Comments posted(on their blogs.)
1)Juvena
2)Mardiana
3)Amy
4)Aslam
5)Pearlyn
Friday, January 29, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Literature Discussion-Older Generation;Insights of Revelation
Q5.Choose two stories that reveal the thinking of an older generation of Singaporeans. What new insights have you gained from such a revelation?
Tanjong Rhu
A:Tanjong Rhu reveal the thinking of an older generation because of the Mr. Li's mother, as known as Ah-ma, herself shows that people from a older generation has a different thinking. Mr Li, himself could also be counted as a person from the older generation, because of his daughter.
Ah-ma, is thrifty, she doesn't want Mr. Li to waste his money, she said " i know i have everything i need." when Mr. Li wanted to show her the binoculars he bought for her.
For her eyes operation, she describe it as, or more likely, she thinks of it as, having her eyes sliced open. Like a clove of garlic or what, talking about peeling my eyes.
People of older generation also thinks of the past, unlike, modern people, who think of enjoying life,and forget that happen in the past.
Traditional ; When Ying, Mr.Li's daughter wanted Ba-ba [ ah-ma ] to go with her father, she volunteer to help ba-ba with the praying, but her ba-ba in the end, scold her and asked her stuffs like whether ot not, does she even know how to address her grandfather.
Mr. Li also scolded her daughter for holding open her ba-ba [ ah-ma, po-po ] eyes.
Even after she donated a pint of blood, when the adults are the one who bring her burial clothes
Evening Under Frangipani
In the story, the thinking of the older generation is showed through Elaine's mother. She acts as the representative of people from the older generation because the olden way of thinking is that, to allow a man to marry their own daughters, the man has to have a good and stable job and comes from a stable family.
Elaine's mother despised Prakash and thought of him as a bully. This shows how biased she is against people from a lower status than her.
Another thinking showed is the idea of mixed marriages. In the olden days, not many people welcome the idea of marrying someone from a different race. When Elaine was with Prakash, Elaine's mother did not like it because Prakash was from a different race and cultural from Elaine. This shows the conventional way of thinking of people from the older generation.
Through this, i gained a new insight that one does not always have to look at the status of a person. To look at a person is to look at him/her through one's heart and not one's eyes. By doing that, it would make one a better person, and with everyone being a better person, it would make this world a better place.
Tanjong Rhu
A:Tanjong Rhu reveal the thinking of an older generation because of the Mr. Li's mother, as known as Ah-ma, herself shows that people from a older generation has a different thinking. Mr Li, himself could also be counted as a person from the older generation, because of his daughter.
Ah-ma, is thrifty, she doesn't want Mr. Li to waste his money, she said " i know i have everything i need." when Mr. Li wanted to show her the binoculars he bought for her.
For her eyes operation, she describe it as, or more likely, she thinks of it as, having her eyes sliced open. Like a clove of garlic or what, talking about peeling my eyes.
People of older generation also thinks of the past, unlike, modern people, who think of enjoying life,and forget that happen in the past.
Traditional ; When Ying, Mr.Li's daughter wanted Ba-ba [ ah-ma ] to go with her father, she volunteer to help ba-ba with the praying, but her ba-ba in the end, scold her and asked her stuffs like whether ot not, does she even know how to address her grandfather.
Mr. Li also scolded her daughter for holding open her ba-ba [ ah-ma, po-po ] eyes.
Even after she donated a pint of blood, when the adults are the one who bring her burial clothes
Evening Under Frangipani
In the story, the thinking of the older generation is showed through Elaine's mother. She acts as the representative of people from the older generation because the olden way of thinking is that, to allow a man to marry their own daughters, the man has to have a good and stable job and comes from a stable family.
Elaine's mother despised Prakash and thought of him as a bully. This shows how biased she is against people from a lower status than her.
Another thinking showed is the idea of mixed marriages. In the olden days, not many people welcome the idea of marrying someone from a different race. When Elaine was with Prakash, Elaine's mother did not like it because Prakash was from a different race and cultural from Elaine. This shows the conventional way of thinking of people from the older generation.
Through this, i gained a new insight that one does not always have to look at the status of a person. To look at a person is to look at him/her through one's heart and not one's eyes. By doing that, it would make one a better person, and with everyone being a better person, it would make this world a better place.
Literature Discussion-Ideals of the young people.
Q4. How are young people and their ideals presented in 2 or 3 stories in the collection? How far do you identify with those young people?
