Island Voices
QUOTES FROM ISLAND VOICES
Paper
" Not to worry, not to worry " he said jovially, not superstitious like his wife. " After all, it's just paper gains so far. "
" You leave everything to me! I have the money for the funeral, and i shall give him the best! He wanted a beautiful house all his life; I shall give him a beautiful house now! "
The Martyrdom of Helena Rodrigues
" Helena's such a sweet girl"
" Just in case you brought anyone home, dear "
Sundowner
" But that's a way of life wih them. It's always been that way "
" I have seen eveything, John, so let us relax and enjoy our sundowner "
Tanjong Rhu
That afternoon, however, Mr Li looked older than he wished"
" See-far glasses "
Evening under frangipani
The bungalow all to themselves!
" No knife. I'm sorry "
Lee
" Yeah. But everyone calls me Lee "
" I don't eat meat "
A history of tea
Beverly's mother was addicted to tea.
There is a story Grandmother used to tell.
A dream of China
My fathter is a ggod man.
They could stay in Singapore or they could return to build new China.
Release
" My name is Eileen "
" I live next door "
An obituary for fifth aunt come late
Do you remember your aunt?
I know one thing---my aunt never had green toenails.
Corridor
Thank you, and yes, we will have a good trip.
" Who said i'm not happy? "
Mid-Autumn
I hope she would appear on the doorstep---surprise!
The mooncake, if don't eat, must throw away.
" Candle is so inconvenient "
Hamid and the hand of faith
Would he pay for this in another life?
The question hurt his head for he had no answer.
The move
Everything except her plants.
Perhaps I should take the pomgranate tree with me, she reflected.
Pastime
" Anyone here. Tell me their story "
" For a long time he has tried to forget the past. Maybe he fears the past? "
Off Centre
QUOTES FROM OFF CENTRE
1) Saloma[NARRATOR]: Saloma was confused. Why must they both die? (Act1,Sc3-Pg29)
2) Saloma: They are jealous because i am special. (Act2,Sc2-Pg55)
3) Vinod: Saloma, i'd rather not talk about my parents. Their careers are going well. They are top people. So high that you can't see them anymore. (Act2,Sc3-Pg74)
4) Vinod: Where do we go when we die? (Act4,Sc1-Pg102)
5) Vinod: Don't take the plane. It will crash. Like the cage. Living in the cage. (Act5,Sc4-Pg135)
1) In your opinion, how key is the parent-child relationship to Vinod's inevitable end?
Vinod's parents basically abandon him by denying his mental problems. Vinod's parent's absence in the play proves to us that they have no involvement and care for Vinod's life. Vinod also doesn't really talk and reveal much about his parents. Only during act 2 scene 3, Saloma asks him and he talks about his parents. Vinod's parent, like parents these days, dont spent much time with their children and spend more time on work. Vinod's parents is an example of parents in today's society. Vinod's father is a judge and his mother is a chairperson of a corporation. From the book, act 2 scene 3, " -Saloma, i'd rather not talk about my parents. Their careers are going well. They are top people. So high you cannot see them anymore ". Vinod also craves for love and warmth but, his parents only pushes him with high hopes and expectations. Evidence from the book are, act 2 scene 3, " I'm the physical physical type. I like touch. You know... but they are formal." and, act 2 scene 3 " he needs a hug ". Both evidences shows that Vinod wants love form his parents. His lacking in parental love could also be the cause of his mental illness and his end.
2) Vinod's high expectations of himself caused his downfall. To what extend do you agree with this analysis of Vinod's predicament and tragedy?
I agree to much extent that Vinod’s high expectation of himself caused his downfall. Vinod thinks that he could carry any burden on his back. One such burden is, Saloma. From Vinod’s eyes, Saloma was a lost kitten that he had found. Instead, of having somebody to care about, it looks more as if it was an extra burden that he had to carry. Like the saying, misery loves company. Vinod thinks highly of himself and this could be the result of his parent’s high hopes and expectations for him.
3)Discuss the reasons for Saloma's transformation in the play.
