around him before he considered who to pick on for his story. (pg 212 ,third paragraph)
· He also an helpful person .He help and look out for his friends when they need help.(217,last second paragraph)
2)Mr Lee
· He is a attentive person as he listen to Tai Poh’s story quietly (Pg 213 to 216)
· He also like Tai Poh, he is an creative person as he also creates stories by himself .pg 217)
3)The man that is in Tai Poh’s story
· He is an ambitious person who have full of dreams. (pg 213.line 10)
· He also a strong-minded person. Once something is lock on. no one can change his mind.(pg 213 to 214)
The most interesting segment is when Mr Lee says his own stories after listening to Tai Poh’s story. And the stories he says are quite similar to Tai Poh’s stories. This makes feel more interesting to continue reading the story.
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