Story: Lee
A: For the story Lee, it may not entirely be based on youngsters in Singapore, because Lee grown up in the States. However, we can see that the ideals of the young people presented in this story is that Lee, is a person who loves music. This may seem like its only based on one character, we can also identify with the author that youngsters nowadays live for music. This is one ideal of youngsters that is shown in the story.
Another ideals shown by Lee is that she doesnt feel awkward or bad whenever she shows vulgaric behaviour in public. From the book, when some random guy whistled to her, she immediately flashed him the finger wihout hesitation. Lee's dad who is obviously of a much older generation had to sustain a shock from seeing Lee do that. This shows another ideal presented in the story.
Lee does not like thinking in the conventional way. This shows the ideal of youngsters nowadays as they do not really think in the same steroetypical way as the older generation.
Lee also dresses very casually. This is another ideal as youngsters nowadays also dresses quite casually whenever they go out.
People from the older generation thinks that it is very normal and a must for youngsters to know their own dialect. When Lee met with her Grandmother who wanted to speak to Lee but couldnt because they both spoke different languages. This is another conventional idea of the older generation which does not applies to the younger generation. We, yougsters does not think it is relevant to know much less understand the dialects because the world is changing and it is more important to speak languages that are relevant to the society.
Therefore this concludes the ideals that are presented in the story.
History Of Tea
For this story, there are two young people, Beverly and TianYee.
This two people themselves has different ideals presented.
Beverly thinks that tea is something important in their lifes, and is not just a "tea", while to TianYee, a tea is just a tea, nothing special, it's just something that they drink.
" She drank lapsang souchong and i had oolong. ", " Mine in just a tall mug with blue on white bamboo patterns and a cover to help it brew, beaded on its underside with water. Hers in a pot, trimmed at the top and base and gold pattern - Japanese imitating Royal Doulton - with matching cup, saucer, tiny jug of milk, a plated spoon and tea strainer on its own base, all produced on a gleaming tray with roses and briars worked onto the handles. "
TianYee thinks that tea was just something in the mug that his mother gave to him in the morning and at dinners.
But to Beverly, remember rules for a good brew, is more important then when she met her cousin, and what they talked about.
Beverly is angry with her parents for not letting her engage with a part Jewish guy.
To Beverly, it's something normal, plus, her parents themselves are also a mixed marriage, but yet, disagree to her engagment.
Story: Lee
A: For the story Lee, it may not entirely be based on youngsters in Singapore, because Lee grown up in the States. However, we can see that the ideals of the young people presented in this story is that Lee, is a person who loves music. This may seem like its only based on one character, we can also identify with the author that youngsters nowadays live for music. This is one ideal of youngsters that is shown in the story.
Another ideals shown by Lee is that she doesnt feel awkward or bad whenever she shows vulgaric behaviour in public. From the book, when some random guy whistled to her, she immediately flashed him the finger wihout hesitation. Lee's dad who is obviously of a much older generation had to sustain a shock from seeing Lee do that. This shows another ideal presented in the story.
Lee does not like thinking in the conventional way. This shows the ideal of youngsters nowadays as they do not really think in the same steroetypical way as the older generation.
Lee also dresses very casually. This is another ideal as youngsters nowadays also dresses quite casually whenever they go out.
People from the older generation thinks that it is very normal and a must for youngsters to know their own dialect. When Lee met with her Grandmother who wanted to speak to Lee but couldnt because they both spoke different languages. This is another conventional idea of the older generation which does not applies to the younger generation. We, yougsters does not think it is relevant to know much less understand the dialects because the world is changing and it is more important to speak languages that are relevant to the society.
Therefore this concludes the ideals that are presented in the story.
History Of Tea
For this story, there are two young people, Beverly and TianYee.
This two people themselves has different ideals presented.
Beverly thinks that tea is something important in their lifes, and is not just a "tea", while to TianYee, a tea is just a tea, nothing special, it's just something that they drink.
" She drank lapsang souchong and i had oolong. ", " Mine in just a tall mug with blue on white bamboo patterns and a cover to help it brew, beaded on its underside with water. Hers in a pot, trimmed at the top and base and gold pattern - Japanese imitating Royal Doulton - with matching cup, saucer, tiny jug of milk, a plated spoon and tea strainer on its own base, all produced on a gleaming tray with roses and briars worked onto the handles. "
TianYee thinks that tea was just something in the mug that his mother gave to him in the morning and at dinners.
But to Beverly, remember rules for a good brew, is more important then when she met her cousin, and what they talked about.
Beverly is angry with her parents for not letting her engage with a part Jewish guy.