The reasons for Saloma's transformation in the play could emotional help from her friends and medication as a cure for their mental illness. Firstly, when Saloma met Emily at the halfway house, Emily taught her a mantra,(from act 2 scene 2) " They are jealous because i am special" and " I am strong. Nothing can destroy me ". These two mantras that Saloma was taught about, made her feel emotionally stronger when facing problems and it also made her believe in herself. The mantra was used during a conversation she had with Vinod and he was impressed with her strong words. Secondly, taking her medication could also be one of the reasons. Since the start of the play,(act 1 scene 2) Vinod and Saloma have been in a disagreement on wether medicine could cure them. Saloma finds medication as the solution of her mental illness. Saloma has been taking her medicine eventhough Mak and Vinod disagree in medication. When Saloma takes her medication, she gets better. But on the other hand, when Vinod takes his medication, he encounters side effects such as trembling hands. This could be the reason why Vinod hates medicines. Apart from Vinod, Mak also disagree in taking medication as a cure. Mak, who is a very religious character, believes that there is nothing wrong with Saloma and refers Saloma's illness in religious terms such as not praying well, being cursed or offended God. Another point to add in is, when Vinod came into a state of depression and shuts himself in his room, Saloma felt that she had to be independant and learn to live by herself. On that act, Saloma might have learnt that has to take care of herself and not be dependable on Vinod. One incident is, the robbery. During the robbery, it was Vinod who freaked out instead of Saloma. Saloma seemed to be more brave than Vinod. She was also the one who proposed to write a letter of complain to the newspaper for insulting mental patients instead of Vinod who was supposed to be smarter and brave in the start. To conclude, the reasons for Saloma's transformation could be, the mantras that Emily taught her and medications that she took to cure her mental problems.
4) Though a minor role in the play, the charater of Razali is the key to the plot Off Centre. To what extent do you agree with this assessment.
Eventhough the character Razali played a minor role, i agree to much extent that he was the key to plot Off Centre. One incident that proves my stand is, the robbery. During the robbery Razali wasn’t there to help Vinod and Saloma. Vinod then blame Razali for his absence. From the book, (act 5 scene 1) “ During the robbery! You are the guard. You were supposed to guard us. How come you’re not around when we need you the most?”. His absence could also mean that mental patients are less important than normal people. In the society today, mental patients are being looked down, taken advantage of, and are being less important than normal people. This could be the key to the plot, Off centre.
5)"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 yout answer with evidence from the text.
Well, to my opinion, i think it relates more on Vinod's friendship/relationship with Saloma.
6) Based on the text Off Centre, dicuss how peer acceptance and family support are vital to social status and mental well-being.
Peer acceptance and family support are both vital to social status and mental well-being. Firstly, family support. From the play, we can see that Vinod's parent's absence tells us that they do not have any care and concern for him. And, in the end, Vinod suicides and lack of parental love could be the cause of it. From the book, act 2 scene 3, " He wanted to rush home and confront his parents ". From the evidence, we can see that he craves for parental love. He wanted his parents to care and show concern for him.
Secondly, Vinod's rejection from the society and his friends proves that peer support is important. From the play, act 5 scene 1, " Maybe you're not ready to be intergrated into the real world ". This evidence shows us Mr Chow's rejection of Vinod. After being fired, Vinod doesn't want to work because of society's rejection of mental patients.
Another evidence is, " Well, it would help if some of my friends called once in a while... if ONE of my friends called ". From this evidence we can see that Vinod's " friends " rejected him because of his mental illness.
To conclude, both peer acceptance and family support is important to social status and mental well-being.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
QUOTES FROM ISLAND VOICES....
Tanjong Rhu
"like a clove of garlic or what, talking bout peeling my eye"
this shows that ah ma's eyesight was very bad and she doesnt want to be treated in the modern way. she doesnt like the thinking of peeling her eyes.
Evening under frangipani
"I don't suppose you have much in the way of soup at home . Difficult to drink soup with your hands"
Elaine's mother was attacking Prakash by throwing insults at him teling him that his kind used hands to drink soup and not spoons but, he attacked back saying that middle east and India was the first to invent cutleries.
Lee
"meat is poison"
this shows that Lee was vegetarian and doesnt eat meat. she even raised the point saying that maet was poison.
A history of tea
"a storm in the teacup"
its a saying that means a small matter could escalate into a BIG problem.
A dream of china
"could I get him out of china"
He wants to get him out of his own countr and internal conflict struggle with their own feelings
Release
"our dog is pregnant"
the neighbour was being impolite and rude in his words.
An obituary for fifth aunt come late
"a bronchial cough that wouldn't go away"
she was very sick and unhealthy and already in a bad state of health. without medication and treatment she would die.
