island voices

Paper

''You're a show-off, what's so grand about marble floor and a swimming pool'' [pg 3]

'' Her mother-in-law took charge of the situation'' [pg 7]

The Martydom of Helena Rodrigues

''Helena trained her husband into near perfect punctuality for meals'' [pg 11]

''she had never needed the weapon of ill health before'' [pg 15]

Sundowner

''There's no need to keep calling me 'tuan', Aman. i prefer to be called Mr Das'' [pg 21]

''Only in the morning, tuan. they could stop if tuan wishes." [pg 22]

Tanjong Rhu

"Those see-far glasses of yours, can they see Tanjong Rhu ?" [pg31]
"Perhaps, father of Ah-Wah, i will see you there" [pg36]

Evening Under Frangipani

"I don't suppose you have much in the way of soup at home . Difficult to drink soup with your hands" [pg ]

''The bungalow all to themselves! A release from the claustrophobia of Singapore courtship, the lack of places away from the watching judging eyes of parents, friends and strangers.'' [Pg 53]

Release

" Why do you always speak for someone else ? " [pg 143]
" She saw the man emerge from the shadows, wiping the spanner " [pg 148]

An Obituary for Fifth Aunt Come Late

" Oh sorry, oh sorry, I'm very clumsy " [pg 149]
" She was my aunt, but i didn't make it a point to be her niece " [pg 149]

Corridor

"That man might have been killed at the exact moment when I was sitting in that hotel room with the silly piped music." [Pg 167]
"If I was at home when it happened though, I don't know what I would have done." [Pg 169]

Mid-Autumn

"If God's eye is on the sparrow , he will provide for her" [pg183]
"It's a calling from God. It's a fire in my bones. If i don't go, i'll just burn and die." [pg186]

Hamid and the Hand of Fate

''He told himself he would be sabar." [Page 194]
"Gone without transacting in any tenderness or legal tender." [Page 202]

The Move

"Madam Teo blushed and murmured that she was proud to move with the times." [pg209]
"How could this be sadness ? Sadness was war, was famine. Sadness was seeing your father-in-law in China lose all this rice fields when the Communists took over." [pg209-210]

Pastime

"The system is too intricate and too cruel" [pg220]
"It's a hobby, a pastime. It's not real life" [pg 220]

1. In your opinion , how key is the parent-child relationship to Vinod's inevitable end ?

vinod's parents has always been putting alot of pressure on him, wanting him to do his best. they were even oblivious towards vinod's mental illness say that it was just an excuse. Both vinod's parents have high status jobs, hence they would expect him to get one too, but he fails to achieve that. vinod is very sarcastic when he talks about his parents

2.'Vinod's high expectation oh himself caused his downfall." To what extent do you agree with the analysis of Vinod's predicament and tragedy ?

I agree that 'Vinod's high expectations of himself caused his downfall'. When Vinod is around Saloma, his ego becomes bigger because firstly, he sees Saloma as a lost kitten that he has to protect and secondly, he wants himself and Saloma to always stay off-centred instead of being sane however in reverse psychology, he thinks that they are very centred, as sane as any other people. Vinod took care of Saloma even though in my opinion, he is just carrying this heavy burden to please himself, his ego. Not knowing that it is actually causing his depression to grow. Nearing the end of the book, Saloma told him that she wants to become a nurse, applied for her credit card, etc, it shows that Saloma was becoming more sane or normal which Vinod did not want, he wants Saloma to be by his side, being off-centred. However, he thinks that his job to look after Saloma was over, always thinking negatively, his depression finally consumed him thus Vinod committed suicide.

3.Discuss the reasons for Saloma's transformation in the play.

Saloma changes from a shy girl to one who survives from mental illness. She's even able to reason out with mak at the end. As she expresses her desires to live. There is also a reversal of roles between Saloma and Vinod, Vinod who used to be the pillar of strength for Saloma, ended up becoming the weaker one out of the two and actually need saloma.
The first turning point for Saloma is when she met Emily at the halfway house. Even though she starts out using the mantra, Emily taught tentatively, she does turn out to be the stronger chatracter between her and Vinod. For instance, although Vinod is the better educated one between the two, Saloma is one who is set on writing to the newspaper to address the discrimination against mental patients.When Vinod shuts himself in his room, Saloma grows desperate without him.
What becomes the turning point for her, pushing out to face the real world, is the bird in her room. Whether this bird is real or a figment of her imagination is not the point.This marks the second turning point for Saloma because before Vinod withdrew from the world, including her, she did not know what to do with her self, even where to go or what to do.