To Beverly, it's something normal, plus, her parents themselves are also a mixed marriage, but yet, disagree to her engagment.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Literature Discussion-Change;Welcomed or feared
Q3. With reference to suitable stories, discuss how far change is shown to be either welcomed or feared.
Story-The Move
A: In this story, change is shown to be feared to a certain extent. Madam Teo, whose children are moving house. This is a type of change and Madam Teo did not seem welcome to it at first. One evidence of her not welcoming it is from her not wanting to let go of the past. She wanted to bring the footstools that had been with the family since Tommy(her child) was a kid. This shows that she doesnt welcome change because even though she was moving to a new house, she still wanted to keep the old things that had been with the family for thirty years.
An evidence that she welcomed the change of moving house was when the Ah-Pek who sold coffee told Madam Teo to take care of herself in the new environment. Madam Teo blushed and replied that she was proud to move with the times. This shows that she is welcoming change because she feels assured that it all right to have a change of environment and that she was proud to do so.
At the beginning Madam Teo did not welcome change that much. Then she thought about why was she feeling sad? It was only relocating from one house to another. So in the end, she welcomed change
This concludes why in this story, change is welcomed to only a certain extent.
Story-The Move
A: In this story, change is shown to be feared to a certain extent. Madam Teo, whose children are moving house. This is a type of change and Madam Teo did not seem welcome to it at first. One evidence of her not welcoming it is from her not wanting to let go of the past. She wanted to bring the footstools that had been with the family since Tommy(her child) was a kid. This shows that she doesnt welcome change because even though she was moving to a new house, she still wanted to keep the old things that had been with the family for thirty years.
An evidence that she welcomed the change of moving house was when the Ah-Pek who sold coffee told Madam Teo to take care of herself in the new environment. Madam Teo blushed and replied that she was proud to move with the times. This shows that she is welcoming change because she feels assured that it all right to have a change of environment and that she was proud to do so.
At the beginning Madam Teo did not welcome change that much. Then she thought about why was she feeling sad? It was only relocating from one house to another. So in the end, she welcomed change
This concludes why in this story, change is welcomed to only a certain extent.
Literature Discussion-Conflict between parent and child.
Q2. Select 2 or 3 stories in which there is conflict between parent and child, and show how far there is some resolution of this differences at the end of the story.
Story-Lee
A: The conflict between Lee and Lee's dad is that Lee criticized about the people in Singapore and how they dress. Lee's dad disliked her tone and chided her.
Another conflict is of the way Lee dresses and Lee's dad did not like it and said in irritation to why did Lee had to dress in that odd, casually scrappy ways of her. Lee rebutted that he suggest what way should she dress and he told her that at least the 'wimps' in the supermarket are neat. She said they were tacky and Lee's dad scolded back that he hated her using that word.
The resolution between Lee and her dad is when he told her of the story of how the Chinese and Indians had magnificient culture while the Caucasians were still not settled yet. He told her about how things changed and that in the end, it became that the Westerners were the one who ruled. He told her of how it became likke the Chinese and the rest looked like fools. Basically , he told her of the history of the world.
The conflicts between them were resolved because Lee's dad let out what he had wanted to say for a long time and Lee understood what he had been meaning. It resolved their differences.
The Martyrdom of Helena Rodrigues.
George has been bought up to become a person who grow up ground between millstones of sacrifice and unselfishness.
Helena's tactics enable her to tyrannize most people, including her own son, George. George was moulded from infancy into a perfect guy for his mother's techniques. Helena nurtured in him a hypersensitivity of conscience which bordered upon the pathological ;
George was bought up to believe that insulting his mother's devotion to him was the ultimate blasphemy. Helena, scared of losing George, had kept him by her side.
When George was sixteen, when he acquired his driving license, he had dropped by to visit his uncle [the narrator], when his mother, Helena, was having her hair done.
George rejected his uncle's invitation for having dinner then next day because he was worried that his mother, Helena would be left alone at home, and scared that she would feel lonely, thinks that he couldn't leave his mother alone.
Helena pick that day when George had taken the car out all afternoon to make a trip to visit her sister, his aunt. She chose to travel by bus, at the hottest time of the day, to visit the most remote, the most phone-gossipy, and most indignant of his aunt. Causes George to hardly uses the car even since, lest his mother should again to forced to such hardship.
" His spirit, if it had not been broken before, now was thoroughly crushed. "
George met Caroline when he grew older, and she also convince him that his mother is a lady Dracula. Sensing that the power over him is endanger, she worked to tighthen her grip. Using the weapon of ill health, and again, she didn't told George anything, wanting to use someone's else mouth to pass the message to George.