Corridor
"who said I would not be happy at home"
this shows that the mother loves her home and like to stay at home. maybe she was old and dont like to travel.
Mid autumn
"I forbid you"
this shows that the mother doesnt want her daughter to go to Uganda. the mother is also trying to control her daughter's life and make choices in her life. the mother also didnt want her to go because she had sacrificed alot of things for her and doesnt want her efforts to be wasted.
Hamid and the hand of fate
"salmah fished out two ten dollar notes and stuff them in her bosom''
salmah kept asking money from hamid since she knew that hamid had received alot of money from the freak accident. She also knew that Hamid would not spend the money.
Pastime
"even simple things are so difficult"
he did not have the courage to face the girl and knowing the truth. he was scared about the truth as he know it was going to be painfull.
Paper
"do you know , mother , if I sold all my shares today , I would have the money to buy fifty terrace houses like one you have"
it shows that they earned alot of money from the shares. the money they earned could even buy fifty terrace houses. he aws like showing off his money.
The martyrdom of Helena Rodrigues
"enable her to tyrannize most people with normally sensitive consciences"
Helena make people feel guilty. She loves to play with people's feelings. She make her "VICTIMS" feel guilty and bad about their actions.
Sundowner
"no doctor tuan, but the bidan says tijah is alright"
this shows that Aman did not believe in modern medicine and used traditional medicine and ways.
Tanjong Rhu
"like a clove of garlic or what, talking bout peeling my eye"
this shows that ah ma's eyesight was very bad and she doesnt want to be treated in the modern way. she doesnt like the thinking of peeling her eyes.
Evening under frangipani
"I don't suppose you have much in the way of soup at home . Difficult to drink soup with your hands"
Elaine's mother was attacking Prakash by throwing insults at him teling him that his kind used hands to drink soup and not spoons but, he attacked back saying that middle east and India was the first to invent cutleries.
Lee
"meat is poison"
this shows that Lee was vegetarian and doesnt eat meat. she even raised the point saying that maet was poison.
A history of tea
"a storm in the teacup"
its a saying that means a small matter could escalate into a BIG problem.
A dream of china
"could I get him out of china"
He wants to get him out of his own countr and internal conflict struggle with their own feelings
Release
"our dog is pregnant"
the neighbour was being impolite and rude in his words.
An obituary for fifth aunt come late
"a bronchial cough that wouldn't go away"
she was very sick and unhealthy and already in a bad state of health. without medication and treatment she would die.
Corridor
"who said I would not be happy at home"
this shows that the mother loves her home and like to stay at home. maybe she was old and dont like to travel.
Mid autumn
"I forbid you"
this shows that the mother doesnt want her daughter to go to Uganda. the mother is also trying to control her daughter's life and make choices in her life. the mother also didnt want her to go because she had sacrificed alot of things for her and doesnt want her efforts to be wasted.
Hamid and the hand of fate
"salmah fished out two ten dollar notes and stuff them in her bosom''
salmah kept asking money from hamid since she knew that hamid had received alot of money from the freak accident. She also knew that Hamid would not spend the money.
Pastime
"even simple things are so difficult"
he did not have the courage to face the girl and knowing the truth. he was scared about the truth as he know it was going to be painfull.
Paper
"do you know , mother , if I sold all my shares today , I would have the money to buy fifty terrace houses like one you have"
it shows that they earned alot of money from the shares. the money they earned could even buy fifty terrace houses. he aws like showing off his money.
The martyrdom of Helena Rodrigues
"enable her to tyrannize most people with normally sensitive consciences"
Helena make people feel guilty. She loves to play with people's feelings. She make her "VICTIMS" feel guilty and bad about their actions.
Sundowner
"no doctor tuan, but the bidan says tijah is alright"
this shows that Aman did not believe in modern medicine and used traditional medicine and ways.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
5)Choose two stories that reveal the thinking of an older girls generation of Singaporeans
What new insights have you gained from such a revelation.
In Mid Autumn, the mother is very traditional as she still celebrate Mid Autumn festival, while her daughter thinks otherwise. She is not traditional and does not prioritise these celebrations as much as her mother.This shows the thinking of the younger generations and soon we will lose all the traditional games and practises we have back then.
In Tanjong Rhu, the mother sees a different view of Tanjong Rhu,the past, while her son, sees the persent world. This shows that that the mother does not want to adapt to the society, and is still stuck in the past.This reveals that some older generations are unwilling to adapt to the rapidly changing society and does not want to accept the present.