One night also argue that Mak is a reason for Saloma's transformation and survival. After all, Mak is constantly reminding her of her need to turn to God, an idea which Saloma accepts and even repeats to Vinod.

4."Though a minor role in the play , the character Razali is the key to the plot of off centre." To what extent do you agree with this assessment?

I do not agree with this assement to a large extend. To Saloma, Razali plays a role that is like her dad, he is the one who buys epok epok (curry puff) for her just like what her deceased father promise, one who talks to her & gives her advices. He fufills the role of fatherly model to Saloma. However, to Vinod, he is someone that protects the community as he is a guard, he protect the people living at the block. However during the robber incident, he fails to help them and Vinod blames him for not being there to protect the both of them. Vinod is tested against his manhood when the robber said "Your boyfriend coward ah ?" and "Your boyfriend got balls anot ?", he breaks down and this series of events is similar those that he faced when he is in the army. Platoon Commandor (PC) asked Vinod, "Are you a man or not Vinod?" Razali plays a role to help both Vinod and Saloma, however, he is not the key to the plot of off centre.

5."Datta , Dayadhvam , Damyata" means to "Give , Sympathise , Control". How did the major characters in the play exert control in their enviroment and / or their lives ? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Emily told Vinod to give, sympathise, control which is to say it's sort of like a cure to help Vinod with his illness. These words gave Saloma a sense of control and power that allows her to be able to control her life. What she wants to do and whether or not she wants to be normal, to live.

6.Based on the text Off Centre, discuss how peer acceptance and family support are vital to social status and mental well-being.

the very fact that vinod addresses the society as 'them' shows us that he feels that he is different from rest. this is because of the way they treat people like vinod. it is because they ostracized people like vinod. which make this mental patients feel that they are different. if the society were to treat them as normal people, people like themselves, the off-centered will feel like they are normal and they will be better. hence, acceptance from the society is essential for them, especially when it comes from their family and friends.

5 Off-Centre quotes

act 4 scene 1 pg 103- Datta, dayadhvam, damyata. give, sympathise, control.



act 2 scene 2 pg 55-They are jealous because i am special.



act 2 scene 2 pg 58-I am strong, nothing can destroy me.



act 5 scene 1 pg122-Don`t... er... kill yourself.



act 2 scene 3 pg63- saloma had become a stray kitten he had found in the middle of the expressway

4)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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Choose two stories that reveal the thinking of an older generation of singaporeans. What new insights have you gained from such a revelation?

Mid Autumn


The mother is very old-fashioned and traditional because she still believes very much in the Mid Autumn festival while her daughter is more mordenized and does not believe in it as much as her parents.The mother also has an outdated thinking because she thinks that her daughter should lead a more normal life as a normal Singaporean.Her daughter, on the other hand thinks that she should lead her life as the way she wants to lead it.For example,the daughter wants to go to Uganda to help out despite her mother's wish for her to go to university and get a job.

Tanjong Rhu

The mother likes to think alot about her past and cherish them while the son is more morden thinking and looks more to the present and the future.The mother also like to think about her husband(which is the son's father).Her son,on the other hand,tries to forget his father who is gone.Addtionally,when the mother looks at the mordenized Tanjong Rhu she sees the old-fashioned port which she recognized sometime back.

Literature Holiday assignment

Story: Evening Under Frangipani

Internal Conflicts	· Internal conflicts :Prakash is having intense fear about the interview and showing physical sighs ( pg 47,first paragraph) · Internal conflict: Elaine cursed about her foolishness and also Prakash (pg 58)
External conflicts	· External conflicts :Elaine is talking a issue of marriage that imposed by the society (pg49)
Climax	· When Prakesh jokes about Elaine’s father (pg 62 to pg 63)
Resolution	· Open Ended

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 and start to sweat a lot, making his whole body feel sweaty.