On George's wedding day, Helena's doctor, Doctor de Cruz, summoned in great alarm, and told George that his mum is in great danger. Which causes him to cancel his wedding.
In the end, Helena as still left alone, because George died before her
Story-Lee
A: The conflict between Lee and Lee's dad is that Lee criticized about the people in Singapore and how they dress. Lee's dad disliked her tone and chided her.
Another conflict is of the way Lee dresses and Lee's dad did not like it and said in irritation to why did Lee had to dress in that odd, casually scrappy ways of her. Lee rebutted that he suggest what way should she dress and he told her that at least the 'wimps' in the supermarket are neat. She said they were tacky and Lee's dad scolded back that he hated her using that word.
The resolution between Lee and her dad is when he told her of the story of how the Chinese and Indians had magnificient culture while the Caucasians were still not settled yet. He told her about how things changed and that in the end, it became that the Westerners were the one who ruled. He told her of how it became likke the Chinese and the rest looked like fools. Basically , he told her of the history of the world.
The conflicts between them were resolved because Lee's dad let out what he had wanted to say for a long time and Lee understood what he had been meaning. It resolved their differences.
The Martyrdom of Helena Rodrigues.
George has been bought up to become a person who grow up ground between millstones of sacrifice and unselfishness.
Helena's tactics enable her to tyrannize most people, including her own son, George. George was moulded from infancy into a perfect guy for his mother's techniques. Helena nurtured in him a hypersensitivity of conscience which bordered upon the pathological ;
George was bought up to believe that insulting his mother's devotion to him was the ultimate blasphemy. Helena, scared of losing George, had kept him by her side.
When George was sixteen, when he acquired his driving license, he had dropped by to visit his uncle [the narrator], when his mother, Helena, was having her hair done.
George rejected his uncle's invitation for having dinner then next day because he was worried that his mother, Helena would be left alone at home, and scared that she would feel lonely, thinks that he couldn't leave his mother alone.
Helena pick that day when George had taken the car out all afternoon to make a trip to visit her sister, his aunt. She chose to travel by bus, at the hottest time of the day, to visit the most remote, the most phone-gossipy, and most indignant of his aunt. Causes George to hardly uses the car even since, lest his mother should again to forced to such hardship.
" His spirit, if it had not been broken before, now was thoroughly crushed. "
George met Caroline when he grew older, and she also convince him that his mother is a lady Dracula. Sensing that the power over him is endanger, she worked to tighthen her grip. Using the weapon of ill health, and again, she didn't told George anything, wanting to use someone's else mouth to pass the message to George.
On George's wedding day, Helena's doctor, Doctor de Cruz, summoned in great alarm, and told George that his mum is in great danger. Which causes him to cancel his wedding.
In the end, Helena as still left alone, because George died before her
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Literature Discussion-Motherhood
Q1: How is motherhood presented in any two or three stories in the collection?
Story-Tanjong Rhu
A: In Tanjong Rhu, the mother is Mr Lee's mother, Ah-Ma.
The way that motherhood is presented in this story is through Ah-Ma being the one who keeps the past of her child, which in this case is Mr Lee.
When Mr Lee bought binoculars for his mother, she did not want it at first. She said:"Ah-Wah, things you can buy, i do not need." From this sentence, it means that things that Mr Lee can buy are the materialistc and real things. But Ah-Ma did not need them, for the things she need are her past, which no matter how much Mr Lee has , he cannot buy.
The past that Ah-Ma needs is the childhood of Mr Lee. Ah-Ma remembers the past of her which is of the younger verison of Mr Lee climbing in the empty hulls of the fishing boats that his father was building.
Therefore in my opinion, the motherhood presented in this story is of Ah-Ma being the one who keeps the past of her own child.
Mid-autumn
A: The mother make sure that the Ovaltine is cool enough for her daughter to drink, when they went to the coffee shop during the lantern festival.
She pay for her daughter's pile of revision assessment books and mock PSLE exam paper, all by herself. She stayed in her teaching job even though she didn't likes it so that she could afford the best education for her daughter. She use the money and send her to Methodist Girls' School. She also send her daughter to art, piano, and ballet classes at the Community Centre, and paid for her chinese tution. She paid for her daughter's classes by herself, without her husband giving a cent.
She bought a new flat in bedok, by herself - her husband didn't pay a single cent. But her husband sold her new flat and asked her to get a new one. She fled, but when she left the building, she heard her daughter screaming and felt water droplets on her neck, she knew that the droplet wasn't her daughter's tears, and yet, she will went back.