What new insights have you gained from such a revelation.
In Mid Autumn, the mother is very traditional as she still celebrate Mid Autumn festival, while her daughter thinks otherwise. She is not traditional and does not prioritise these celebrations as much as her mother.This shows the thinking of the younger generations and soon we will lose all the traditional games and practises we have back then.
In Tanjong Rhu, the mother sees a different view of Tanjong Rhu,the past, while her son, sees the persent world. This shows that that the mother does not want to adapt to the society, and is still stuck in the past.This reveals that some older generations are unwilling to adapt to the rapidly changing society and does not want to accept the present.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
1)How is motherhood presented in any two stories in the collection?
In Mid Autumn the mother cares alot for her daughter,it can be seen from her actions, such as adding her daughter's favourite ingredients into the mooncake and buying her lanturn. She works hard as a primary school teacher while her father does not.
In Paper, at the end of the story the mother paid for the funeral and specialy made his dream house out of paper for him even though her son did not treat her well during his life.
2)Select two stories in which there is conflict between parent and child, and show how far there is some resoultion of these difference at the end of story.
In Mid Autumn, the mother was waiting for the daughter to come back every Mid Autumn festival.Whereas her daughter always does not turn up. In the end of the story, the mother accepted her daughter's choice of leaving to Uganda.
In Tanjong Rhu, the son does not trust and believe his mother when she see's the past when using the binoculars. Her son though that she was lying and her eyes need treatment.Another conflict is when her son argued with her mother regarding her going for eye treatment. In the end the mother passed away.
3)With refrence to suitable story, dicuss how far change is shown to be either welcomed or feared.
In Paper, the change of how they were poor at first,and then became rich, and finally became bankrupt overnight. It was ironic twist to the story at the end as they finally did not achive what they desire and the husband became crazy and died of his greed.This type of change was not welcomed as this was not what they have expected to happen.
How are young people and their ideals presented in two stories in the collection. How far do you indentify with this young people.
In Tanjong Rhu, the little daughter was rude to her grandmother. In society now, teenagers are generally rude to their elderly grandmother.
In Mid Autumn the mother cares alot for her daughter,it can be seen from her actions, such as adding her daughter's favourite ingredients into the mooncake and buying her lanturn. She works hard as a primary school teacher while her father does not.
In Paper, at the end of the story the mother paid for the funeral and specialy made his dream house out of paper for him even though her son did not treat her well during his life.
2)Select two stories in which there is conflict between parent and child, and show how far there is some resoultion of these difference at the end of story.
In Mid Autumn, the mother was waiting for the daughter to come back every Mid Autumn festival.Whereas her daughter always does not turn up. In the end of the story, the mother accepted her daughter's choice of leaving to Uganda.
In Tanjong Rhu, the son does not trust and believe his mother when she see's the past when using the binoculars. Her son though that she was lying and her eyes need treatment.Another conflict is when her son argued with her mother regarding her going for eye treatment. In the end the mother passed away.
3)With refrence to suitable story, dicuss how far change is shown to be either welcomed or feared.
In Paper, the change of how they were poor at first,and then became rich, and finally became bankrupt overnight. It was ironic twist to the story at the end as they finally did not achive what they desire and the husband became crazy and died of his greed.This type of change was not welcomed as this was not what they have expected to happen.
How are young people and their ideals presented in two stories in the collection. How far do you indentify with this young people.
In Tanjong Rhu, the little daughter was rude to her grandmother. In society now, teenagers are generally rude to their elderly grandmother.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Literature holiday homework 2009. Abdullah bin Mustaffa 3/4
Evening under the frangipani
Conflicts (internal) Prakash was unsure and unconfident about himself during the interview. He was stressed and worried whether he was the right person for the job.(page 49)
He feels that without a job, he doesn’t contribute much to the community. He also thinks that he doesn’t belong to the community.(page 65)
Conflicts (external) The conflict between Prakash and Elaine’s mother. Elaine’s mother was being unfriendly and sarcastic with Prakash.(page 58-60) Climax The climax of the story is when Prakash and Elaine broke up. There is a twist in the story because everything change. Elaine doesn’t love Prakash anymore.