Story: Lee

External Conflicts	· External Conflict: Lee and her father argue about her walkman matter (pg 87,line 10 to line 14) · External conflict between lee and her father (pg 91, line 7 to line 15)
Internal conflict	· Internal Conflict :Lee asked her father why he never wrote (pg 91,line 1)
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 a family reunion. Which made her grandmother very happy to see her, and Lee talked about everything she did in her country.

Story: Release

External 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: Pastime

Internal Conflicts	Mr Lee and himself ( he thought that Tai Poh has stop telling the story but he just keep quite to himself, pg 215)i The man in the Tai Poh’s story that the man do nit have the courage to go to the woman ( the man finds it difficult to go to the woman and ask the question that he wants to know, pg 216)
External confict	· Mr Lee and Tai Poh ( they were telling each other stories and suddenly Mr Lee asked if they were still friends, pg 217)
Climax	When Mr Lee tell Tai Poh the second story( pg 218)
Resolution	Complete resolution Mr Lee finishes his story as they reaches the last station line (pg 220)

Characters

Tai Poh	· He is old( he said that old man like him do not do much, pg 212) · He is a storyteller ( he made up stories about a lot of things, pg 212) · He is considerate ( he did not disturb or talk to other passenger, pg 212)
Mr Lee	· He is a good listener (he listen to Tai Poh’s story attentively, pg 213) · He is sarcastic ( he suddenly ask Tai Poh if they were still friend, pg 217)

The most interesting segment is when Tai Poh suddenly stopped telling Mr Lee the story and saw the fat pink scar on the back of Tai Poh’s head.

Story: An Obituary for Fifth Aunt Come Late

Internal Conflicts	Internal conflicts · Author and herself ( she regretted that she does remember her Aunt better, pg 150) ·
External conflicts	· The grown-up and Aunt ( they do want their children to know their Aunt, pg 149) · Author’s grandmother and her aunties (grew up in neglect. Favour the boys more, pg 151-152)
Climax	When the war came ( pg 156)
Resolution

Characters

Aunt	· She is timid ( spoke did so in rat-a-tat fashion, spewing out words that were closely guarded, in a loud but uncertain voice, pg 150) · She get panic easily ( could calm herself with a trip to the kitchen sink, plowing her hand into dishes and dish-soiled water, pg 150) · She is literate ( · She is hardworking ( pg 157)
Author	· She is mean ( she does not want to make it a point that she is a her niece, pg 149) · She is judgmental ( she likes to judge her Aunt by listening to other people, pg 159)

The most interesting segment is when Aunt became a daughter again, the Fifth Sister and the Fifth Aunt. They had a small ceremony to welcome. It seems that they reunited again after many years.

Story: A History of Tea

Internal Conflicts	· Author and herself ( when the car was going along the old lane, she found it similar enough to conjure her memory, pg113) · Beverly and herself (even though she had meet Tien Yee before, she cannot remember when they meet for the second time , pg 115) ·
External conflicts	· Grandmother and Uncle Raja ( grandmother does not like Uncle Raja because he ‘stole’ her beautiful daughter, pg 111) · Grandmother and Aunt Sherrie (even on her deathbed, grandmother does not want to forgive Aunt Sherrie, pg 115
Climax	When Reginald Jones died in a shipwreck in World war two, pg 117
Resolution	Open ended resolution.

Characters

Narrator (Tien Yee)	· She is poor (just tall mug with blue on white bamboo pattern and cover to help it brew, beaded on its underside with water, pg 109) · She is look at Beverly very detail ( pg 109) · She is very curious about her family (
Grandmother	· She is racist ( in grandmother’s eye, Uncle Raja (black man) stole her daughter ( white woman) pg 111) · She is mean and harsh ( she create story that Uncle Raja is the evil oily man , pg 112) · She is stubborn ( she does not want to forgive Aunt Sherrie, pg 115)
Beverly	· She is rich ( trimmed at the top and base in a blue and gold pattern – Japanese imitating Royal Doultan pg 109) · She is boastful ( she say that she studies nineteenth and twenties centuries Chinese history and then take a sip of tea, pg 111) · She is ungrateful ( she wants to be independent but she say that Tien Yee’s family always controlling her and look after her, pg 112) · She is ambitious ( she plan to study in Oxford or Cambridge , pg 114)

The most interesting segment is when Beverly told the author that she wanted to get engaged with a guy that she met in Oxford but her parents did not allow this relationship because of his religion being Jewish.