She does not want her daughter to go to Uganda, she is worried that her daughter would suffer there. She told her daughter that in Uganda there is no future, and no money, no pay.
She also told her daughter that "When you have no financial independence, you have no weapon, no shield, stuck with a bad husband and have bad jobs."
She forbid her daughter from going to Uganda but her daughter say that its a calling from the god and there's fire in her bones, and if she doesn't go, she will just burn and die.
She asked her daughter to stay but two months later, she woke up and her daughter is gone.
Story-Tanjong Rhu
A: In Tanjong Rhu, the mother is Mr Lee's mother, Ah-Ma.
The way that motherhood is presented in this story is through Ah-Ma being the one who keeps the past of her child, which in this case is Mr Lee.
When Mr Lee bought binoculars for his mother, she did not want it at first. She said:"Ah-Wah, things you can buy, i do not need." From this sentence, it means that things that Mr Lee can buy are the materialistc and real things. But Ah-Ma did not need them, for the things she need are her past, which no matter how much Mr Lee has , he cannot buy.
The past that Ah-Ma needs is the childhood of Mr Lee. Ah-Ma remembers the past of her which is of the younger verison of Mr Lee climbing in the empty hulls of the fishing boats that his father was building.
Therefore in my opinion, the motherhood presented in this story is of Ah-Ma being the one who keeps the past of her own child.
Mid-autumn
A: The mother make sure that the Ovaltine is cool enough for her daughter to drink, when they went to the coffee shop during the lantern festival.
She pay for her daughter's pile of revision assessment books and mock PSLE exam paper, all by herself. She stayed in her teaching job even though she didn't likes it so that she could afford the best education for her daughter. She use the money and send her to Methodist Girls' School. She also send her daughter to art, piano, and ballet classes at the Community Centre, and paid for her chinese tution. She paid for her daughter's classes by herself, without her husband giving a cent.
She bought a new flat in bedok, by herself - her husband didn't pay a single cent. But her husband sold her new flat and asked her to get a new one. She fled, but when she left the building, she heard her daughter screaming and felt water droplets on her neck, she knew that the droplet wasn't her daughter's tears, and yet, she will went back.
She does not want her daughter to go to Uganda, she is worried that her daughter would suffer there. She told her daughter that in Uganda there is no future, and no money, no pay.
She also told her daughter that "When you have no financial independence, you have no weapon, no shield, stuck with a bad husband and have bad jobs."
She forbid her daughter from going to Uganda but her daughter say that its a calling from the god and there's fire in her bones, and if she doesn't go, she will just burn and die.
She asked her daughter to stay but two months later, she woke up and her daughter is gone.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Pastime
Conflicts : ·Mr Lee & Tai Poh (External)
- There was a psychological conflict as they try to trick each other into admitting to something .
·Mr Lee & Tai Poh (Internal)
- Mr Lee was laughing on on the inside as he thinks that he thinks that Tai Poh has failed in trying to fool him .
Climax :
The start of the climax is when Mr. Lee started on his own “Story”
Resolution :
Nothing changed as its just a story, it was just a past time and nothing was real .
Characters;
1) Tai Poh
· Quiet (Pg 212, He did not talk to the passengers nor disturb them in any way)
· Observant (Pg 212, He watched and carefully considered before he picked the person to feature in his story)
· Secretive (Pg 217, He stopped to check his face , it betrayed nothing nor let anyone know anything through his face expressions)
2) Mr Lee
· Vigilant (Pg 216, He was prepared)
· Cunning (Pg 217, It betrayed nothing and he expected it, he was not simple minded.After living through so many years this way, he could not be simple minded .
The most interesting segment is when..
- There was a psychological conflict as they try to trick each other into admitting to something .
·Mr Lee & Tai Poh (Internal)
- Mr Lee was laughing on on the inside as he thinks that he thinks that Tai Poh has failed in trying to fool him .
Climax :
The start of the climax is when Mr. Lee started on his own “Story”
Resolution :
Nothing changed as its just a story, it was just a past time and nothing was real .
Characters;
1) Tai Poh
· Quiet (Pg 212, He did not talk to the passengers nor disturb them in any way)
· Observant (Pg 212, He watched and carefully considered before he picked the person to feature in his story)
· Secretive (Pg 217, He stopped to check his face , it betrayed nothing nor let anyone know anything through his face expressions)
2) Mr Lee
· Vigilant (Pg 216, He was prepared)
· Cunning (Pg 217, It betrayed nothing and he expected it, he was not simple minded.After living through so many years this way, he could not be simple minded .
The most interesting segment is when..
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