Resolution Open ended story. Both Elaine and Prakash had went their separate ways. (page 84)
Characters
Prakash: not a conversationalist (page 27)
: easily amused (page 62)
: Mindful (page 69)
: Respectful and patient (page 80-81)
Elaine: hardworking (page 68) : Sensitive (page 62) : Moral (page 53) : Solitary (page 53)
Elaine`s mother: sarcastic (page 59) : Not religious (page 59) : Successful (page 54)
The most interesting part was when Prakash joked while making out with Elaine. Its was both interesting and weird because who would joke while making out? It also changed the whole atmosphere from sweet and lovely to hostile and anger.
Lee
Conflict (internal) There is an internal conflict with the father in the story. He does not want Lee to have dual loyalties but he also does not want his daughter to be unhappy so he allows Lee to go to an American school. (pg 101)
Conflict (external) There is an external conflict between Lee and her father. The both of them have rather contradicting cultural views. Lee is more supportive towards western culture while her father supports traditional Chinese culture. Lee`s father often tries to encourage his culture view on her but Lee would always refuse to accept it. (pg 102 and 103)
Climax
The climax of the story is when Lee went to the family reunion at her grandmothers flat. It allowed her to meet up with her family members and learn more about her culture. It was also a chance for her father to get feedback from his relatives about what he should do with his daughter`s education which would later decide which crowd she moved along with later in the story. (pg 100)
Resolution
I think the type of resolution for this story would be a revelation. At the ending both Lee and her father realise that they both have something in common. They were willing to accept each other`s cultural differences and views. (pg 106-107)
Characters
Lee: descriptive (pg 88-89)
: Likes to use vulgar language (pg 90)
: Likes to criticise (pg 95)
Father: traditional (pg 103)
: Parochial (pg 102)
: Easily irritated (pg 97& 98)
Lee`s grandmother: Kind (pg 100)
: Concerned (pg 100)
: Traditional (pg 99)
The most interesting part was the family reunion. At this point of the story, a contrast is obvious between Lee and her other relatives in terms of culture. It shows how different she is from Singaporeans and gave her relatives, particularly her aunt, to judge and review her negatively. The reunion also showed that Lee had very little knowledge on Asian heritage which might have surprised her father.
Release
Conflict (internal)
The internal conflict in the story is between Eileen`s desire to complain to the neighbours and her natural habit to ignore the situation. The evidence of her neglect is on pg 144 where she “tried as hard as possible not to notice anything about her neighbours”. However the constant build-up of disturbances from her neighbours has force her to take actions like on pg 145 when she decided to call the SPCA.
Conflict (external)
One of the external conflicts in the story is between Eileen and her husband, Philip. Eileen was unhappy with how Philip always stood up for the neighbours and not for Eileen. Philip had always tried ignored the atrocities committed by the new neighbours and end up letting them get away with things. Also, the fact that Philip cares more about his work to be bothered with Eileen`s complaints has also infuriated her. (pg 140-142)
Climax
I think the climax of the story is when Eileen finally decides to call for help from the SPCA and the police. This is the part of the story where things can become unpredictable. It allows the reader to wonder what will happen next as there are endless possibilities as to whether the Eileen will finally get what she wants or if the neighbours will continue to provoke the hostile relationship between them. (pg 145)
Resolution
The resolution of this story is rather open ended. The story ends when the man murders the puppies and Eileen starts panicking. It allows the reader to guess what kind of outcome will occur. It also allows the reader to ponder about why the things happened the way they did and what kind of issues are shown in the story. (pg 148)
Characters
Eileen: Social\welcoming (pg 139)
: Easily agitated (pg 141)
: Good at mothering (pg 143-144)
Philip: Easy-going (pg 141-142)
: Workaholic (pg 143)
: Gullible (pg 142-143)
Neighbours: Impolite (pg 140)
: Impulsive (pg 141)
: They must have things their way (pg 141)
I think the most interesting segment of the story is when the supposedly kind and gentle man killed the puppies; it was much unexpected because the man seemed very nice and he offered to help Eileen. He was also very gentle with the baby so that had pretty much wiped out any possibility of violence in him. When the man murdered the puppies however, it prompted me to think that there was definitely something sinister about him.
An obituary for fifth aunt come late
Conflict (internal)
An internal conflict in the story is between the aunt’s temptation to learn how to read and her belief in the stigma that a dressmaker’s assistant could not be literate at that time. The evidence is on pg 155 where her grandfather held a law fiercely on the family that a dressmaker’s assistant should be allowed to read.
Conflict (external)
An external conflict in the story is between the aunt and her father. When the aunt was sick during her childhood years, her father had apparently lost patience with her and did not feel it was right to spend the family fortunes trying to cure her when he should be spending it on his boys. (pg 153)
Climax
The climax of the story is when the Japanese forces invaded and occupied Singapore. It added more excitement to the story and helped to change the lives of the main characters in the story. (pg 156)
Resolution
The resolution in the story is complete because the aunt has pretty much lived a full and fulfilling life despite some setbacks. Although the life she lived is not quite fortunate compared to the lives of people today, she did not worry about that fact and lived her life as what normal people did at that time. She also died peacefully and is survived by her family members.
Characters
Aunt: Obedient (she always did the chores her parents assigned her pg 152-153)
: Filial (She is willing to join another family so that her family can save money pg 153)
: Hardworking (she always helps the author’s grandmother by doing chores pg 149)
Aunt’s parents: Biased (they care more about their sons than their daughter’s pg 152)
: caring (sent the aunt to another family for a better life pg 153)
: Old fashioned (they prefer to have sons pg 151)
Dressmaker: Kind-hearted (he told the aunt not to go to work on realising the soldier’s
intentions pg 158)
: Business minded (offered discounts to the Japanese occupiers’ pg 157)
: Welcoming (offered tea to the Japanese occupiers’ pg 157)
The most interesting segment in the story is when the aunt joined another family. It is pretty much the start of a new life for the aunt and a lot of unexpected things can happen from this point until the end of the story it has made me wonder whether the aunt will finally be treated fairly or whether she will still be treated as she was with her old family.
A history of tea Conflicts (external) An external conflict in the story is the opium wars mentioned in the story. The Opium Wars broke out with the English ready to go to war for free trade (their right to sell opium) against the Chinese government. Conflicts(internal) An internal conflict in the story is when Beverly mentions that she is going to China and is looking forward to it. This is despite the fact that she knows that most travellers find food terrible and expensive. Climax I think the climax of the story is when Beverly mentions that she was going to tour Asia. It gave the author of the story something to think about his own heritage and how he has never had a chance to explore Asia Resolution The resolution of the story is more of a revelation in my opinion. Nothing much happens in the ending besides the fact that the conversation ends. It does, however, give the author the opportunity to think about his family tree, his relative and the history of tea that has an impact of his family. Characters Beverly: Smart (pg 111) :Understanding(pg 111) :Choosey(pg 109)
Aunt Sherrie: Tea addict (pg 111)
: Religious (pg 119)
: Not used to changes (pg 119)
Grandmother: Religious (pg 117)
: Traditional (pg 115)
: Calls people names (pg 112)
What I like about the story is that it shows us that everybody is connected somehow. Whether our race, skin colour or where we were born. Our lives intertwine with people we don’t even know. Like Tien Yee and Beverly. Connected by the family tree although totally different.
Pastime
Conflicts(Internal) An internal conflict in the story is that the story which Tai Poh claims that is not true (but might potray his life as well), might be true. It could be that he does not want to tell Mr Lee the truth because he is too shy to talk about his past, so he tries to potray it as fiction.
Conflicts(External) An external conflicts is the story told about Tai Poh, the one about a young man who decides to fight in the jungle
Climax I think that the climax of the story is when Mr Lee decides to tell his own little story about a security guard which might also reflect on Tai Poh’s life. It adds more suspense to the story from this point. Resolution The resolution of the story is a revelation. Nothing much happens other than the conversation ending, but, it has made both of them realize certain things about their lives and that some things about their lives and that some things are best kept as stories. Characters Tai Poh: Mysterious (tells a story which could be about himself but claims it is fiction pg 215)
: Creative (pg 212)
: Shy (pg 212)
Mr Lee : Attentive (pg 216)
: Creative (pg 2!7)
: Persistant (pg 217)
Man mention in Tai Poh’s story: Brave (pg 213)
: Ambitious (pg 213)
: Reckless
Evening under the frangipani
Conflicts (internal) Prakash was unsure and unconfident about himself during the interview. He was stressed and worried whether he was the right person for the job.(page 49)
He feels that without a job, he doesn’t contribute much to the community. He also thinks that he doesn’t belong to the community.(page 65)
Conflicts (external) The conflict between Prakash and Elaine’s mother. Elaine’s mother was being unfriendly and sarcastic with Prakash.(page 58-60) Climax The climax of the story is when Prakash and Elaine broke up. There is a twist in the story because everything change. Elaine doesn’t love Prakash anymore.
Resolution Open ended story. Both Elaine and Prakash had went their separate ways. (page 84)
Characters
Prakash: not a conversationalist (page 27)
: easily amused (page 62)
: Mindful (page 69)
: Respectful and patient (page 80-81)
Elaine: hardworking (page 68) : Sensitive (page 62) : Moral (page 53) : Solitary (page 53)
Elaine`s mother: sarcastic (page 59) : Not religious (page 59) : Successful (page 54)
The most interesting part was when Prakash joked while making out with Elaine. Its was both interesting and weird because who would joke while making out? It also changed the whole atmosphere from sweet and lovely to hostile and anger.
Lee
Conflict (internal) There is an internal conflict with the father in the story. He does not want Lee to have dual loyalties but he also does not want his daughter to be unhappy so he allows Lee to go to an American school. (pg 101)
Conflict (external) There is an external conflict between Lee and her father. The both of them have rather contradicting cultural views. Lee is more supportive towards western culture while her father supports traditional Chinese culture. Lee`s father often tries to encourage his culture view on her but Lee would always refuse to accept it. (pg 102 and 103)
Climax
The climax of the story is when Lee went to the family reunion at her grandmothers flat. It allowed her to meet up with her family members and learn more about her culture. It was also a chance for her father to get feedback from his relatives about what he should do with his daughter`s education which would later decide which crowd she moved along with later in the story. (pg 100)
Resolution
I think the type of resolution for this story would be a revelation. At the ending both Lee and her father realise that they both have something in common. They were willing to accept each other`s cultural differences and views. (pg 106-107)
Characters
Lee: descriptive (pg 88-89)
: Likes to use vulgar language (pg 90)
: Likes to criticise (pg 95)
Father: traditional (pg 103)
: Parochial (pg 102)
: Easily irritated (pg 97& 98)
Lee`s grandmother: Kind (pg 100)
: Concerned (pg 100)
: Traditional (pg 99)
The most interesting part was the family reunion. At this point of the story, a contrast is obvious between Lee and her other relatives in terms of culture. It shows how different she is from Singaporeans and gave her relatives, particularly her aunt, to judge and review her negatively. The reunion also showed that Lee had very little knowledge on Asian heritage which might have surprised her father.
Release
Conflict (internal)
The internal conflict in the story is between Eileen`s desire to complain to the neighbours and her natural habit to ignore the situation. The evidence of her neglect is on pg 144 where she “tried as hard as possible not to notice anything about her neighbours”. However the constant build-up of disturbances from her neighbours has force her to take actions like on pg 145 when she decided to call the SPCA.
Conflict (external)
One of the external conflicts in the story is between Eileen and her husband, Philip. Eileen was unhappy with how Philip always stood up for the neighbours and not for Eileen. Philip had always tried ignored the atrocities committed by the new neighbours and end up letting them get away with things. Also, the fact that Philip cares more about his work to be bothered with Eileen`s complaints has also infuriated her. (pg 140-142)
Climax
I think the climax of the story is when Eileen finally decides to call for help from the SPCA and the police. This is the part of the story where things can become unpredictable. It allows the reader to wonder what will happen next as there are endless possibilities as to whether the Eileen will finally get what she wants or if the neighbours will continue to provoke the hostile relationship between them. (pg 145)
Resolution
The resolution of this story is rather open ended. The story ends when the man murders the puppies and Eileen starts panicking. It allows the reader to guess what kind of outcome will occur. It also allows the reader to ponder about why the things happened the way they did and what kind of issues are shown in the story. (pg 148)
Characters
Eileen: Social\welcoming (pg 139)
: Easily agitated (pg 141)
: Good at mothering (pg 143-144)
Philip: Easy-going (pg 141-142)
: Workaholic (pg 143)
: Gullible (pg 142-143)
Neighbours: Impolite (pg 140)
: Impulsive (pg 141)
: They must have things their way (pg 141)
I think the most interesting segment of the story is when the supposedly kind and gentle man killed the puppies; it was much unexpected because the man seemed very nice and he offered to help Eileen. He was also very gentle with the baby so that had pretty much wiped out any possibility of violence in him. When the man murdered the puppies however, it prompted me to think that there was definitely something sinister about him.
An obituary for fifth aunt come late
Conflict (internal)
An internal conflict in the story is between the aunt’s temptation to learn how to read and her belief in the stigma that a dressmaker’s assistant could not be literate at that time. The evidence is on pg 155 where her grandfather held a law fiercely on the family that a dressmaker’s assistant should be allowed to read.
Conflict (external)
An external conflict in the story is between the aunt and her father. When the aunt was sick during her childhood years, her father had apparently lost patience with her and did not feel it was right to spend the family fortunes trying to cure her when he should be spending it on his boys. (pg 153)
Climax
The climax of the story is when the Japanese forces invaded and occupied Singapore. It added more excitement to the story and helped to change the lives of the main characters in the story. (pg 156)
Resolution
The resolution in the story is complete because the aunt has pretty much lived a full and fulfilling life despite some setbacks. Although the life she lived is not quite fortunate compared to the lives of people today, she did not worry about that fact and lived her life as what normal people did at that time. She also died peacefully and is survived by her family members.
Characters
Aunt: Obedient (she always did the chores her parents assigned her pg 152-153)
: Filial (She is willing to join another family so that her family can save money pg 153)
: Hardworking (she always helps the author’s grandmother by doing chores pg 149)
Aunt’s parents: Biased (they care more about their sons than their daughter’s pg 152)
: caring (sent the aunt to another family for a better life pg 153)
: Old fashioned (they prefer to have sons pg 151)
Dressmaker: Kind-hearted (he told the aunt not to go to work on realising the soldier’s
intentions pg 158)
: Business minded (offered discounts to the Japanese occupiers’ pg 157)
: Welcoming (offered tea to the Japanese occupiers’ pg 157)
The most interesting segment in the story is when the aunt joined another family. It is pretty much the start of a new life for the aunt and a lot of unexpected things can happen from this point until the end of the story it has made me wonder whether the aunt will finally be treated fairly or whether she will still be treated as she was with her old family.
A history of tea Conflicts (external) An external conflict in the story is the opium wars mentioned in the story. The Opium Wars broke out with the English ready to go to war for free trade (their right to sell opium) against the Chinese government. Conflicts(internal) An internal conflict in the story is when Beverly mentions that she is going to China and is looking forward to it. This is despite the fact that she knows that most travellers find food terrible and expensive. Climax I think the climax of the story is when Beverly mentions that she was going to tour Asia. It gave the author of the story something to think about his own heritage and how he has never had a chance to explore Asia Resolution The resolution of the story is more of a revelation in my opinion. Nothing much happens in the ending besides the fact that the conversation ends. It does, however, give the author the opportunity to think about his family tree, his relative and the history of tea that has an impact of his family. Characters Beverly: Smart (pg 111) :Understanding(pg 111) :Choosey(pg 109)
Aunt Sherrie: Tea addict (pg 111)
: Religious (pg 119)
: Not used to changes (pg 119)
Grandmother: Religious (pg 117)
: Traditional (pg 115)
: Calls people names (pg 112)
What I like about the story is that it shows us that everybody is connected somehow. Whether our race, skin colour or where we were born. Our lives intertwine with people we don’t even know. Like Tien Yee and Beverly. Connected by the family tree although totally different.
Pastime
Conflicts(Internal) An internal conflict in the story is that the story which Tai Poh claims that is not true (but might potray his life as well), might be true. It could be that he does not want to tell Mr Lee the truth because he is too shy to talk about his past, so he tries to potray it as fiction.
Conflicts(External) An external conflicts is the story told about Tai Poh, the one about a young man who decides to fight in the jungle
Climax I think that the climax of the story is when Mr Lee decides to tell his own little story about a security guard which might also reflect on Tai Poh’s life. It adds more suspense to the story from this point. Resolution The resolution of the story is a revelation. Nothing much happens other than the conversation ending, but, it has made both of them realize certain things about their lives and that some things about their lives and that some things are best kept as stories. Characters Tai Poh: Mysterious (tells a story which could be about himself but claims it is fiction pg 215)
: Creative (pg 212)
: Shy (pg 212)
Mr Lee : Attentive (pg 216)
: Creative (pg 2!7)
: Persistant (pg 217)
Man mention in Tai Poh’s story: Brave (pg 213)
: Ambitious (pg 213)
: Reckless
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